An NHL player is taking time away from the team after receiving a rare diagnosis.
Seattle Kraken forward Jacob Melanson has been ruled out by the team indefinitely after suffering an ‘upper body injury’ in a game on the road against the Calgary Flames on October 1.
Ten days later, the team released a statement saying Melanson had been diagnosed with an anterior mediastinum hematoma with vascular pseudo-aneurysm.
‘Given his unique injury, Jacob will continue to be evaluated and monitored closely by the medical staff in Seattle through the healing process for a gradual progression to return to hockey,’ the team said.
The concerning diagnosis surrounds a pair of conditions dealing with the heart.
An anterior mediastinum hematoma is a collection of clotted or pooled in the front part of the chest cavity. This is located between the sternum and the heart.
Seattle Kraken star Jacob Melanson suffered a pair of terrifying heart conditions
After playing the Calgary Flames to open the season, Melanson was diagnosed with an anterior mediastinum hematoma with vascular pseudo-aneurysm
Melanson was drafted by the Kraken in the fifth round in 2021, making his debut in 2025
As for the other diagnosis, a vascular pseudo-aneurysm occurs when there’s a leak in the wall of an artery. This leads to blood escaping into other areas of the body.
With these two diagnoses, it’s likely that something caused the 23-year-old to suffer a punctured blood vessel during the game. It’s not clear exactly what led to the condition.
The team also expressed their gratitude to the medical teams in Alberta who are treating the player.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, head coach Lane Lambert said that Melanson ‘is recovering’ for now.
‘Upper body [injury] and the news is the news. We certainly miss him when he’s not in the lineup,’ the coach added.
Lambert continued: ‘I think certainly what you do in any professional sport is you count on your medical team to make the right decisions. I think our team did a really good job and acted appropriately and promptly and, fortunately, he’s ok.’
Melanson, a native of Nova Scotia, made his NHL debut in the 2024-25 season after being picked in the fifth-round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
