VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Canucks center Manny Malhotra made it through 10 minutes of his first public statements since a career-threatening eye injury before his emotions started to get the best of him.
Asked what he learned in the 10 weeks since a deflected puck exploded into his left eye and almost cost him his vision and his hockey career, Malhotra had to pause several times, his voice breaking as he talked about the support he received.
“It really put things into perspective,” Malhotra said after being cleared to play in the Stanley Cup final. “We’re hockey players. But at the end of the day the level of respect we have for one another as friends, husbands, brothers, fathers, that really came to the forefront.”
