A young girl’s tragic death during an ice hockey game continues to reverberate in the sports world more than two decades later.
Brittanie Cecil, 13, was fatally struck by a flying puck at a match in Ohio, United States, between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames.
Brittanie sustained injuries early in the game when a slapshot deflected off a player and flew over the end glass into the stands, striking her head at the Nationwide Arena.
Despite suffering a skull fracture, the teenager managed to walk to a first-aid station before being rushed to Columbus Children’s Hospital by ambulance. There, she suffered a seizure and experienced brain clotting and swelling.
Tragically, just two days later and 48 hours shy of her 14th birthday, Brittanie lost consciousness and passed away.
Her parents were awarded $1.2 million in a settlement with the NHL and other groups, as revealed by a copy of the agreement made public under an appeals court order, reports the Mirror US.
Brittanie’s mother, Jody Naudascher, received $705,000 and her father, David Cecil, was given $470,000. An additional $13,000 was provided for funeral expenses.
Espen Knutsen, the Blue Jackets player whose shot resulted in the fatal incident, expressed his deep remorse. In a meeting with Brittanie’s mother following the tragedy, he said: “I can’t imagine what it was like for you, for your family. It was a terrible accident that I couldn’t believe.”
Brittanie’s mother reportedly told him, per the Columbus Dispatch: “I don’t hold you responsible, I never did. It was an accident and you should never have blamed yourself for anything.”
Knutsen also said: “It really shook me, my teammates and everyone around the team more than people could ever know.”
Brittanie’s tragic death sparked a major transformation in the sport – leading to the compulsory installation of protective netting.
The NHL’s board of governors mandated the nets be suspended from the ceiling across the end zones, extending from the rink’s corners.
Gary Bettman, commissioner at the time, said these safety measures would have stopped the puck that struck Brittanie from reaching the spectators.
Whilst a league investigation concluded the arenas were secure, Bettman maintained the introduction of nets remained “the right thing to do after what has happened”.
Bettman elaborated: “There were measures we could take that would reduce the incidence of pucks entering the stands without it interfering with the game, or the fans’ enjoyment of the game, and we’re doing that.”
At the time of the ruling, Blue Jackets president Doug MacLean said: “Obviously, the tragic death has affected us tremendously, and we wholeheartedly support the league’s mandate to go with the netting. We think it’s a positive step.”
