Former NHL'er Peter Zezel Dead At 44

Ex-Leaf Peter Zezel has passed away after a long-standing battle with a rare blood disease at the age of 44. Zezel played for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs from 1990 to 1994.

Sad news today as Global News @ Six reported that Peter Zezel has died after being taken off life support in a Toronto area hospital. Zezel has been battling the rare blood disease hemolytic anemia for the last ten years. Peter Zezel was drafted 41st overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1983. He played his junior hockey in Toronto for the Toronto Marlies and he broke into the Flyers lineup at the age of 19. Twice in his first three years he played as a professional, he helped the Flyers reach the Stanley Cup finals, only to lose to Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers in 1984-85 and 1986-87. Zezel spent time with a variety of teams in the NHL, going from the Flyers to the St. Louis Blues, to the Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, and finally for the Vancouver Canucks. His career ended after he requested a trade to an Eastern Conference team to be closer to his dying niece. However, Brian Burke (current GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs but then GM in Vancouver) traded him to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, the furthest possible team geographically from Toronto. Zezel retired immediately following the trade. Zezel returned to Toronto and operated the Peter Zezel Hockey and Sports Camps in Etobicoke. He also coached in the Greater Toronto Hockey League for the Don Mills Flyers. The peewee team Zezel coached included children of ex-Leafs Doug Gilmour, Nick Kypreous and Zezel's own nephew. Zezel was also a very good soccer player, and played for Canada's under-21 team when he was a teenager. NHLPA director of player affairs, Glenn Healy, made the following statement on behalf of the players union:

The hockey community has suffered a great loss today. Peter was a friend and a great family man who was well liked by everyone he crossed paths with in our game. Our thoughts are with Peter's family and many friends during this difficult time.