5 NHL players whose lives were tragically cut short

Whether due to accidents, or incidents on or off the ice, several NHL careers with immense promise have ended prematurely. These five individuals showcased exceptional hockey talent and seemed destined for greatness before unforeseen circumstances led to the end of their life.

Here, we present a compilation of five NHL players whose potential was tragically curtailed.

#1. Steve Montador

Steve Montador reached the Stanley Cup final in 2004 as a member of the Calgary Flames, maintaining his presence there until a trade in late 2005. Over the course of his NHL career, Montador played 571 games and wore jerseys for teams including Florida, Anaheim, Boston, Buffalo, and Chicago.

Daryl Sutter, a former coach, mentioned in an interview that Montador was grappling with the lingering effects of a concussion and battling depression. He died at the age of 35 in 2015 because of degenerative brain disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

#2. Brad McCrimmon

Brad McCrimmon, a former NHL player, played over 1,200 games in the NHL for Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers and Phoenix Coyotes between 1979 and 1997.

However, in a devastating blow to the hockey world, a tragic plane crash in Russia claimed the lives of the entire Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team including Brad McCrimmon on September 7th, 2011. Among the team members lost were several notable NHL personalities such as Pavol Demitra, Ruslan Salei, and Karlis Skrastins.

The initial crash claimed 43 lives, with an additional player succumbing to injuries a few days later in the hospital. The accident also claimed the life of Brad McCrimmon, a former NHL player.

#3. Wade Belak

On August 31st, 2011, Wade Belak's sudden passing marked the third consecutive death of an NHL player within a span of three months. At the age of 35, Belak had established a reputation as a formidable fighter during his playing years. However, his shocking demise by hanging in a Toronto hotel room elicited disbelief from those who knew him. Apparently he was suffering from depression.

#4. Derek Boogaard

On May 13, 2011, a player from the New York Rangers tragically passed away due to an accidental drug overdose in Minneapolis. During this time, Boogaard was in the process of recovering from a recent concussion. In an attempt to address his struggles with addiction, he sought assistance by entering a rehabilitation center in California in April of the same year.

Legal proceedings in a New York court the prior year revealed that two individuals were implicated in providing Boogaard with drugs that contributed to the fatal overdose. Following the ingestion of one of the painkillers on May 12th, he went out for a night of drinking with friends in the city and was discovered deceased the following day.

#5. Rick Rypien

On August 15, 2011, Rick Rypien was discovered deceased at his residence in Alberta, shortly after he had signed a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets the prior month.

Having spent several years with the Vancouver Canucks, Rypien had faced intermittent hiatuses from the sport to address personal challenges. Impressively, during his inaugural NHL game, he netted a goal for the Canucks in his first shift on the ice. Reports indicated that he had been grappling with depression before his passing.