Konstantin Koltsov, former NHL player and former boyfriend of Aryna Sabalenka, dies aged 42

Konstantin Koltsov, the earlier expert hockey participant and former boyfriend of tennis participant Aryna Sabalenka, has died on the age of 42.

“It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that the coach of Salavat Yulaev, Konstantin Koltsov, has handed away,” his Russian membership Salavat Yulaev, which relies inside the Russian metropolis of Ufa, acknowledged in a press launch. “He was a robust and cheerful particular person, he was preferred and revered by players, colleagues, and followers. Konstantin Evgenievich eternally wrote himself into the historic previous of our membership.

“May he rest in peace.”

In a press launch of their very personal, Pittsburgh Penguins, his former Nationwide Hockey League group, added they “lengthen their deepest condolences to the family and buddies” of Koltsov.

Koltsov was in Miami when he died, in what the Miami-Dade Police Division acknowledged was an “apparent suicide.” In a press launch, they acknowledged there was no suspicion of foul play.

The Belarusian was drafted by the Penguins in 1999 and carried out for the NHL membership between 2002 and 2006. An explosive skater, Koltsov in no way developed a relentless scoring contact inside the NHL after rising by the use of the ranks of Russian hockey. Nevertheless he was modern with Penguins followers as a consequence of his tempo.

“He was an outstanding youngster,” acknowledged Eddie Olzcyk, Koltsov’s coach in Pittsburgh from the 2003-04 season by the use of part of 2005-06. “He preferred hockey, being in Pittsburgh. He merely principally had a carefree angle, nonetheless when you had been spherical him, he on a regular basis smiled. He launched that to the rink every day. I acquired a boatload of texts this morning about him; my kids keep in mind Koltsy. It’s merely really sad.”

After his stint in Pittsburgh, he returned to Russia and acquired the league title with Salavat Yulaev in 2008 and additional simply currently returned to the membership as an assistant coach. He moreover represented Belarus on the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics.

Koltsov and the Belarusian world No. 2 Sabalenka had been collectively until simply currently, and he was there for a couple of of her best wins in tennis, along with when she retained her Australian Open title in Melbourne earlier this yr.

She wrote on Instagram: “Konstantin’s demise is an unthinkable tragedy, and whereas we had been not collectively, my coronary coronary heart is broken. Please respect my privateness and his family’s privateness at this robust time.”

Her father Sergey, who was moreover an ice hockey participant, handed away in 2019.

Sabalenka has been teaching in Miami this week and is scheduled to play her first match on the Miami Open on Thursday in direction of Paula Badosa, of Spain.

(Image: Getty Pictures)