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Rocket player recovers after skate cut

‘It was a frightening night’ – Rockets forward Michael Cicek

Mar 13, 2025 | 6:00 AM

February 21st is a date Michael Cicek will never forget.

The 21-year-old Kelowna Rockets forward carries a reminder of that night, thanks to a scary incident and the quick, professional response of the off-ice medical team who came to his aid after an opponent’s skate cut him.

“It was a frightening night,” Cicek shared with RocketFAN, recalling the moment when Vancouver Giants forward London Hoilett’s skate sliced a deep gash in his left forearm, requiring urgent care to stop the bleeding. “Hockey’s a fast-paced game, especially at our level. Things can happen in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, I ended up getting caught by a skate. But that’s part of the game.”

The incident occurred early in the third period when Cicek and Hoilett were battling for the puck along the boards in the Rockets’ zone. As the Giants forward fell, his skate blade slashed across Cicek’s exposed forearm.

“I got really good help,” Cicek said, recalling how he quickly rushed to the bench, holding his arm up, leaving a trail of blood on the ice to signal the severity of the situation. “I was taken care of really, really well,” he continued. “Scotty Hoyer [Rockets athletic therapist] and the paramedics who brought me to the hospital were amazing. I ended up having surgery and getting 30 stitches, and now I’m on the road to recovery, though I miss being out there with the guys.”

“I felt it in my wrist and thought, ‘Oh no, something’s not right with my body.’ I did what I could—I rushed to the bench… the team got me to the tunnel as fast as they could. It’s one of the worst injuries I’ve had, and I’ve had my share of injuries, so that says a lot.”

Cicek also underwent surgery on his left wrist, the same arm as the injury.

“It took me a few days to watch the video [of the incident],” he admitted. “I’ve watched it on my phone. I’ve lived with it, and now I’m at peace with it. Sometimes life hands you cards you didn’t expect. I’m going to push through this just like I’ve pushed through the season. It’s just another challenge to focus on.”

When the injury happened, Cicek told the paramedics and doctors to do what was necessary. “I trusted them. I didn’t want to see it because I knew that would be tough to handle. They respected my wishes, and I didn’t see the injury until the next morning.”

Deep cuts can cause serious damage to tendons, muscles, ligaments, and blood vessels.

“I think everyone would react differently to something like this,” Cicek said. “I just dropped my glove and stick, knew I had to stop the bleeding, and squeezed my forearm as tight as I could until I got help.”

Now, 20 days after the incident, Cicek was asked about the shorter cuff hockey gloves players wear today, which are designed for better puck handling and shooting but don’t offer the same protection as long cuff gloves.

“These are the gloves we’ve always worn growing up,” he explained, defending the modern gloves. “It won’t change. It’s just part of the game. It was an unlucky spot, right between the elbow pad and glove, and there’s nothing you can do to prevent that in the moment.

“I don’t blame the equipment, and I don’t blame the player who caused it. It was just a hockey play.”

They say bad things happen in threes, and in the Western Hockey League, Cicek’s injury came before two other alarming incidents: Everett Silvertips forward Carter Bear had his Achilles tendon cut by a skate in a game against the Portland Winterhawks, and more recently, Tri-City Americans defenseman Tyrell Goldsmith fell face first onto the ice after a fight with Ashton Cumby in a game against the Seattle Thunderbirds, resulting in convulsions that led to the game being postponed. He is awake, responsive and in good spirits as he recovers at home.

“You can’t let an incident like mine control you,” Cicek said when discussing how he’ll approach similar situations once he returns to the ice. “If you let it, it holds power over you. I’ve been through this before, and I know what the recovery process is like, so I know what to expect.”

The timeline for Cicek’s recovery remains unclear. With stitches removed this week, rehab will be necessary, and it will likely take most of the summer before he’s ready for Michigan Tech in the fall, where he’ll become the first Rockets player to commit to an NCAA school after graduating from the WHL.

“This is a serious injury, and when I’m back on the ice, I’m going to give it my all until I can’t anymore,” he said.

“It’s bigger than just the game, no matter what team or club you play for,” Cicek added, reflecting on the outpouring of support he received from fans across the league via social media.

“It was amazing to hear from people I hadn’t heard from in a while, and even from people I didn’t know. That support meant so much to me—it really helped my mental state.

“There are great players in this league, but there are also great people.”

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