Senior AAA league defenseman in coma after hitting head on ice during Friday fight

Whitby Dunlops’ Don Sanderson is in critical condition after suffering a severe head injury during Friday’s Major League Hockey game in Brantford.

The 21-year-old 200-pound defenseman tussled with Brantford’s Corey Fulton at 2:14 in the third period, with a result of both players falling to ice. According to Dunlops’ official website, Sanderson lost his helmet during the fight with his bare head striking the ice surface, leaving him unconscious after the altercation.  

Sanderson is being treated at Hamilton General Hospital and with recent updates, is still comatose, however, this morning at 11:05 a.m. doctors noticed some movement in Sanderson’s arm.

The team reps left the Sanderson family alone with Don to mourn the occurrence with letters and calls from fans and teammates from all over the Major Senior AAA Hockey League.

On Saturday, the Dunlops wore a No. 40 sticker on their helmets and prayed on-ice during their match against Orillia/Coldwater Tundras in support of his speedy recovery and missing presence.

Sanderson is a Port Perry, Ont., native in his first season with the Dunlops and has accumulated 36 penalty minutes in his past 11 games. He works a double schedule with his hockey team and as a student at York University.