Pro hockey player leaves fans shocked over gruesome injury

Minor league hockey player Vincent Arseneau not only moonlights as an on-ice gladiator, but he's an amateur doctor as well. Moments after apparently breaking a finger during a brawl with Syracuse's Kale Kessy on Friday, the Laval Rocket left wing was seen snapping his mangled digit back into place on his way to the penalty box. Understandably, Arseneau did not return to the game and was scratched for Saturday's rematch in the Montreal suburb of Laval. The Rocket, a Canadiens affiliate, beat the Crunch, part of the Tampa Bay Lightning system, 5-2 on Friday and 1-0 on Saturday. Arseneau and Kessy went toe to toe at center ice on Friday only for officials to separate the pair before either fell crashing down to the ice. Regardless, Arseneau's left ring finger appeared to be pointed in an unnatural direction when they were pulled apart. He then skated to the penalty box while proceeding to realign his finger. After pulling it, and appear to wince, Arseneau appeared satisfied that it was back in place and finished skating to the penalty box. The brutal moment comes amid the top-level minor-league circuit's safety crackdown. Since the death of Adam Johnson in October 2023 during a game in England, protective equipment has been a prime topic at every level of the sport. The AHL, the top developmental league below the NHL, took a big step this season by requiring all skaters, referees and linespersons to wear some sort of cut-resistant neck protection. Like the requirement of eye-protecting visors a decade ago, the neckwear could take some getting used to. It is becoming more common for players of all ages - Hockey Canada has mandated neck guard protection for youth players for three decades and USA Hockey made it mandatory for U.S. players under 18 as of August 1 - and now all eyes are on the pros. 'Hopefully that's what's going to end up happening as we move forward here, that it's just going to be a piece of their equipment,' said AHL president and CEO Scott Howson, whose league has long been a testing ground for the NHL, including 3-on-3 overtime and the mandate for cut-resistant socks and sleeves last season. 'With the different products out there, hopefully all the players can find something that they can adapt to and eventually like - or, at the very least, not notice when they're playing hockey.' The death of Johnson was a horrific reminder of the risks. The former NHL player was cut in the neck during a game and died at a hospital. Guidelines exist for many youth programs in North America and beyond, but not at the highest levels of hockey, where league and players' union leaders have discussed the topic for years.