Wings Masseur Regains Consciousness Detroit Defenseman Konstantinov Also Improves

Detroit Red Wings team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov has regained consciousness and was starting to communicate with family members by writing, William Beaumont Hospital officials said Monday.

Defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov, who was also injured in a June 13 limousine accident, has been taken off a ventilator and shows signs of gradually regaining consciousness, doctors said.

Both men are listed in serious condition.

Hospital spokeswoman Colette Stimmell said Mnatsakanov was able to write numbers and his name in Russian “with a great amount of difficulty.” She said it took him about 10 minutes to write the words.

“His level of wakefulness and responsiveness has improved to the point that we consider him to be conscious,” neurosurgeon Karol Zakalik said in a statement.

Mnatsakanov is awake about half the time during the day, Stimmel said, and he is still being weaned from a ventilator.

Konstantinov is still in a coma, but wakes up several times during the day for hours at a time, Stimmell said.

Konstantinov and Mnatsakanov have been hospitalized since the accident that happened less than a week after the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. Both suffered head injuries when their limousine veered off a road and into a tree.

Defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov suffered chest injuries in the crash and was released June 18 from Beaumont. The limousine driver, Richard Gnida, had minor injuries.

No charges have been filed in the accident. Police are still investigating and awaiting the results of toxicology tests on Gnida.