Red Wings' Fischer has seizure

CBC Sports

Detroit Red Wings defenceman Jiri Fischer suffered a seizure on the bench in Monday's game against the Nashville Predators.

• RELATED: Jiri Fischer bio

Jiri Fischer's fiancee and Brendan Shanahan watch by the ambulance. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Fischer, 25, is listed in stable condition at Detroit Receiving Hospital, where he will undergo tests the next two days.

"He's breathing on his own, he's responsive," Red Wings spokesman John Hahn said. "It looks like he's going to be okay."

Fischer required CPR and the use of a defibrillator before being removed on a stretcher with 7:31 left in the opening period.

"He had a seizure and he fell forward, and ended up on his side," Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock told reporters afterward.

"They started doing CPR on him and his heart had stopped. There was no pulse, so they hooked up the auto defibrillator and it shocked him."

"Everybody is definitely caught by surprise," added Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman. "We turn and see Jiri laying between the boards and the bench and we're not sure why.

"You fear for the guy's life at that moment. I cannot remember anything like that."

Play was halted immediately and the teams returned to their respective dressing rooms as medical personnel tended to Fischer.

Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan stayed behind to escort Fischer's fiancee, Avery, across the ice.

"Obviously, she was very worried and concerned," Shanahan said. "She just wanted to be next to Jiri."

Officials later decided to postpone the game, with Nashville leading 1-0 on Greg Johnson's third goal of the season at 11:28.

No makeup date was announced.

"It was obvious to everybody involved that it was the right decision," Predators head coach Barry Trotz claimed. "It was very disturbing to both sides and I think the NHL recognized it, the players recognized it.

Fischer missed a pair of practices in September 2002 upon being diagnosed with a heart abnormality, but passed a stress test.

"There is a little abnormality, but nothing that will stop me from playing," he said at the time.

"It's nothing that will bother me emotionally. I wasn't scared about the abnormality.

"But I was scared about not playing hockey again. That was a shock for me."

Fischer was cleared to play, only to tear an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee that Nov. 12 in a game against Nashville.

He missed all but 15 games.

Fischer has three goals and eight points in 22 games this season, his sixth with Detroit.

The Czech native has totalled 11 goals and 60 points in 305 NHL games since being drafted 25th overall by Detroit in 1998.

Fischer helped the Red Wings capture the Stanley Cup during the 2001-02 campaign.

with files from CP Online