‘It was a sickening feeling’
Drake Batherson's grandparents disappointed injury kept him from first NHL All-Star Game
The sound of a pin dropping could be heard inside the home of Matt and Kay Batherson on the evening of Jan. 25.
Normally, the North Sydney couple would be on the edge of the couch as they watched their grandson, New Minas native Drake Batherson, and his Ottawa Senators teammates play.
While the night began the way it usually would, an uneasy feeling came over them early in the first period that left them speechless for hours.
Drake was chasing down Buffalo Sabres defenceman Jake McCabe. As he skated towards the back of the net, Sabres’ goaltender Aaron Dell dropped his shoulder into the Sens forward, sending him flying into the boards.
The 23-year-old Batherson stayed on the ice but later managed to get up on his own and slowly skate to the bench, putting no pressure on his foot. Batherson left the game, leaving his Cape Breton family to wonder about his health.
“It was a sickening feeling,” said Matt Batherson, noting the couple never misses one of their grandson’s shifts.
“We didn’t know what was wrong until after the game when we got a call from our son Norm, Drake’s father. It was a terrible feeling not knowing.”
Batherson suffered a high ankle sprain on the play and is currently out of the club’s lineup.
Dell was not penalized on the play but was later suspended for three games by the NHL.
In an interview with Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa
general manager Pierre Dorion said Drake could be back in April and if he does return this year “you won’t see him at 100 per cent until next season.”
Matt is no stranger when it comes to playing the game. During his younger years, he played in the local senior hockey league and also captured a national championship with the 1978 University College of Cape Breton (UCCB) Capers.
He knows injuries are part of the game but admits he has never seen a play like the one that injured his grandson happen in all the years he’s played.
“I played a lot of hockey in my day and I saw a lot of things, but I never seen a goaltender do a thing like that – and it’s not the first time he did that,” said Batherson.
“In the old days, Johnny Bower would stick the pad out to protect the players from going into the post because there was a respect level. The play on Drake was rotten and there was no need for it.”
To make matters worse, Drake had been named to his first NHL All-Star Game, which took place Feb. 5 in Las Vegas, after posting 34 points in 31 games to lead the Senators.
“We were very excited for him, so to know that he won’t be playing is really disappointing,” said Matt, noting members of the family were planning to be in Nevada for the contest.
“We thought he deserved to go because he was having such a great year, but there’s nothing you can do now with the injury. It’s going to take time to heal and we understand that.”
Drake’s teammate Brady Tkachuk replaced him on the Atlantic Division roster.
INJURIES
While Drake is in the early days of his young professional career, his father Norm also played professional hockey for 13 seasons between the American Hockey League and Europe.
After spending the first five years of pro hockey between the Prince Edward Island Senators and Portland Pirates, he elected to move to Germany.
He went on to play one season with Revier Löwen Oberhausen of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, before playing the final seven years of his career in the German Division 2 league between Crocodiles Hamburg, SC Riessersee, and Straubing Tigers.
During his career, Norm broke both of his ankles as well as a wrist and his nose several times.
As for Drake, this isn’t the first time he suffered an injury prior to a big event in his hockey career.
Weeks before the Canadian national junior team training camp in December 2017, while playing with the then Cape
Breton Screaming Eagles, he was sidelined after an injury to his finger from a slash.
Fortunately for Drake, he was able to participate in the camp and earned a spot on the Canadian roster. He went on to post seven goals in seven games, helping Canada win a gold medal at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo, N.Y.
Kay Batherson recalls that injury.
“The slash took a whole nail and part of his finger off,” said Kay. “They flew him to Ottawa and they had a glove made for him and he was able to take part in the camp and the rest is history.”
“I played a lot of hockey in my day and I saw a lot of things, but I never seen a goaltender do a thing like that – and it’s not the first time he did that.” Matt Batherson
STAYING POSITIVE
Matt and Kay had an opportunity to speak with Drake last week.
“We were happy when we talked to him,” said Kay. “He never gets down on himself. He never said one nasty thing about the goalie and said nothing negative – he’s just a really positive kid about everything.
“I don’t want to see anyone get hurt, so I’m glad Drake’s teammates didn’t do anything to the goalie because they showed that they were a little bigger than he was despite the situation.”
Matt acknowledged his grandson was upbeat during their conversation, noting a new addition to the family.
“He was in good cheer and he got himself a new dog, so he’s not alone,” laughed Batherson, noting the bulldog’s name is Bobby.
“Drake still goes to the rink every day as if he was playing and he’s still exercising the best he can. He has a lot of good people looking after him and we know he’ll be back very soon – don’t be surprised if it’s sooner than they think.”