CALGARY, Alberta — Hockey Hall of Famer Lanny McDonald was hospitalized Monday, a day after suffering a cardiac event while returning from the NHL’s All-Star festivities in Toronto.
The 70-year-old McDonald wrote on a social media post Monday that he had what he described as a “cardiac event” at Calgary International Airport on Sunday, when two nurses heading to their own flights helped him when he was in distress.
“It’s true that even tough old guys need help sometimes,” McDonald wrote. His post was shared on the social media accounts belonging to the Calgary Flames alumni association.
“We are eternally grateful for their care and action … I owe them my life,” said McDonald, who didn’t have the names of the nurses.
McDonald said he was receiving care from doctors and nurses and looking forward to Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
“While I hang out here as the professionals figure out next steps for the ol’ ticker, I’ll try to convince the team here to bet on the Chiefs next Sunday and never stop cheering for our Flames,” McDonald said.
McDonald had 500 goals and 506 assists in 1,111 games over 17 NHL seasons for Toronto, Colorado and Calgary. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992. He was named to the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2022.
