NHL

NHL Veteran Bryan Bickell Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis

NHL Veteran Bryan Bickell Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis

Last Friday, Carolina Hurricanes General Manager Ron Francis informed the media that veteran winger Bryan Bickell has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Nov 16, 2016 by Jacob Messing
NHL Veteran Bryan Bickell Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis
Last Friday, Carolina Hurricanes General Manager Ron Francis informed the media that veteran winger Bryan Bickell has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Francis said Bickell would remain away from the team indefinitely while he navigates this new chapter of his life.

In the press conference, Bickell said he has been struggling to understand what has been going on inside his body since the 2015 playoffs. He said the effects became even more noticeable over the past few weeks, and he knew something wasn't right.  

Multiple sclerosis, more commonly known as "MS," is a disease in which the body's immune system begins to fight its central nervous system and alters the brain's ability to send messages through the body correctly.

MS was pushed to the forefront of the hockey community at the beginning of the 2012-13 season when Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding publicly stated he had been diagnosed with the disease.

Harding was 28 at the time, and was working with doctors to balance his medications in order to continue his career. He was limited to just five games. Harding returned to action in 2013-14, and in 29 games, he posted career highs in all four major goaltending categories with 18 wins, a 1.65 GAA, .933 SV% and three shutouts.

Harding retired shortly into the 2014-15 season after suffering from dehydration related to MS during an AHL conditioning stint.

Bickell was drafted in the second round of the 2004 draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, where he spent the first nine years of his career. In 384 games with Chicago, he scored 65 goals and 135 points as a depth winger.

He was also a member of Chicago's 2010, 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup-winning teams. He played a key role in 2013 by scoring nine goals and 17 points in 23 games for the Cup champions, and was awarded a four-year, $16 million contract.

The 30-year-old spent the majority of last season in the AHL due to Chicago's high salary cap. He was traded alongside 22-year-old Teuvo Teravainen in an effort to dump salary over the summer, and has netted one goal in seven games with the Hurricanes this season.

Bickell said he remains hopeful to return to the ice to play the game he loves.