The injury, though, left him with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Now, having been treated, Malarchuk has a message of hope.
There is a way out, and it's not through suicide.
"They see a guy that actually struggled with mental illness from a young age, had a decent career, not a Hall of Fame career, by any means, but somebody that actually wore it through life and in the NHL and he lived -- and this is very important -- lived in silence through all this," Malarchuk said.
"Once I got healthy, now I'm trying to promote: Do not do what I did. Don't live in silence. Please don't."
Malarchuk is not alone. Other athletes have recently spoken out about mental illness, including NBA player Kevin Love, who wrote an article for The Players' Tribune on March 6 about mental health and a panic attack he had in November.
It's something that Malarchuk said he sees as encouraging, helping to erase the stigma of mental illness that has kept so many from seeking needed help, especially among military families and first responders.
"I suffered in silence most of my life and it's all because of the stigma, and that is what we're trying to do now with what we're doing," Malarchuk said. "I've met and talked to many suicide survivors and we're all grateful that we didn't succeed. This whole deal is about trying to get these people to get help -- like, you're not the only one. Please."
Malarchuk has been completely open about his experiences, about the three times he nearly died, including the one in 2008, and another suicide attempt just after the Super Bowl in 1990, when he took too many pills and chased them with a bottle of Scotch after not having slept for 10 days, a function of PTSD after the accident with the skate blade. It was when he first got diagnosed.
He survived, and survived again. Now, he said, he just wants to help people.
"We can save lives. We just have to save lives," he said. "I'm the guy that put the gun to [my head]. I shot myself. I've got a bullet in my head. How grateful am I? I feel I've been spared for those who are still suffering.
"We think we're the only ones, or that we're going to be perceived as crazy. And that's not right. A diabetic has a chemical imbalance. I have a chemical imbalance. Mine is with the brain."