In Honour Of: Hockey Players Trivia Quiz

Answer: Michel Briere

Mario Lemieux had his #66 jersey retired following his retirement from hockey. The situation surrounding Briere's death was just as devastating as the death itself. Following a great rookie season with the Penguins in which saw the phenom score 12 goals and a total of 44 points, he was being compared to the likes of forwards Bobby Clarke and Phil Esposito.

Many NHL scouts thought that Briere would go on to play many successful seasons in the National Hockey League. They all agreed that Briere was an excellent puck handler, passer, shooter, and skater. On May 15, 1970, Briere would be making preparations for a wedding in Malartic, Quebec (his hometown). Tragically, Briere and two passengers would be involved in a car accident, throwing Briere out of the car.

His body would lie there, appearing as if he was uninjured. The case however, was much worse than doctors could correct. The ambulance that would rush Briere would hit a pedestrian, claiming his life as well. Doctors would perform four major surgeries to try and save Briere's life, but to no avail. Briere would be in a coma for seven weeks and then a full year of periods where he would go in and out of consciousness. On April 13, 1971, the hockey world was shocked to hear that Briere had succumbed to severe head injuries resulting from the accident.

He was 21 years old when he succumbed to his injuries, ironically the same number that was permanently from Pittsburgh Penguin hockey jerseys.

Answer: A stick swinging incident involving Ted Green

Wayne Maki was a young superstar that played for the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, and Vancouver Canucks during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was often used as an enforcer on the ice, however, he was also capable of scoring goals as well. During his top year as a performer, Maki would score 25 goals and 63 points in 78 games for the Vancouver Canucks during the 1970-71 hockey campaign.

In 1969, during a pre-season hockey match, Maki would be involved in a famous stick swinging incident with Boston Bruins player Ted Green in which Green would almost lose his life. Maki would be suspended for 13 games as a result of the incident and no charges were ultimately laid during the aftermath. On December 14, 1972, Maki was diagnosed with a brain tumor, halfway through the NHL season.

He would never play hockey again. On May 1, 1974, Maki would succumb to cancer at the age of 29. His brother, Chico Maki, would also have a productive career in the NHL.

Answer: Dan Snyder

Snyder was signed as a free agent by the Atlanta Thrashers during the 2000-01 NHL hockey season following a successful career in the International Hockey League. Snyder would go on to help the Orlando Solar Bears win the last offical Turner Cup in IHL history. During the 2002-03 hockey season, Snyder would start off the season very successful scoring 10 goals and 4 assists in 36 games. Tragically, however, Snyder would be involved in a high speed accident with fellow teammate Dany Heatley on September 29, 2003.

Heatley would lose control of his Ferrari Modena and slam into a wall on an Atlanta freeway. Snyder would not recover from severe head trauma and would pass away on October 5, 2003 at the age of 25. In the aftermath of the events, Heatley would need to recover from a bruised lung, broken jaw, bruised kidney, concussion, and a knee injury.

Heatley would plead guilty to vehicular homicide and was sentenced to three years probation.

Answer: Babe Siebert

Babe Siebert was a member of the Montreal Maroons team that featured the "S" Line consisting of Siebert, Hooley Smith, and Nels Stewart. Siebert would win a Stanley Cup with the Maroons in 1926 and with the New York Rangers in 1933. He was known for his rushing ability with the puck and his shear strength as a forward.

In 1936, Siebert would play again in Montreal, only this time he would play for the Montreal Canadians. He would be placed on defense in Montreal because he was in his 30s and slowing down. Tragically, Siebert would endure two tragedies. During the birth of his second child, his wife would become paralyzed from the waist down due to complications from the birth. All of his earnings as an NHL player went to supporting his wife and family.

His second tragedy would come on August 25, 1939. Siebert would drown at a family resort while swimming out to get an inflatable tire for his children, as they were playing with the tube. Siebert would grow tired, disappear from sight, and drown instantly.

He was 35 years old. Siebert was scheduled to become the next head coach of the Montreal Canadians.

Answer: Dmitri Tertyshny

Tertyshny was part of the Philadelphia Flyers organization during his rookie season in 1998-99. During his first and only season, Tertyshny would play in 62 games and score 2 goals and 8 assists. During a boating trip to Okanagan Lake in British Columbia with two other hockey players, tragedy struck, ending the career of Dmitri Tertyshny forever. According to reports, a wave struck the boat that Tertyshny was in and caused him to fly overboard.

He fell underneath the boat and as the boat crossed over him, the propeller from the boats motor cut his neck and severed his jugular vein. Tertyshny died almost instantly.

He was only 22 years old at the time of his death.

Answer: Chicago Blackhawks

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Charlie Gardiner was one of very few European players to make it into professional hockey during the 1930s. Gardiner would spend his entire NHL career with the Chicago Black Hawks organization. During the 20th Century, the Blackhawks would only win a Stanley Cup a total of three times and Gardiner was a member of two of these cup victories.

He would record a total of 112 wins and 42 shutouts in 316 career games. During his final season in the NHL, Gardiner had an amazing goals against average (GAA) of 1.63. During the 1933-34 Stanley Cup playoffs, Gardiner would go on to have a 6-1-1 record (including two shutouts) to lead his team to victory. Sadly, however, within two weeks of this victory, Gardiner would succumb to a brain hemmorhage.

It is said that during those playoffs, Gardiner played in extreme pain, particularly during the final playoff game in which Gardiner could barely even stand upright. During his career as an NHL goaltender, many viewed him as one of the best goalies of that era.

As a tribute, Gardiner was inducted as an original member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1945. He was 29 years old at the time of his death.

Answer: He was the first NHL player to die as the result of an on ice injury

Bill Masterton would only play a total of 38 games as a rookie with the Minnesota North Stars before his untimely death in 1968. During his rookie campaign, Masterton would score 4 goals and 12 assists. It appeared as though his dreams of being a full-time NHL hockey player were in perfect reach.

It was on January 13, 1968, however, that Masterton's career and life would tragically end. Playing in a game against the expansion team California Seals, Masterton was checked by Larry Cahan and Ron Wilson and fell awkwardly to the ice.

He would hit his head hard on the ice quickly resulting in a large loss of blood. He would end up with severe brain injuries and on January 15, 1968, Masterton would die from his injuries. There is a memorial trophy named after him in the NHL given annually to the player that has dedication, sportsmanship, and perseverance in the sport of hockey.

His #19 was officially retired in 1987 by the Minnesota North Stars and his death has been used as a model to encourage all hockey players to wear helmets when playing the sport of hockey. Masterton was only 29 years old at the time of his death.

Answer: Motorcycle accident

Bob Gassof played in 245 career NHL games, all with the St. Louis Blues. A hard-nosed defenseman, Gassof was involved in an alcohol related accident while riding a motorcycle. His tragic death caught the hockey world by surprise including fellow teammate Gary Unger. Gary Unger claims that the death of Gassof led to his almost immediate conversion to Christianity. Gassof would score 11 goals and 47 assists during his career.

He was only 24 years old at the time of his death.

Answer: Don Ashby

Following the retirement of Norm Ullman and the departure of Dave Keon from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Don Ashby became the number one center for the Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, he would not be a very successful center for the Leafs and was traded to the Colorado Rockies and later on, the Edmonton Oilers.

While in the minor leagues, helped lead the Wichita Wind to the Adams Cup final, however, they lost in seven games. While driving home from the game, he and his wife Terry were involved in a serious head-on collision by a pick-up truck. Ashby would die from severe internal injuries a few hours after arriving at the hospital. Ashby was only 26 years old at the time of his death.

Answer: Joe Hall

Hall was a feisty hockey player that won Stanley Cups with the Quebec Bulldog organization in 1911-12 and 1912-13. He was an arch enemy of Hall of Famer Newsy Lalonde as the Quebec Bulldogs and Montreal Canadians played each other quite regularly. During the Stanley Cup finals in 1918-19, Hall played for the Montreal Canadians. Joe Hall, along with a great majority of his teammates had contracted the influenza virus that was becoming an epidemic in North America at that time.

While his teammates recovered, Hall was less fortunate and succumbed to pneumonia resulting from the influenza virus. Hall was 36 years old at the time of his death. Hall would tragically pass away five days after the Stanley Cup finals had officially been declared cancelled.

Answer: John Kordic

John Kordic was a physically tough hockey player who could not only fight, but could score when necessary. He played primarily with the Montreal Canadians and the Toronto Maple Leafs during the mid-80s and early 1990s. Unfortunately, Kordic lived a double life in which he indulged in alcohol and severe drug use. On August 8, 1992, John Kordic would die after getting into a fight with police who were called after Kordic was found destroying a Quebec hotel room. Kordic had been binging on cocaine at the time of his death.

He was only 27 years old.

Answer: Howie Morenz

Howie Morenz was a Hall of Fame hockey player who played 12 of his 14 NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadians. He was known to the hockey world as the "Mitchell Meteor" and "The Stratford Streak". He would have a very productive career in Montreal earning two Stanley Cup's with the club.

His career and life would be cut short, however, after he awkwardly fell into the boards and broke his leg in four places. He would suffer a compound fracture in this leg which would result in tension pulley's being used to keep his leg still while it healed. Blood clots were found in his leg and it was anticipated that he would have surgery to remove the clots.

Morenz refused surgery as he wanted to rest. Morenz would go to sleep and would calmly die in his sleep.

He was only 34 years old when he died on March 8, 1937.

Answer: Terry Sawchuk

Sawchuk first played in the NHL during the 1949-50 season with the Detroit Red Wings. He would win a Stanley Cup with the Wings in 1952. He led the league in wins during his first five seasons in the NHL, but retired prematurely in 1957 after battling stress and mononucleosis.

He would continue his career playing for the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers. He would win a Stanley Cup again in 1967 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, behind all of the glory, Sawchuk suffered from severe depression and often used alcohol to cope with his problems. During an altercation (in which the actual events are unclear), Sawchuk suffered lacerations to his liver after getting into a fight with fellow NHLer Ron Stewart. Sawchuk would died of his injuries on May 31, 1970 after a blood clot stopped his heart.

He was 40 years old at the time of his death.

Answer: Steve Chiasson

Following his death, Chiasson was described by his teammates as a "good guy" and "friend". He played the majority of his career with the Detroit Red Wings, however, he also played seasons with the Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes. During the 1998-99 NHL season, Chiasson played in the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Boston Bruins.

The Hurricanes lost the series against the Bruins and celebrated their season at NHLer Gary Roberts home. Following the party, accounts say that Chiasson refused to take a taxi ride home and instead drove himself in his pick-up truck. Chiasson died upon impact in the accident and it was later determined that he had been three times over the legal alcohol limit in North Carolina. Chiasson was 31 years old at the time of his death.

Answer: Sergei Zholtok

Sergei Zholtok was a Latvian hockey player that spent 10 seasons in the National Hockey League. He played 588 career hockey games and tallied up 111 goals and 147 assists during his career. When the NHL went on strike in 2004-05, Zholtok chose to travel back to Europe and played hockey in Latvia.

In 2003, Zholtok discovered that he suffered from heart arrhythmia, was hospitalized, and left the following morning. A second incident occurred during a game in Belarus, however, Zholtok left the game with approximately five minutes left, collapsed, and died in his teams dressing room. An autopsy revealed that heart failure was his official cause of death.

He was 31 years old when he died.