NHL Defenseman’s Future Uncertain; Possible Blood Disorder

PHILADELPHIA – Flyers defenseman, Kimmo Timonen, learned in early August that he had blood clots in both lungs and his right leg while on a family vacation to his native Finland.  The 39 year old, 4-time NHL All-Star, had just signed a new one-year, $2 million contract that includes $1.5 million in bonuses based on games played early in the summer.

The clots are most likely due to a Protein C Deficiency which is an inherited disorder that causes abnormal amounts of clots in the human body.  Clots that are likely to cause life-threatening conditions such as Deep Vein Thrombosis (clots in the body’s deep veins, like the legs) and/or Pulmonary Embolism (clots in the lungs).

In September, Finnish newspaper, Savon Sanomat (link is translated), reported that Timonen has a Protein C Deficiency.  If so, it is unlikely that he will ever play professional hockey again as he will probably be on blood thinners for the rest of his life.  A person on blood thinners could potentially bleed to death if they are cut or suffer trauma to certain areas of the body.

WeBleed Staff could not find any official word from Timonen or the Flyers on his status at the time of this writing.

Timonen was listed as “INJURED” on the opening night roster for the Flyers but after four games does not appear on the team’s public roster any longer.

Image Source: inquisitr.com