from Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette,

The National Hockey League was patting itself on the back this week after doctors saved Dallas Stars forward Rich Peverley’s life when he went into cardiac arrest during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The NHL made a number of changes to its medical policies after the Detroit Red Wings’ Jiri Fischer suffered a similar heart problem during a game in 2005. The rules require home teams to provide two doctors, a plastic surgeon and a dentist for each game, and every rink must be equipped with a defibrillator.

These policies and the quick response of the medical staff and an unidentified woman who left her seat to begin CPR saved Peverley’s life.

But the information that has come out following the incident raises serious questions about why Peverley was playing Monday night. Doctors discovered a heart problem during a routine physical exam last summer. It was recommended that Peverley undergo surgery in Cleveland, but he opted for a minor procedure that allowed him to return to action early in the regular season.

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