Former NHL Player Konstantin Koltsov Dead at 42

Belarusian hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, who made a name for himself in the U.S. with the Pittsburgh Penguins, has died. He was 42 years old.

According to the Miami-Dade Police Department, Koltsov died by "apparent suicide" in the early morning hours of March 18. "No foul play is suspected," authorities told CNN. At the time of his death, Koltsov was seemingly in Miami visiting his girlfriend, Belarusian tennis champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Koltsov began his professional ice hockey career in Russia before joining the NHL in the mid-2000s. He played in the NHL for three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins between 2002 and 2006. The team mourned his loss in a social media post, noting he was "the Penguins' first-round draft choice in 1999" and played in a total of 144 NHL games.

Koltsov represented his native Belarus at the Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2010. After leaving the Penguins, he played for the Russian hockey team Salavat Yulaev and brought the squad to its first Russian championship title in 2008. He was working as a coach for the team when he died.

"He was a strong and cheerful man," the organization wrote in a statement. "He was loved and respected by players, colleagues, and fans."

Sabalenka has yet to speak on the death of her partner, though fans have been showing their support in her Instagram comments. One post from 2022 memorialized their love as she posed with a bouquet of flowers Koltsov gifted her. "Lucky me, I have the best man in the world," she wrote. "You make me happy every day!"

If you or a loved one is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 to connect with a trained counselor.