Veteran NHL player Sergei Zholtok died Wednesday of an apparent heart ailment. He was 31.
Zholtok was playing hockey for the club team in his home city of Riga, the Latvian capital, when he became ill near the end of a game. European news reports say he suffered from cardiac arrhythmia.
Zholtok was drafted by Boston in 1992, 55th overall, and played 588 NHL games with the Bruins, Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Minnesota and Nashville. The Predators acquired him last March.
``We are all saddened and shocked to hear of Sergei's sudden passing,'' Nashville general manager David Poile said in a statement released by the club. ``He was a hard-working player who was well-liked by his teammates and coaches.
``We extend our deepest sympathies to the Zholtok family, his wife, Anna, and his sons, Edgar and Nikita.''
The six-foot-one centre, called Zholi by teammates, scored 111 goals, assisted on 147 and drew 166 penalty minutes during his NHL career. He had a career-best 26 goals for the Canadiens in 1999-2000.
Zholtok missed games a couple of times last year with mysterious health ailments that included dizziness and fatigue. After leaving a game in January 2003, he was kept in hospital overnight for observation. He eventually was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia. Wild coach Jacques Lemaire was concerned.
``I don't think he's okay,'' Lemaire said at the time. After missing seven games, he was cleared to return to the lineup.
Zholtok was a key forward for the Wild during their unexpected playoff march that spring.
``Sergei was a great competitor and a valuable member of our organization for almost three years and will be greatly missed by his teammates and his fans in the hockey world,'' said Wild GM Doug Risebrough.
The Senators also issued a news release extending their sympathies to the family.
``Sergei was the consumate team player,'' said team president Roy Mlakar. ``He will be remembered in Ottawa for his sincere involvement in our community.
``Moreover, he was a class human being and family man, who will be remembered as such by the Senators family.''
Zholtok was a member of the Latvian team that won silver at the 1994 world hockey championships, and in subsequent tournaments helped his country retain its A Pool status. He was on the Commonwealth of Independent States team that won gold at the 1991 world junior tournament.
Three years ago, Zholtok and fellow-Latvian Arturs Irbe, at the time a goalie with the Carolina Hurricanes, helped set up an online auction of hockey memorabilia to benefit abused children in their homeland. They arranged to have pucks, sticks and equipment autographed by more than 115 NHL players from 18 teams for sale to the highest bidders. It was a lot of work but they cherished the cause.
