1) In what seems to be a surreal instance another former NHL tough guy (goon) was found dead. This time it was former Predator/NHL journey-man Wade Belak (35) who was found dead in his Toronto condo on Wednesday.
The cause of his death is as of yet undetermined, but police said foul play is not suspected. Belak is the third NHL player who played NHL games last season who has died in the last four months. New York Ranger Derek Boogard died in mid-May and former Vancouver Canuck Rick Rypien in mid-August. All three performed the NHL's most dangerous and perhaps difficult job, that of the hockey enforcer.
The cause of his death is as of yet undetermined, but police said foul play is not suspected. Belak is the third NHL player who played NHL games last season who has died in the last four months. New York Ranger Derek Boogard died in mid-May and former Vancouver Canuck Rick Rypien in mid-August. All three performed the NHL's most dangerous and perhaps difficult job, that of the hockey enforcer.
2) We want to again reiterate what we wrote 2 weeks ago in our post: deaths-instigate-fighting-debate-again From what we've read/been told Belak wasn't suicidal or into illegal drugs. In fact friends report he was looking forward to his new life as Predator broadcaster this upcoming season. You see folks one has to be careful NOT to lump all these deaths together as is the media/lazy/sensationalistic way of doing things. As we have written MANY times, until we know the cause of death/circumstances around these tragedies the only thing that ties them together is their former profession. To make the leap that somehow gathering a large amount of PIM's makes one more likely to die prematurely is absurd and dangerous. We want to send out our heart felt condolences to the Belak family. Right now its time to honor the (too short) a life that Wade had, and not try to throw around unfounded suppositions.
3 comments:
Wade was one of my favourire players when he played here in Toronto. Met him once or twice and always seemed like a happy and good guy
So sad to here about this. He look like good fighter but not play here long Sad he not coming back for tv
Faux it looks like more than the usual guys who hate fighting are talkig about all these deaths maybe coming from all the fighting and the trauma that can come from it. I agree we should wait to hear what happened, but seems creepy that all these guys are dying so fast
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