Many may remember the struggle of Pierre Marc-Bouchard to overcome an extremely damaging concussion to return to hockey after almost an entire lost season. For me that was more than a distant struggle, it was an inspiration.
June 27, 2016, It’s a day I reflect on for good reasons. On this day six years ago on June 27, 2010 I laid in a hospital room, not knowing what my future held for me after suffering a Traumatic Brain Injury. I was essentially being put in and out of sleep. Yet, one athlete who gave me hope to these suffering, or difficulty is Pierre Marc-Bouchard. I guess you can even say he is the reason I became even a bigger fan of the Minnesota Wild.
His perseverance, his gut, his instinct, his charisma, his determination, his attitude about overcoming the odds. Whether it was injury, his height which I specifically remember how this was even a big deal to some. For all these reasons, Bouchard was in a way bigger than life to me, but he was bigger than life to me for another reason, his determination, and courage to come back and play after his head injury
Pierre Marc-Bouchard was the eighth overall pick in the 2002 NHL draft by the Minnesota Wild. An absolutely gifted scorer. According to Josh Cooper of Puckdaddy, Bouchard concussions troubles started in March of 2008, when he was hit then by Nate Thompson of the New York Islanders.
While writing this, I am reminded of the fact that another wild player recently by the Name of Keith Ballard also had his career ended by a hit from New York Islanders Player, just thought I would put that out there.
Bouchard would go on to miss the rest of the 2008-09 season, He returned for the first game of the 2009-2010 season, but then would go on to miss the rest. He would not see the ice again until December of 2011. Unfortunately the concussion strike again after a big hit from Zack Bogosian of the Winninpeg Jets.
He would try to return a few times again, but unfortunately he was never the same electrifying player that he was on the ice for the Minnesota Wild. So today as I reflect on my own ugly anniversary, and the symptoms I continue to deal with, I wanted to reflect on this player, a player who meant a lot to me, and someone who gave me the strength to keep fighting when I wanted to give up.
Next: Who Should be in the top 6?
Anyway wild fans, I hope you enjoy my piece. I look forward to this Friday and this week in general with free agency in sight, and seeing if any trade is made by our General Manager Chuck Fletcher, and can’t wait to write about them.