Van Boxmeer recovering from heart attack
BERN, Switzerland … Former Buffalo Sabres defenseman John Van Boxmeer will spend the next month recovering after suffering a heart attack, his Swiss club Bern said today.
The 55-year-old van Boxmeer's condition has improved since falling ill on Friday, the club said in a statement.
He is expected to return to coach Bern against the NHL's New York Rangers in the Swiss capital on Sept. 30 as part of the inaugural Victoria Cup tournament. The Rangers will play European club champion Metallurg Magnitogorsk of Russia the following night.
Van Boxmeer was a first-round pick by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1972 NHL draft, and also played for the Quebec Nordiques and the Colorado Rockies. His best season came in 1980-81 when he scored 18 goals and 69 points with the Sabres.
He spent two seasons as a coach with the Sabres in between two tours of duty as coach of the Rochester Americans that totaled nine seasons. His Amerks won the 1987 Calder Cup. He also was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings before moving to Switzerland two years ago.
