Toronto Marlies assistant coach Rob Davison suffered a prolonged grand mal seizure prior to the club’s game against the Texas Stars on Friday, but his condition has stabilized and he has been discharged from hospital, the team announced Saturday.
Davison, 39, was taken immediately to hospital following the episode in the visitors’ locker room and received urgent care and treatment. He remained there overnight for observation.
Davison is slated to return to Toronto on Saturday along with a member of the Marlies’ medical staff and will be away on medical leave indefinitely.
The incident was witnessed by both players and staff in the locker room at the HEB Centre in Cedar Park, Texas, and Friday’s game between the Marlies — the Toronto Maple Leafs‘ AHL affiliate — and the Stars was cancelled.
“Following what happened tonight with Rob in front of our players and staff, I consulted with Laurence Gilman, Greg Moore and the leadership group of the Marlies,” said Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas in a statement released Friday.
“I was informed by the leadership group that the entire team was in a state of shock and not comfortable proceeding with tonight’s game. We fully support our players and staff in this matter.”
The Marlies forfeited the game and the Stars were awarded a 1-0 victory.
Davison is in his third season as an assistant coach for the Marlies. The native of St. Catharines, Ont., a former NHL defenceman, spent seven years in the league with the San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils.
[relatedlinks]
