Ex-NHL Goalie Ray Emery Dies At 35 After Drowning; Tributes Pour In

On Sunday, former NHL goalie Ray Emery died after drowning in a harbor in his native Hamilton, Canada. He was 35.

Former NHL Goaltender Ray Emery Dies

The Hamilton Police Department said the former goaltender went missing early Sunday morning in Hamilton Harbour, a part of Lake Ontario.

Inspector Marty Schulenberg stated no foul play is suspected in Emery’s death. Since Emery was not found immediately, a team of divers were summoned to help with the rescue efforts.

According to ESPN, Schulenberg said the former goalie’s death was a “case of misadventure.”

SLIDESHOW: 30 Best Sports Instagrams! 

An autopsy was scheduled for Monday.

“Mr. Emery was taking a swim this morning and the circumstances around that are a part of the investigation,” Schulenberg stated, per ESPN. “Those details remain to be uncovered by our investigators.”

Emery, who was nicknamed “Razor,” was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 2001 as a fourth-round selection. During his 11-year NHL career, he played with the Senators, Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks. Emery helped lead Ottawa to a Stanley Cup Final in 2007. Six years later, he won a national title with the Blackhawks while playing as a backup for Corey Crawford. 

Emery retired with the Flyers in 2015 but then played one more professional year in the AHL and in the German league. He logged 16 shutouts in his career.

The goaltender also suffered from a severe hip condition called avascular necrosis.

Among the controversies Emery became involved in during his career was an attack on a coach in Russia in 2009. A video of this incident went viral.

“Ray was an outstanding teammate and an extremely gifted goaltender,” the Flyers said of Emery in a statement. “He had an exceptional athleticism, was a fierce competitor and battled in every game he played with the Flyers. His performances throughout the 2009-10 season were a very big part of the team’s success in making the playoffs and reaching the Stanley Cup Final.”

The Senators and Blackhawks also released statements.

SLIDESHOW: Sports Figures Who Died In 2018

“On behalf of the Ottawa Senators, I wish to express my sincere condolences on the passing of Ray Emery,” team owner Eugene Melnyk stated. “Ray was instrumental in our run to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, and at his best, he brought a competitive edge and combative mentality to the game. On behalf of our entire organization, I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to Ray’s family, friends and loved ones.”

Here are more tributes to Emery from around the NHL:

Article by Pablo Mena