Photo credit: RocketFAN

By Regan Bartel

Trade mark smile returns to practice

Josh Banini grateful after scary moment in Portland

Jan 29, 2026 | 2:24 PM

For most goaltenders, fear disappears early. The shots come harder. The traffic gets heavier. The puck becomes something to challenge, not something to avoid.

Josh Banini had reached that point long ago.

Then, on January 10th in Portland, a single puck reminded him how quickly the game can change.

Banini was sitting on the bench as the backup goaltender when a clearing attempt from a Winterhawks player went off target and struck him below the left eye. He was not wearing a helmet, standard for WHL backups on the bench. The puck found him anyway.

“It just caught me in a bad spot,” Banini told RocketFAN. “It was kind of a freak accident. You see things like that happen sometimes, but it’s not common. I was lucky it didn’t hit me directly in the eye.”

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The impact was serious enough that Banini had to be stretchered off the ice and sent to a hospital in Portland, where he received immediate care. Fans in the arena, including Winterhawks supporters, gave him a huge round of applause as he left.

At first, the injury did not look as serious as it would later prove to be. Banini even made the trip back to Kelowna with the team. But further medical evaluations quickly showed how delicate the situation really was.

Doctors discovered bleeding inside his eye. A specialist later found small tears in his retina, requiring laser surgery to prevent further damage.

“You don’t really realize how delicate the eye is until something like this happens,” Banini said. “There was some complicated stuff, but I was pretty fortunate.”

Two weeks later, Banini was back on the ice, taking a light skate and smiling as he moved through the crease. It was his first time on the ice since the injury, and it meant more than just another practice.

“Feeling pretty good right now,” he said. “It’s been a crazy couple of weeks. There was a lot that went into getting back and putting the skates on, but I’m feeling really good now.”

The moment in Portland drew concern from across the WHL. Fans in both Kelowna and Portland reached out with messages of support. For Banini, that support mattered.

“It means a lot knowing the fans care about your health,” he said. “Some things are bigger than the game itself, and when you see that support, you really appreciate it.”

Banini credits the quick response and care he received for helping him avoid a far worse outcome. Medical staff in Portland acted immediately, and the Rockets’ medical team followed closely once he returned home.

“The people in Portland were really fast to treat me,” Banini said. “I couldn’t ask for better care. Our staff here was on top of everything right away.”

He singled out Rockets athletic therapist Scott Hoyer, along with team doctors and eye specialists, for guiding him through each step.

“It’s a delicate thing,” Banini said. “You don’t want anything to go the wrong way. Everyone made sure things were handled properly, and that means a lot.”

The recovery process was not simple. For a time, Banini was limited to near-complete rest. Even walking was restricted.

“They didn’t want my heart rate going up because it could increase the bleeding,” he said. “So I was kind of stuck in bed for a bit.”

That made his return to the ice feel especially rewarding. Tuesday’s skate was intentionally light, focused more on movement than intensity.

“Today was just about getting the blood flowing,” Banini said. “I’m slowly building things back up.”

His vision, the biggest concern, has fully returned.

“My vision is 20/20 right now,” he said. “I did the test and got it on the screen.”

Early on, he noticed spots in his vision. Those have since disappeared.

“Now it’s clear,” he said. “I have another appointment later this week, so hopefully I can get cleared to do more.”

Banini hopes to return to full practice soon, with game action following once doctors are confident it is safe. There is no rush. He understands the importance of patience now more than ever.

Even a short skate reminded him how demanding the position can be.

“I was just doing some crease movements and I was already sweating,” he said with a laugh. “You miss time, and you realize how much conditioning it takes to be game ready.”

For a goaltender who has faced thousands of shots without hesitation, the incident in Portland offered perspective.

Pucks never scared Josh Banini before.

For one moment, they did.