The hockey world is in mourning today as former NHL player Peter Zezel died yesterday from hemolytic anemia, a rare blood disorder. He was 44.

Known primarily as a defensive forward and faceoff specialist, Zezel played fifteen NHL season with the Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks.

Following his retirement in 1998-99 Zezel ran youth sports camps in Toronto and was a frequent guest on the TSN talk show Off The Record.

Zezel notched 50 or more points in each of his first six seasons, with two seasons of more than 70+ points in 1988-89 and 1989-90. He was also well-remembered for his four seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs where he helped that club twice reach the Conference Finals in the early 1990s.  

Injuries dogged Zezel for most of the latter half of his career, limiting him to a defensive role.

By all accounts he was a well-liked player who gave back to his community everywhere he played and was highly-regarded in the greater Toronto area for his youth sports hockey camps.