A sad day for hockey

Sergei Zoltok passed away today. He was a bit of a journeyman, playing for six teams in his ten year career. His best year came two seasons ago, when he helped lead the Minnesota Wild to the Western Conference Finals. Colby has more details.

For a long time, Zoltok was on my blacklist of players I disliked. In the 2003 playoffs, he had 13 points in 18 games, including a couple of timely goals against the Vancouver Canucks. It was his out-of-nowhere sniping ability that helped eliminate the Canucks. It was heartbreaking to see the Wild advance and the Canucks dust off their golf clubs.
Nonetheless, he was an exceptional player with exceptional skill. Good hands, fast skates, and tough too.

Rest in peace, Sergei. May your skates be sharp for all eternity.