The University of North Dakota and the Montreal Canadiens breathed a collective sigh of relief yesterday evening as sophomore forward Danny Kristo made his return to action after missing 10 games due to frostbite.
The highly touted Habs prospect, and former Team USA WJC Gold medalist, who struggled earlier in the year but was coming into his own around the time he suffered his injury, was - at a time - in jeopardy of losing some of his toes to severe frostbite.
It's a bizarre story, but one that put much of the hockey world on pause for a moment due to the peculiar nature of his injury. Add a shroud of mystery to the uncommon injury and the Kristo story took on a new level.
Brad Elliot Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald had a chance to sit down with Kristo on Thursday, the day before his return to the ice, and finally was able to pry the real story as to how the Canadiens 2nd round draft choice in 2008 came to suffer frostbite on his toes and one hand.
Kristo, a former linemate of fellow Habs prospect Louis Leblanc when they played together for the Omaha Lancers in the USHL, is a small but speedy forward who has fast become known for his vocal leadership skills, was on his way to visit a girl less than a mile away from his apartment when he decided to take a shortcut across a neighboring golf course.
That's when all the trouble started.
“As I was walking, I hit some powder,” Kristo said. “My right foot dug way in there. It was almost waist deep. My left foot was still on top of the snow. I pulled my foot up and my shoe was off. I pulled out my phone (for light) to scan the snow. I couldn’t find it. It was dark in the middle of the course. My foot started getting really cold and I was digging pretty hard with my hands and I couldn’t find it.
“I looked back at my apartment and I looked to the apartment I was going to. I was closer to the apartment I was going to. My foot and my hands were starting to lose feeling and I knew I had to get there pretty quick. So, I pretty much ran there with one shoe on.
Stuck between his home and his intended destination, Kristo ran the rest of the way to the girl's apartment. Once he arrived there, he called his roommates, and fellow teammates Matt Fratin and Evan Trupp, who came by and promptly took him to the hospital - the former carrying Kristo on his back.
After a transfer to Regions Hospital in St.Paul, UND's Head Coach Dave Hakstol showed up and kept Kristo company until early in the morning.
It was at that moment when things became very frightening for the young man as doctors warned him of the danger of his situation and the possibility he may lose some toes.
With nothing but the fear of losing an appendage or two, every precaution was taken in order to help Kristo avoid the worst possible fate.
“Right when I got there, the doctor told me how bad it was,” Kristo said. “He said, ‘You have a really good chance of losing some toes.’ I told him that they can do whatever they want to try to keep my toes.”
In a dire move to prevent Kristo from losing any toes, the doctors used a method known as "TPA" in which medication is used to open up clots and restore blood flow in the affected areas. In Kristo's case, his toes and hand.
For 48 hours, the UND sophomore dazed through a drugged effort to restore the flow of blood to his toes and, although he was on pain killers and quite out of it, after two days time the doctors checked to see if the process was working by injecting a dye into his blood. Using that dye, the physicians were able to note that blood flow had returned to all toes and that due to its success he would be able to return home for recovery.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Kristo returned home and spent the next few weeks recovering faster than expected.
It's been an exhausting and, no doubt, frightening experience for the future Hab, yet it came full circle last night as Kristo returned to action, scoring a goal on his first shift back while helping the Sioux to their eighth straight victory.
With many lessons learned and a new look on life, the dynamic and talented winger is now back on track with a lot to look forward to in the next few years.
The Montreal Canadiens, clearly concerned by this entire matter, kept tabs on their prize pick and must be as pleased as their fans to see him right back to where he should be only a little over a month removed from the scare of his life.
Here are some Kristo highlights to help whet Habs fans appetites.
TJ Oshie Teaches Danny Kristo
*The part with Kristo goes from 1:07-4:30
Former Gopher, TJ Oshie, who wore #7 returns to Grand Forks to impart some wisdom to Danny Kristo, UND's current #7.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»