Former NHL star Todd Ewen died this past weekend, the St. Louis Blues confirmed via Twitter on Saturday. The following day, police confirmed Ewen's death was from an apparent suicide. He was 49.
“We’re sad to learn of the passing of former Blue Todd Ewen today,” the Blues tweeted on Saturday, Sept. 19. “Our thoughts are with the Ewen family at this time.”
The late hockey enforcer skyrocketed to NHL fame when he played more than 500-plus games in the 1980s and '90s. According to CTV Calgary reporter Amanda Singroy, police have ruled Ewen's death as a suicide.
"We've learned former #nhl enforcer Todd Ewen appears to have died of self-inflicted gunshot wound to head @CTVNews," Singroy tweeted on Sept. 20.
The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native's family, meanwhile, has said that the hockey star had an ongoing struggle with depression.
On Sunday, Ewen's very first NHL team released an official statement about his shocking death. "We are deeply saddened by the passing of former Blue Todd Ewen," the team's owner, Tom Stillman, said in a statement. "Todd was an outstanding individual who called St. Louis home and continued to devote much of his time to the game he loved. On behalf of the entire St. Louis Blues organization, our thoughts and prayers are with the Ewen family during this most difficult time."
After playing for the Blues from 1986 to 1989, Ewen joined the Montreal Canadiens, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 1993. He also played for the Anaheim Ducks, and spent his final season with the NHL as a San Jose Shark from 1996 to 1997.
Ewen was very much involved in the hockey community following his retirement. His most recent position was as the head coach of the hockey team at St. Louis University.
He also wrote children's books for fun, aspiring to eventually be published.
He is survived by his wife and his two sons.
