Marek Svatos passes away at 34

Fans of the Colorado Avalanche in the times since the lockout of 2004 will undoubtedly remember Marek Svatos. Unfortunately, this piece is going to be more of a remembrance, as he was found dead in his Colorado home over the weekend. He was 34.

A former seventh round pick in 2001, he played his junior hockey with Kootenay of the WHL for two seasons before joining the Avalanche's then-AHL affiliate Hershey in 2002. He made his debut with Colorado in the 2003-04 season, but was still considered a rookie when he played his first full season with the team in 2005-06, where he posted career bests in goals (32) and points (50). He also posted 26 goals in the 2007-08 season, and unsurprisingly, that was when the Avs made the playoffs in that decade. However, things were not quite as good in his later time, as conflicts with coach Joe Sacco in the 2009-10 season led him to being a healthy scratch for some games before he took his game to the KHL for the following season. That time would be short-lived, as he eventually found his way back the same season with Nashville and Ottawa. He would go on to finish his hockey career in his native Slovakia, where he played two seasons.

He leaves behind a wife and two children, and there is no official word on the cause of death.