24-year-old Hockey Player Forced to Retire Due to Sudden Heart Problem — Blames COVID-19
By Jim Hoft
Finland’s Mikael Hakkarainen, the forward acquired by the Vegas Golden Knights from the Chicago Blackhawks and traded for Marc-Andre Fleury, was forced to retire from professional hockey at the age of 24 due to sudden congenital heart disease.
In an interview with a Finnish news outlet Jatkoaika, Hakkarainen blames his heart problem after he tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this year.
“I got Covid at the end of January. I got severe symptoms and went to play too early. Since April I have been doing nothing and observing what the situation is. Now it has become known that I have congenital heart disease LVNC, or trabeculation cardiomyopathy,” Hakkarainen told the Jatkoaika outlet.
“It means that I have a higher risk of having a heart attack on the ice – especially when there are contact situations. It would have been hard to play and I would have gotten a place, but you can’t play with your health,” he added.