Amputee ex-player hired by Coyotes
Cunningham nearly died after heart stopped on ice
Last November, minor-league hockey player Craig Cunningham lay on the ice, near death, in Tucson.
Cunningham, a star for the Tucson Roadrunners, the minor-league affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes, collapsed during a pregame skate after suffering a cardiac-rhythm disturbance that caused his heart to stop working.
Paramedics and medical personnel pumped his chest for 85 minutes to keep him alive.
He spent nearly a month in the hospital, but because of complications and infection, he lost circulation in his left leg, which doctors were forced to amputate the day after Christmas.
Cunningham’s near-death experience and and challenging rehabilitation captured the interest of fans everywhere, especially after he returned to the ice for a brief skate on a prosthetic limb earlier this spring.
But while his playing career is over, his career in professional hockey is anything but. Last week, the Arizona Coyotes signed him to a pro scouting contract.
“We’re thrilled to have Craig join our hockey operations department as a pro scout,” General Manager John Chayka said. “Craig was a smart, hardworking player with an incredible passion for the game. We’re confident that he will bring those same qualities to the Coyotes in his new role and that he will be an invaluable asset to our organization. We look forward to Craig helping us in several areas and are excited that he is staying with the club.”
Cunningham is eager for the challenge.
“I’m very excited to begin the next chapter of my life with the Coyotes,” he said. “I’m very grateful to John Chayka, Dave Tippett, the Coyotes and Roadrunners organizations, and all of the great fans across Arizona for the incredible support I’ve received over the past year.”
The 26-year-old Cunningham, a native of Trail, British Columbia, had three goals and five assists in 63 career NHL games with the Coyotes and Boston Bruins. He scored four goals and had nine assists in 11 games with the Roadrunners last season.