Former Washington Capitals enforcer Stephen Peat passed away Thursday at the age of 44, after suffering injuries from a car crash that happened two weeks ago.
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In view of the accident, Peat was hit by a car at 4:15 a.m. on August 30 in Langley, British Columbia, according to The Province.
During his career, ever since being drafted by the Anaheim Ducks (1998) and playing for the Washington Capitals (2001-2006), he appeared in 130 regular-season games, scoring 10 points for the D.C. franchise.
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Throughout his career, Peat was known as a tough guy enforcer, never backing down from a fight.
Nevertheless, what a lot of people don't know is that underneath that persona, he was known for his heart, which is how Peat's teammates and friends will always remember him.
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Peat was viewed as the backbone of the teams he played on, as his old friend Howie Zaron went on to speak about who the NHL player was as a person outside the rink.
"We just want to make sure people know that Peaty was a good person," Zaron said. "People always want to hone in on the struggles, but he was a good person. He had a lot of buddies and we were trying to support him."
That is to say, as Peat's friend Zaron said following his tragic death, "He was a protector, he didn't like teammates being pushed around."
With this in mind, the fights took a toll on him as he was forced to retire from injuries, playing just one game in the 2006-2007 season. Then to mention, in view of the long-term consequences, he experienced post-concussion effects.
This was highlighted in an interview with the National Post in 2017, as Peat expounded on the struggles he faced after his career was over.
"Some days I get up and I — it's a struggle. I'm paying the price for it," he said. "When the curtain goes down, no one sees that f***ing part. No one's cheering me on right now, you know? They don't see the struggles."
Peat check himself into rehab, trying to make a come back and climb his way out of addiction. However, Peat's father Walter, cited his son's daily headaches and struggles are caused from a deeper problem.
His father and friends attribute this to the hits he took to the head throughout his career, citing early effects of CTE.
"They need to figure out the root cause of his pain, not just try to get him off of the pills," the elder Peat said in an interview with the New York Times.
To point out, in 2015 the younger Peat pleaded guilty to arson by negligence, after allegedly accidentally starting a fire at his father's house.
Ultimately, this was just one of many things added to the list of trouble he faced following his hockey career.
All around Peat was known as a guy who always played with heart and looked out for others, being described as a team player, who always had your back. Many in the NHL community are mourning his loss.
The alumni association released a statement following the tragic news.
"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... We send our deepest condolences to Stephen's family, friends, and former teammates during this difficult time."
