16-year-old hockey player dies a week after collapsing during a game

A very sad story out of Russia on Saturday. A 16-year-old player who collapsed during a game in the MHL, Russian's Major Junior Hockey League, has passed away in hospital.

Valentin Rodionov played 10 games for MHC Dynamo this season. According to his team, he fainted on the bench after a line change during a game on November 21st and was rushed to hospital. There are conflicting reports over exactly what happened. Initial articles in Russia stated Rodionov fell to the ice during a fight and hit his head. Other reports stated he took a hard hit into the boards and collapsed on the bench.

Doctors had performed surgery on Rodionov as he had suffered a cerebral edema (swelling of the brain), as well as a brain contusion (bruising). Following the operation, his team had stated that his life was not in danger and that it would handle all medical costs association with the injury, so no fundraising was required.

According to Sport24.ru, doctors tried for six days to save Rodionov's life, but he died in hospital on Saturday.

"We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Valentin. This is a great tragedy for the entire Dynamo hockey. We mourn together with you," said Rodionov's team in a news release.

Back in March of this year, another player in the same league died after taking a puck to the neck during a game. 19-year-old Timur Faizutdinov was struck in the carotid artery, a major blood vessel that transports blood to the brain. He spent some time in hospital before eventually succumbing to his injury.

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