List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

This is a list of ice hockey players who died during their playing careers.

Player deaths

Before 1930

Age	Player	Nationality	Date of death	Cause of death	Notes
28	Higginbotham, FredFred Higginbotham	Canada	01896-09-01September 1896	horse riding accident	Member of the Winnipeg Victorias; won Stanley Cup in February 1896 in a challenge match against the Montreal Victorias.
24	McGee, James A.James A. McGee	Canada	01904-05-15May 15, 1904	horse riding accident	Member of the Ottawa Silver Seven, captain of the Ottawa Rough Riders; brother of Frank McGee.
22	McCourt, OwenOwen McCourt	Canada	01907-03-07March 7, 1907	On-ice head injury	Murder charges were laid against other players in game in Cornwall, Ontario. There were no convictions.
28	Stuart, HodHod Stuart	Canada	01907-06-23June 23, 1907	diving accident	Member of Montreal Wanderers, Stanley Cup champion in 1906 and 1907. All-star benefit game held for family. Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
29	Dey, EdgarEdgar Dey	Canada	01912-02-13February 13, 1912	on-ice injury/chest	Stanley Cup winner with Ottawa Senators in 1909.
24	Davidson, AllanAllan Davidson	Canada	01915-06-16June 16, 1915	World War I casualty	Played professionally for Toronto Blueshirts. Stanley Cup winner in 1914. Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
23	Irvine, DelDel Irvine	Canada	01916-04-13April 13, 1916	pneumonia	Played professionally for Portland Rosebuds. PCHA champion in 1916.
32	Shore, HambyHamby Shore	Canada	01918-10-13October 13, 1918	influenza	Played nine seasons for the Ottawa Senators.
26	Baker, HobeyHobey Baker	United States	01918-12-21December 21, 1918	aviation accident	Only member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and Hockey Hall of Fame, annual award to top male player in U.S. collegiate hockey named in his honour.
37	Hall, JoeJoe Hall	Canada	01919-04-05April 5, 1919	influenza	Member of Montreal Canadiens and former long-time member of Quebec Bulldogs. Led NHL in penalty minutes in both seasons played. Had played professionally since 1906. Died during 1919 Stanley Cup Finals. Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
33	Darragh, JackJack Darragh	Canada	01924-06-24June 24, 1924	peritonitis	Had played professionally since 1910 for the Ottawa Senators of the NHA and NHL, winning four Stanley Cups. Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
39	Vezina, GeorgesGeorges Vézina	Canada	01926-03-27March 27, 1926	tuberculosis	Played sixteen seasons with the Montreal Canadiens from 1910–11 to 1925–26 winning two Stanley Cups; The National Hockey League has awarded the Vezina Trophy annually since his death; member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. On November 29, 1925, the home opener of the 1925–26 season, Vezina ran a temperature of 105 degrees. He started the first period, and, in the second, he collapsed in the crease. After this game, he was forced to retire from the NHL.
25	Horne, GeorgeGeorge Horne	Canada	01929-07-31July 31, 1929	drowning	Played three seasons in the NHL From 1925 to 1929 with the Montreal Maroons and Toronto Maple Leafs. Stanley Cup champion in 1926.

1930–1969

Age	Player	Nationality	Date of death	Cause of death	Notes
26	Connors, BobbyBobby Connors	United Kingdom	01931-07-27July 27, 1931	broken neck	Played three seasons and 78 games in the NHL from 1926 to 1929–30 for the New York Americans and Detroit Cougars.
29	Gardiner, CharlieCharlie Gardiner	Canada	01934-06-13June 13, 1934	brain hemorrhage	Goaltender for the Chicago Black Hawks for seven seasons from 1926–27 until 1933–34, the year they won the Stanley Cup; Gardiner was a multiple award winner, winning the Vezina Trophy twice, and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
24	Leswick, Jack "Newsy"Jack "Newsy" Leswick	Canada	01934-08-07August 7, 1934	drowning	Played 37 games for the Chicago Black Hawks in 1933–34. Found in a lake with no money, valuables, or car. Stanley Cup Champion in 1934.
30	Miller, EarlEarl Miller	Canada	01936-06-20June 20, 1936	unknown	Played five seasons and 109 games for the Chicago Black Hawks and Toronto Maple Leafs from 1927–28 to 1931–32. Stanley Cup champion in 1932.
34	Morenz, HowieHowie Morenz	Canada	01937-03-08March 8, 1937	complications from leg injury	Played 14 seasons and 550 games in the National Hockey League, most notably with the Montreal Canadiens, from 1923–24 to 1936–37; Generally regarded the best player of his era, he won two scoring championships, three Hart Trophies and three Stanley Cups; The Canadiens retired his number 7; member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
24	McConnell, RussellRussell McConnell	Canada	01942-09-07September 7, 1942	World War II casualty	Played four championship seasons with McGill University; most valuable player of Quebec Senior Hockey League in 1938–39. Turned down pro offers from New York Rangers to serve in Royal Canadian Navy.
30	Deacon, DonDon Deacon	Canada	01943-12-25December 25, 1943	fall from balcony	Played three seasons and 30 games for the Detroit Red Wings from 1936 to 1940.
20	Garrett, RedRed Garrett	Canada	01944-11-25November 25, 1944	World War II casualty	Played 23 games for the New York Rangers in 1942–43; Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award is awarded annually by AHL to top rookie.
25	Turner, JoeJoe Turner	Canada	01945-01-12January 12, 1945	World War II casualty	Played one game in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings as a goaltender, a 3–3 tie; the now-defunct IHL awarded the Turner Cup in his memory annually to the league champion.
23	Mellups, HarijsHarijs Mellups	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash	Mellups was the starting goaltender of the first-ever Soviet national team game. Played several seasons in the Soviet league for VVS Moscow.
24	Novikov, IvanIvan Novikov	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash	1947 Soviet Championship Bronze medal winner. 1948 Soviet Championship Silver medal winner.
30	Bocharnikov, BorisBoris Bocharnikov	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash	1947 Soviet Championship Gold medal winner. 1948 Soviet Championship Bronze medal winner.
31	Zigmund, ZdenekZdenek Zigmund	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash	1947 Soviet Championship Bronze medal winner. 1948 Soviet Championship Silver medal winner.
27	Tarasov, YuriYuri Tarasov	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash	Brother of Hall of Famer Anatoli Tarasov.
	Šūlmanis, RobertsRoberts Šūlmanis	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash
	Volodin, VasilyVasily Volodin	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash
	Voronin, EugenyEugeny Voronin	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash
	Zhiburtovich, YuriYuri Zhiburtovich	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash
	Isaev, VictorVictor Isaev	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash
	Moiseev, AlexanderAlexander Moiseev	Soviet Union	01950-01-05January 5, 1950	plane crash
24	Barilko, BillBill Barilko	Canada	01951-08-26August 26, 1951	aviation accident	His plane crashed in 1951 but investigators did not find the crash until 1962. Played five seasons and won 4 Stanley Cups with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1947 to 1951, and scored the legendary Cup-winning goal in overtime of game 5 in the 1951 Finals; the Leafs retired his number 5. Inspired the song "Fifty Mission Cap" by The Tragically Hip.
26	Lowe, RossRoss Lowe	Canada	01955-08-08August 8, 1955	drowning	Played three seasons and 77 games in the NHL from 1949 to 1952 for the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens; Les Cunningham Award recipient as AHL MVP for his performance during 1954–55, his last season.
29	Balfour, MurrayMurray Balfour	Canada	01965-05-30May 30, 1965	lung cancer	Played eight seasons and 306 games in the National Hockey League from 1956–57 to 1964–65 winning a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1961; he also played for the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins.
22	Wasama, JarmoJarmo Wasama	Finland	01966-02-02February 2, 1966	car accident	Five-time all-star defenseman in SM-sarja. In 1995, the trophy of top rookie of SM-liiga was renamed Jarmo Wasama memorial trophy.
22	Paul, ButchButch Paul	Canada	01966-03-25March 25, 1966	car accident	Played three games for the Detroit Red Wings in 1964–65.
29	Masterton, BillBill Masterton	Canada	01968-01-15January 15, 1968	on-ice head injury	Played 30 games in the 1967–68 NHL season with the Minnesota North Stars and is the only player in NHL history to be killed as a direct result of an on-ice incident; the NHL annually awards the Bill Masterton Trophy in his honour, and the North Stars retired his number 19.
22	Blinov, ViktorViktor Blinov	Soviet Union	01968-07-09July 9, 1968	heart failure	Defenceman who played for Spartak Moscow. Champion of USSR (1967), European champion (1968), World champion (1968), champion of Olympic Games (1968). Died during training.
29	Larkin, WayneWayne Larkin	Canada	01968-09-13September 13, 1968	Massive coronary thrombosis	Played eight seasons in American Hockey League. Died on the ice during the first practice of the New York Rangers training camp, held in Kitchener, Ontario. Won 1959 Memorial Cup with Winnipeg Braves.

1970–1989

Age	Player	Nationality	Date of death	Cause of death	Notes
40	Sawchuk, TerryTerry Sawchuk	Canada	01970-05-31May 31, 1970	injuries suffered in an off-ice shoving incident	Played 21 seasons and 972 games in the National Hockey League from 1949 to 1970; 14 of those seasons played with the Detroit Red Wings who retired his number 1; set numerous NHL goalie records and won numerous NHL awards; considered by many to be one of the greatest goalies of all time; member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
21	Briere, MichelMichel Brière	Canada	01971-04-13April 13, 1971	coma caused by a car accident	Pittsburgh Penguins rookie played 76 games in 1969–70; the Penguins retired his number 21; the Michel Brière Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the QMJHL to the league MVP.
19	Klimov, KonstantinKonstantin Klimov	Soviet Union	01971-01-011971	Unknown	Forward. Played for the national Soviet junior team and HC Spartak Moscow. Champion of USSR (1969), winner of the USSR Cup (1970,1971), winner of the European Junior Championship (1970).
19	Mahon, JimJim Mahon	Canada	01971-01-011971	accidental electrocution	Former right winger for the Peterborough Petes. The OHL's Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy is named in his honour.
19	Fendley, PaulPaul Fendley	Canada	01972-05-08May 8, 1972	on-ice head injury	Top NHL Prospect, led SOJAHL's Guelph CMC's to 1972 Centennial Cup and died as a result of hitting his head on the ice in final period of the deciding game. [1] [2]
28	Svedberg, LennartLennart Svedberg	Sweden	01972-07-29July 29, 1972	car accident	Represented Sweden in the 1968 Winter Olympics and six IIHF World Championships; in the 1970 World Championships he was named top defenceman
44	Horton, TimTim Horton	Canada	01974-02-21February 21, 1974	car accident	Played 24 seasons and 1,446 games in the National Hockey League from 1949 to 1974, playing 20 seasons and 1,185 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs; named to the NHL First & Second All-Star Teams three times each; member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Also founder of the Tim Hortons restaurant chain.
29	Maki, WayneWayne Maki	Canada	01974-05-12May 12, 1974	brain cancer	Played six seasons and 246 games in the National Hockey League, for the Chicago Black Hawks, St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks.
22	Kovalev, MikhailMikhail Kovalev	Soviet Union	01975-01-011975	Unknown	Defenseman. Played for the national Soviet junior team and HC CSKA Moscow. Winner of the European Junior Championship (1973).
24	Gassoff, BobBob Gassoff	Canada	01977-05-27May 27, 1977	motorcycle accident	Played four seasons and 245 games for the St. Louis Blues from 1973 to 1977; the Blues retired his number 3.
30	Suominen, VeikkoVeikko Suominen	Finland	01978-12-21December 21, 1978	suicide	Played 331 SM-sarja games for Kiekko-67, Upon Pallo and Ilves. Won one SM-sarja Championship with Ilves in 1972 and played 8 games for Finnish National team.
27	Garland, ScottScott Garland	Canada	01979-06-09June 9, 1979	car accident	Played three seasons and 91 games in the NHL from 1975 to 1979 for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings.
24	Najdenov, AlexanderAlexander Najdenov	Soviet Union	01979-01-011979	murdered, smothering	Forward. Played for HC Spartak Moscow. His murderer was never found.
26	Ashby, DonDon Ashby	Canada	01981-05-30May 30, 1981	car accident	Played six seasons in the NHL for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies, and Edmonton Oilers from 1975 to 1981
33	Kharlamov, ValeriValeri Kharlamov	Soviet Union	01981-08-27August 27, 1981	car accident	Played in three Olympics, 11 IIHF World Championships and the 1972 Summit Series. Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
28	Levonen, RauliRauli Levonen	Finland	01981-12-01December 1, 1981	heart attack	Played 9 seasons in Finnish SM-liiga for Ässät Pori and won championship title in 1978. Father of ex-pro hockey player Jarno Levonen, cousin of ex-player and international referee Jari Levonen. Suffered a heart attack during a 3rd division game and died later at hospital.
17	Fetisov, AnatoliAnatoli Fetisov	Soviet Union	01985-06-01June 1985	car accident	Fetisov was a sure bet to play with the Soviet Union at the 1986 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Hamilton and a strong candidate for selection in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft; his older brother, former NHLer Viacheslav Fetisov, was the driver in the accident.
26	Lindbergh, PellePelle Lindbergh	Sweden	01985-11-11November 11, 1985	car accident	Philadelphia Flyers goalie played five seasons from 1981 until his death in 1985; Vezina Trophy recipient for 1984–85 NHL season; the Flyers created the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial and award it annually to the team's most improved player.
18	Pelawa, GeorgeGeorge Pelawa	United States	01986-08-30August 30, 1986	car accident	Played for Bemidji High School, was the Calgary Flames' first-round pick (16th overall) in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. Was named Minnesota Mr. Hockey in 1986 as the top high-school player in the state.
20	Kresse, TrentTrent Kresse	Canada	01986-12-30December 30, 1986	team bus accident	Killed when Swift Current Broncos team bus crashed on the way to a WHL game in Regina. The league awards the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy to its player of the year, partially in his honour.
19	Kruger, ScottScott Kruger	Canada	01986-12-30December 30, 1986	team bus accident	Killed when Swift Current Broncos team bus crashed on the way to a WHL game in Regina. The league awards the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy to its player of the year, partially in his honour.
20	Mantyka, ChrisChris Mantyka	Canada	01986-12-30December 30, 1986	team bus accident	Killed when Swift Current Broncos team bus crashed on the way to a WHL game in Regina. The league awards the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy to its player of the year, partially in his honour.
16	Ruff, BrentBrent Ruff	Canada	01986-12-30December 30, 1986	team bus accident	Killed when Swift Current Broncos team bus crashed on the way to a WHL game in Regina. The league awards the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy to its player of the year, partially in his honour. Brother of Lindy Ruff.
27	Zemko, AndrewAndrew Zemko	Soviet Union	01988-07-01July 1988	unknown, supposedly heart attack	Defenseman, played for Torpedo Togliatti (today club known as HC Lada Togliatti, KHL, Russia) during 1985–1988. Died during cross-country in training camp.
19	Carnes, NeilNeil Carnes	Canada	01989-07-30July 30, 1989	motorcycle accident	Neil Carnes played three seasons in the QMJHL (1986–87 to 1988–89). In his third year, he was traded from the Verdun Junior Canadiens to the Laval Titan where he won the President's Cup.Drafted in the 3rd round (46th overall) by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1988 NHL entry draft, Carnes never got the chance to play in the NHL. He died in a tragic motorcycle accident in Plymouth, Michigan shortly after the 1989 Memorial Cup Tournament. Neil scored 79 goals and had 145 assists for a total of 224 points in 164 career QMJHL games. He was 19 years old at the time of his death.
23	MacPherson, DuncanDuncan MacPherson	Canada	01989-08-09August 9, 1989	suffocated in snow	Drafted 20th overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders. Frozen body found in 2003.

1990–1999

Age	Player	Nationality	Date of death	Cause of death	Notes
18	Tarasov, KirillKirill Tarasov	Soviet Union	01990-01-011990	car accident	A candidate for the Soviet Nation Junior team; Vyacheslav Kozlov, then the top junior player in the country who would go on to play 18 years in the NHL, was seriously injured in the same accident.
26	Cajka, LudekLuděk Čajka	Czechoslovakia	01990-02-14February 14, 1990	on-ice spinal injury	Played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga. Chosen 115th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. His death led to installation of no-touch icing in Europe.
34	Durdin, VladimirVladimir Durdin	Latvia	01990-05-27May 27, 1990	car accident	Played 11 seasons for Dynamo Riga in the Soviet Championship League and one season for Ässät Pori in the Finnish first division. Member of 1978 Soviet All-Stars squad that played exhibition games against WHA teams. Father of Sergei Durdin.
19	Schrott, MiranMiran Schrott	Italy	01992-01-14January 14, 1992	died on the ice after being slashed in the chest by an opposing player, stopping his heart.	Played for HC Gardena in Italy's Serie B league. Jimmy Boni, the player who slashed him, was charged with culpable homicide in his death but later pled guilty to manslaughter.
19	Kopot, ArtemArtem Kopot	Russia	01992-07-20July 20, 1992	car accident	A promising defenseman with the world champion Commonwealth of Independent States national junior team and Drafted sixth round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Kopot was involved in a fatal one-car accident in his hometown one day prior to his twentieth birthday.
30	Hagglund, RogerRoger Hägglund	Sweden	01992-06-06June 6, 1992	car accident	Played three games for the Quebec Nordiques in 1984–85.
27	Kordic, JohnJohn Kordic	Canada	01992-08-08August 8, 1992	drug overdose	Played 7 seasons and 244 games in the NHL from 1985 to 1992, most notably with the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. Won Stanley Cup in 1986 with Montreal. Won 1982-83 Memorial Cup with WHL's Portland Winter Hawks.
18	Rippingale, GaryGary Rippingale	England	01992-10-31October 31, 1992	choked on vomit	Played for the Nottingham Panthers of the British Hockey League. He also played for the Great Britain national ice hockey team at Under-18 level. He died following the Panthers' Halloween party. The number 3 jersey is retired by the Panthers in his honour.
25	Colman, MikeMike Colman	United States	01994-04-05April 5, 1994	car accident	Played fifteen games for the San Jose Sharks in 1991–92.
23	Milan, PiotrPiotr Milan	Poland	01995-01-23January 23, 1995	bus accident	Played in the Polish Extraliga for STS Sanok.
29	Karlsson, PeterPeter Karlsson	Sweden	01995-03-11March 11, 1995	stabbed to death	Played in the SEL for VIK Västerås HK.
28	Akerblom, BengtBengt Åkerblom	Sweden	01995-10-15October 15, 1995	on-ice neck and throat injuries	Played 53 SEL games for Djurgårdens IF and five seasons for Mora IK in the second-level league before the accident, which occurred during an exhibition game.
25	Breistroff, MichelMichel Breistroff	France	01996-07-17July 17, 1996	aviation accident (TWA Flight 800)	Played in French national team in 1996 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. Played NCAA Division I hockey for Harvard University.
25	Batters, JeffJeff Batters	Canada	01996-08-23August 23, 1996	car accident	Played two seasons and sixteen games for the St. Louis Blues from 1993 to 1995.
24	Dupre, YanickYanick Dupré	Canada	01997-08-16August 16, 1997	leukemia	Played three seasons and 35 games for the Philadelphia Flyers from 1991 to 1996, the Yanick Dupre Memorial is awarded annually by the Flyers organization.
20	Christie, GrahamGraham Christie	Canada	01997-11-01November 1997	died after being struck in the chest by a puck during a game	Played in the SJHL at the time of his death. The PJHL Rookie of the Year trophy is named in his honour.
29	Morin, StephaneStéphane Morin	Canada	01998-10-06October 6, 1998	heart attack	Played five seasons and 90 games in the National Hockey League for the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks; he was awarded the Leo P. Lamoureux Memorial Trophy as the IHL's leading scorer in 1995.
29	Silver, ChadChad Silver	Canada Switzerland	01998-12-03December 3, 1998	heart attack	Played nine seasons and 374 games in the National League A mostly for the HC Fribourg-Gottéron and ZSC Lions Zurich.
34	Rautianen, PetriPetri Rautianen	Finland	01999-01-011999	brain tumour	Played two seasons in SM-liiga for Ässät Pori and Jokipojat Joensuu. Last two seasons of his career he played for Newcastle Cobras in the British Ice Hockey Superleague. Died on a relapsed brain tumour. His jersey was retired by Newcastle in 2001.
32	Chiasson, SteveSteve Chiasson	Canada	01999-05-03May 3, 1999	car accident	Played thirteen seasons and 751 games in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes from 1986–87 to 1998–99.
22	Tertyshny, DmitriDmitri Tertyshny	Russia	01999-07-23July 23, 1999	slashed jugular vein in boat accident	Played 62 games for the Philadelphia Flyers in 1998–99.

2000–2009

Age	Player	Nationality	Date of death	Cause of death	Notes
32	Bezukladnikov, ViacheslavViacheslav Bezukladnikov	Russia	02001-07-10July 10, 2001	liver cirrhosis	Master of Sports, forward. Champion of Russia (1994, 1996), silver medalist of Russian championships (1993, 1995, 1997), winner of the European Cup (1997). Played for "Avtomobilist" Sverdlovsk, "SKA" Sverdlovsk, HC Lada Togliatti and the Russian national team. One of the annual Russian ice hockey tournaments for children named in his honour. Only 11-year-old players can participate in this tournament because Bezukladnikov played with this jersey number.
22	Batovsky, ZoltanZoltan Batovsky	Slovakia	02001-08-08August 8, 2001	car accident	Played for the Kentucky Thoroughblades (AHL). Won a bronze medal at the 1999 World Junior Championships in Winnipeg, Slovakia's first IIHF medal as an independent nation. Played in the QMJHL for the Drummondville Voltigeurs.
22	Krevsun, AlexanderAlexander Krevsun	Kazakhstan	02002-07-03July 3, 2002	cerebral hemorrhage	Drafted 124th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators. Died during a cross country workout with CSK VVS Samara.
22	Tootoo, TerenceTerence Tootoo	Canada	02002-08-26August 26, 2002	suicide	Played for the Roanoke Express (ECHL) and OCN Blizzard (MJHL). Brother of NHLer Jordin Tootoo.
24	Lyashenko, RomanRoman Lyashenko	Russia	02003-07-05July 5, 2003	suicide by hanging	Played four seasons in the NHL for the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers from 1999 to 2003.
23	Ettinger, TrevorTrevor Ettinger	Canada	02003-07-26July 26, 2003	suicide	Chosen 159th overall at the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers. Was playing for the AHL's Syracuse Crunch at the time of his death.
25	Snyder, DanDan Snyder	Canada	02003-10-05October 5, 2003	car accident	Played three seasons and 49 games for the Atlanta Thrashers from 2000 to 2003; the OHL renamed its Humanitarian of the Year award to the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy in Snyder's honour; Dany Heatley was the driver in the accident.
31	Zholtok, SergeiSergei Zholtok	Latvia	02004-11-03November 3, 2004	hypertrophic cardiomyopathy	Played ten seasons and 588 games in the National Hockey League for six teams from 1992 to 2004.
18	Logan, JaxonJaxon Logan	USA	02005-01-21January 21, 2005	on-ice accident	Played for Brigham Young University men's ice hockey. Was hit by a puck which stopped his heart.
28	Delisle, JonathanJonathan Delisle	Canada	02006-03-16March 16, 2006	car accident	Drafted and played one game with Montreal Canadiens. Delisle died in an auto accident in March 2006 as a member of the Saint-Georges CRS Express. In his honor, the Delisle Trophy has been named in his honor and is awarded to the LNAH player who "best exemplifies leadership in the regular season."
21	Blaho, StefanStefan Blaho	Slovakia	02006-08-30August 30, 2006	car accident	Drafted 120th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders. Played for the Sudbury Wolves and the Sarnia Sting of the OHL.
22	Savin, AlexeiAlexei Savin	Belarus	02007-06-18June 18, 2007	car accident	Played for the Belarusian national team.
30	Cech, MartinMartin Čech	Czech Republic	02007-09-06September 6, 2007	car accident	Played in the Czech Extraliga.
26	Robinson, DarcyDarcy Robinson	Canada	02007-09-27September 27, 2007	heart attack	Played for Associazione Sportiva Asiago Hockey. His former team, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, dedicated their Robo's Readers program in his memory.
19	Renaud, MickeyMickey Renaud	Canada	02008-02-18February 18, 2008	hypertrophic cardiomyopathy	Captain of the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL; chosen in the 5th round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames.
21	Bourdon, LucLuc Bourdon	Canada	02008-05-29May 29, 2008	motorcycle accident	Drafted 10th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks; played 36 games in the NHL from 2006–2008.
20	Ramolla, KJKJ Ramolla	Canada	02008-06-28June 28, 2008	car accident	Played for the Newmarket Hurricanes of the OPJHL. Chosen in the fifth round of the 2004 OHL Priority Selection by the Kingston Frontenacs.
21	Antosik, IgorIgor Antosik	Russia	02008-07-25July 25, 2008	Unknown	Central forward. Played for Russian national junior team, Dynamo Moscow (KHL, Russia) and Atlant Mytishchi (KHL, Russia) farm clubs. Died during cross-country in training camp.
18	Kapec, DomagojDomagoj Kapec	Croatia	02008-09-12September 12, 2008	car accident	Played for KHL Zagreb in his homeland. Represented Croatia at two IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships.
19	Cherepanov, AlexeiAlexei Cherepanov	Russia	02008-10-13October 13, 2008	Myocarditis	Drafted 17th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. In 2008 played for Omsk Avangard (KHL, Russia). Omsk retired his number seven. KHL award to top rookie of the year named in his honour.[citation needed]
21	Sanderson, DonDon Sanderson	Canada	02009-01-02January 2, 2009	on-ice head injury	Played for the Whitby Dunlops of the Ontario Hockey Association. Struck head on ice during fight on December 12, 2008 and died three weeks later. Drafted by the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL in 2003.
34	Ocskay, GaborGábor Ocskay	Hungary	02009-03-24March 24, 2009	heart attack	Played professionally for Alba Volán Székesfehérvár in Hungary. Was selected as best player in the league three times, and won scoring title three times. Scored 115 points in 187 games for the Hungarian national team.
21	Vajarov, KirilKiril Vajarov	Bulgaria	02009-04-18April 18, 2009	stabbing	Goaltender who played for Slavia Sofia in Bulgaria. Was a member of Bulgarian national team for two World Championships.
28	Muller, RobertRobert Müller	Germany	02009-05-21May 21, 2009	brain cancer	Goaltender. Was drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2001. Champion of Germany in 2002–03 and 2006–07 seasons. Was a member of German national team. Played 127 games for his national team, participated in eight IIHF World Championships and two Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2006. Inducted into the German Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in March 2009. Kölner Haie retired his number 80.
18	Kuchin, AlexeiAlexei Kuchin	Russia	02009-09-26September 26, 2009	car accident	Forward. Played for HC Krilya Sovetov (MHL, Russia).

2010–present

Age	Player	Nationality	Date of death	Cause of death	Notes
23	Igor Misko	Russia	02010-07-06July 6, 2010	cardiac arrest while driving	Played for SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League. Died after having cardiac arrest while driving car in Kolpino region of St. Petersburg.
20	Ben Pearson	Canada	02010-10-02October 2, 2010	urea cycle disorder	Played for Norwich Merchants, a junior C hockey team in Ontario. Also played for the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs and the Junior B Cambridge Winterhawks. His #7 jersey has been retired by the Merchants.
19	Wächter, MarkusMarkus Wächter	Germany	02010-11-03November 3, 2010	heart attack	Played for ESV Kaufbeuren (Germany). Died in hospital after collapsing following a bodycheck in national junior league game. It was later announced that Markus suffered from a heart illness.
28	Tom Cavanagh	United States	02011-01-07January 7, 2011	suicide	Played for the San Jose Sharks and the Springfield Falcons (AHL). Diagnosed with schizophrenia; found dead in the Providence Mall parking garage after jumping to his death.
23	Mandi Schwartz	Canada	02011-04-03April 3, 2011	acute myeloid leukemia	Played for Yale University Bulldogs. Her younger brother Jaden was a St. Louis Blues first-round draft pick.
28	Boogaard, DerekDerek Boogaard	Canada	02011-05-13May 13, 2011	accidental mixture of alcohol and oxycodone toxicity	Played six seasons and 277 games in the NHL, five with the Minnesota Wild and one with the New York Rangers, between 2005 and 2011.
27	Rick Rypien	Canada	02011-08-15August 15, 2011	suicide	Played 119 NHL games between 2005 and 2011. Rypien is also the cousin of former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien, Super Bowl XXVI MVP
36	Pavol Demitra	Slovakia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 847 NHL games between 1993 and 2010. He won the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship in 2000. In 2003 he won a Bronze Medal playing for Slovakia in the World Championships. Slovakia men's national ice hockey team retired his number 38.
30	Josef Vašíček	Czech Republic	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	He was drafted 91st overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft and played 460 games in the NHL as well as 166 in the KHL. He was on the Carolina team that won the Stanley Cup in 2006. 2005 IIHF World Championship Gold Medal winner. Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team retired his number 63.
32	Karel Rachůnek	Czech Republic	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Won a Gold Medal in 2010 and a Bronze Medal in 2011 playing for the Czech Republic in the World Championships. He played 371 games in the NHL and 152 games in the KHL in his career. Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team retired his number 4.
31	Jan Marek	Czech Republic	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Drafted by the New York Rangers in the 8th round (243rd overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Led the KHL in goals scored in the 2008–09 season with 35. Played 541 games professionally in the KHL and in the Czech Extraliga. 2010 IIHF World Championship Gold Medal winner. Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team retired his number 15.
30	Stefan Liv	Sweden	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Playing for Sweden he won Gold Medals at the 2006 World Championships and the 2006 Winter Olympics, a Silver Medal at the 2004 World Championships, and Bronze Medals at the 2002 and 2009 World Championships. He played 308 games in the Swedish Elite League.
37	Kārlis Skrastiņš	Latvia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 832 games in the NHL. He also played on Latvian national teams in the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Olympic Games and ten different World Championships between 1993 and 2009. Nicknamed as "Iron Man" because of his streak of 495 consecutive appearances in the NHL regular games.
36	Ruslan Salei	Belarus	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	He was the first Belarusian first round pick in the NHL,when Anaheim Mighty Ducks drafted him 9th overall on 1996. Played 917 games in the NHL over 14 years. He also played on Belarusian national teams in the 1998, 2002, and 2010 Olympic Games and nine different World Championships between 1994 and 2010.
24	Vitali Anikienko	Ukraine Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Drafted 70th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. Played 235 regular games for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL) scoring 67 (19+48) points. 2003 IIHF World U18 Championship Bronze Medal winner. 2007 World Junior Championship Silver Medal winner.
31	Mikhail Balandin	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 158 regular games in the KHL. 2000 World U20 Championship Silver Medal winner.
24	Gennady Churilov	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 302 regular games in Russian Super League and KHL and 9 games for the Russian National team in the 2010–11 Euro Hockey Tour. 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championship Silver Medal winner.
25	Robert Dietrich	Germany	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Member of the German National team in 2007, 2010 and 2011 IIHF World Championships.
23	Marat Kalimulin	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 102 regular games in the KHL. 2008 IIHF World U20 Championship Bronze Medal winner.
23	Alexander Kalyanin	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 94 regular games in the KHL and 6 games for the Russian National team in the 2010–11 Euro Hockey Tour.
24	Andrei Kiryukhin	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 107 regular games in the KHL. 2007 IIHF World U20 Championship Silver Medal winner.
21	Nikita Klyukin	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 104 regular games in the KHL for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. 2007 World U18 Championship Gold Medal winner. 2009 World U20 Championship Bronze Medal winner.
21	Sergei Ostapchuk	Belarus	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 36 regular games in the KHL for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
18	Maxim Shuvalov	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	2011 World U18 Championship Bronze Medal winner. Played 51 regular games in the MHL for Loko Yaroslavl.
19	Pavel Snurnitsyn	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 115 regular games in the MHL for Loko Yaroslavl.
20	Daniil Sobchenko	Ukraine Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 51 regular games in the KHL for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. 2011 World Junior Championship Gold Medal winner.
31	Ivan Tkachenko	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 4th round (98th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Played 553 regular games in Russian Super League and KHL. Winner of 2002 and 2003 Russian Superleague championships. 2002 IIHF World Championship Silver Medal winner.
33	Pavel Trakhanov	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 589 regular games in Russian Super League and KHL.
20	Yuri Urychev	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Played 23 regular games in the KHL for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. 2011 World Junior Championship Gold Medal winner.
23	Alexander Vasyunov	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Forward. Drafted 58th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils. Played 18 NHL regular games scoring 5 (1+4) points and 187 AHL games scoring 91 (39+52) points. 2007 IIHF World U20 Championship Silver Medal winner.
38	Alexander Vyukhin	Ukraine Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	Goaltender. Played 647 regular games in Russian Super League and KHL. Winner of 2003–04 Russian Superleague championship.
21	Artem Yarchuk	Russia	02011-09-07September 7, 2011	plane crash	2008 World U18 Championship Silver Medal winner.
26	Alexander Galimov	Russia	02011-09-12September 12, 2011	injuries sustained in a plane crash	Member of the silver-medal winning Russian U20 team at the 2005 IIHF World U20 Championship
16	Maxim Koposov	Russia	02012-02-17February 17, 2012	hit by puck during game
23	Bryan Rufenach	Canada	02012-06-04June 4, 2012	electrocution	Drafted 208th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, by the Detroit Red Wings. Fatally electrocuted while on vacation in Switzerland.
34	Remir Khaidarov	Russia	02012-06-29June 29, 2012	fire
32	Dmitri Uchaykin	Russia	02013-03-31March 31, 2013	hit in head during game	Played for Amur Khabarovsk of the Russian Superleague and Kontinental Hockey League. Was a member of HC Ertis-Pavlodar in the Kazakhstan Vyschaya Liga at the time of his death.

See also

• List of sportspeople who have died during their playing career

External links

• LostHockey.com