The NHL and the NHL Players Association are investigating an incident at a Dallas hospital in which Arizona Coyotes defenseman Juuso Valimaki was left to fend for himself and later ignored after getting hit in the face with a 93 miles per hour slap shot that ultimately resulted in the player receiving 55 stitches.

Valimaki was injured in a game against the Dallas Stars November 14. He was hit with a shot from the Stars Jani Hakanpaa and was transported to a Dallas hospital with a team representative and his wife. He was seated in the emergency room while bleeding, suffering internal injuries and with a hole in his mouth. However, the overwhelmed staff told Valimaki they could not treat him and that he should return the next day.

Valimaki did not leave the emergency room and he was ultimately treated when the NHLPA stepped in. The acton could have saved the player's life.

Doctors later told Valimaki that if he had left the emergency room  and slept it off as directed by the hospital, there was a chance he could have asphyxiated on his own blood.

Valimaki was stitched up to close the hole in his moth. he also had a fractured bones and lost 3 teeth as a result of the injury.

“We can confirm that the NHL and NHLPA are jointly investigating this matter,” an NHLPA spokesperson told Daily Faceoff, an online publication that covers the NHL.

Juuso Valimaki has played in 22 games this season for the Coyotes. He has not scored any goals, but he has registered 6 assists and he has a minus-2 rating