DENVER -- Former Colorado Avalanche winger Marek Svatos, 34, died Saturday in Lone Tree.
Svatos’ death first was reported by Slovakian journalist and author David Puchovsky, who also is president of the Avalanche’s European fan club, Eurolanche.
Svatos was from Kosice, Slovakia, and was living in the Denver area with his wife, Diana, whom he met while playing with the Avalanche, and two children.
A seventh-round Avalanche draft choice in 2001, Svatos scored 96 goals in 316 games for Colorado from 2004-10. He also played briefly for Nashville and Ottawa in 2010-11, his final NHL season. In addition, he was with two different teams in the Kontinental Hockey League, including the Slovakia-based Bratislava Slovan, and finished his professional career with his hometown team, Kosice, in the Slovak pro league in 2013-14.
“The entire Avalanche organization is extremely saddened by this news,” Sakic said in a statement issued by the team Sunday norning. “Marek was a tremendous person, a talented hockey player and a great teammate. Our thoughts, prayers and our deepest sympathy to his wife, children and his entire family.”
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