SUNRISE, Fla., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik will miss the rest of the 2007-08 season after his recent neck surgery.
The 32-year-old, 13-year veteran suffered a gruesome injury in the third period of a game on Feb. 10 at Buffalo when the carotid artery in his neck was sliced accidentally by the right skate of teammate Olli Jokinen.
"I remember exactly what happened," Zednik said Thursday in his first comments to reporters during a news conference at team headquarters in Davie, Fla. "I knew it was pretty bad."
He immediately was helped by attendants, stabilized, and underwent surgery to repair the artery at Buffalo General Hospital.
"Probably the first 10 minutes, everybody was on edge, not knowing what could be the result," said Coach Jacques Martin, who accompanied Zednik and announced that Zednik would miss the remainder of the National Hockey League season.
Martin added that he expects Zednik to make a full recovery.
