Konstantin Koltsov, Belarusian former hockey player turned coach, dies in Florida
MIAMI – Konstantin Koltsov, a former Belarusian hockey player who coached in the KHL, has died in Florida, police said Tuesday. He was 42 years old.
Miami-Dade Police Detective Algemis Colome confirmed Koltsov's death in a statement to The Associated Press. Police announced the death as an apparent suicide. There was no suspicion of foul play.
Koltsov served as an assistant coach at Salavat Yulaev Ufa for the past two seasons. He also served as a staff assistant for the Belarusian men's national team.
National team coach Dmitry Baskov called Koltsov's death an “irreparable loss.”
“Konstantin was one of the undisputed leaders of our team, a talented and progressive coach and an intelligent player,” Baskov said in a statement. “He was an example of toughness, hard work and dedication, an idol for many Belarusian boys and their colleagues. It is difficult and unfair for such people to go home so early.”
Koltsov played in 144 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2003 to 2006 after being drafted in the first round of the 1999 draft, recording 12 goals and 26 assists. In a statement, the Penguins expressed their condolences to Koltsov's family and friends.
Koltsov played most of his career in the Russian Super League, which later became the KHL, where he coached Dynamo Minsk in the 2015-16 season. Salavat Yulaev Ufa expressed his sadness at the death of Koltsov, who won the Gagarin Cup with the club as a player in 2010-11.
“He was a strong and cheerful man who was loved and respected by his players, colleagues and fans,” the team said in a statement. “(Koltsov) has forever etched his name in the history of our club.”
Koltsov was dating Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 2 in women's tennis, who was scheduled to play in the Miami Open starting Tuesday. Messages sent to Sabalenka's publicists and tournament officials seeking comment were not immediately returned.
Sabalenka, also a 25-year-old from Belarus, won her second consecutive Australian Open title at Melbourne Park in January. She was featured in the Netflix documentary series “Break Point,'' where she emotionally spoke about her father's death in his early 40s.
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This story includes a discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
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