Former NHL player Stephen Peat has tragically passed away due to injuries sustained after being hit by a vehicle.
The 44-year-old was struck by a car when crossing the street roughly two weeks ago. The incident took place near Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Langley, British Columbia.
The NHL Alumni Association announced yesterday that the former forward had passed away due to injuries sustained in the accident.
The NHL Alumni Association is heartbroken to learn that Stephen Peat has passed away from his injuries after a tragic accident just over two weeks ago. He was only 44 years old.
Stephen was drafted 32nd overall by the @AnaheimDucks in 1998. In 2000, he was traded to the… pic.twitter.com/sjbWx3VuV2
— NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) September 12, 2024
Peat was selected by the Anaheim Ducks with the 32nd overall pick in the 1998 NHL draft. He would go on to play 130 NHL games, all with the Washington Capitals. During those games, he scored eight goals and added two assists for a total of 10 points.
The 6-foot-2 forward was known for his toughness and willingness to drop the gloves. Peat racked up 234 penalty minutes in his 130 NHL games. He routinely broke the 100-penalty mark in junior hockey.
Peat was homeless at points following his professional hockey career and struggled with substance abuse issues. He was also known to have suffered several concussions.
He was the feature subject of a 2018 CBC article by Jeremy Allingham, which detailed some of the struggles Peat faced after retiring from the NHL. At that point in time, the ex-enforcer was sleeping either in his vehicle or crashing with friends. Peat was dealing with “extreme headaches, memory loss, and an inability to focus.”