Wade Belak Wade William Belak ( born Wade William Aadland ; July 3 , 1976 – August 31 , 2011 ) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and defenceman . He was drafted 12th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft . He played for the Colorado Avalanche , Calgary Flames , Toronto Maple Leafs , Florida Panthers , and the Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . On August 31 , 2011 , he was found dead in a Toronto apartment . Playing career . Saskatoon Blades . Belak made his WHL debut with the Saskatoon Blades as a 16 - year - old during the 1992 – 93 season , getting no points in seven games , along with 23 PIM . In seven playoff games , Belak had no points . He made the Blades as a full - time player in 1993 - 94 , scoring four goals and 17 points in 69 games , while recording a team high 226 PIM . In 16 playoff games , Belak had two goals , four points and 43 PIM . After the season , Belak was drafted in the first round , 12th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft . In 1994 - 95 , Belak appeared in all 72 games , scoring four goals and 18 points , while finished fourth in the league with 290 PIM . In the playoffs , Belak had no points in nine games , while recording 36 PIM . He returned to the Blades for the 1995 - 96 season , scoring three goals and 18 points in 63 games , while getting a team high 207 PIM . In four playoff games , Belak had no points and nine penalty minutes . Quebec Nordiques / Colorado Avalanche . Belak made his professional debut during the 1994 - 95 AHL playoffs , when the Nordiques assigned Belak to the Cornwall Aces . In 11 playoff games , Belak had a goal and three points , while getting 40 PIM . During the 1995 off - season , the Nordiques relocated to Denver , Colorado , and became the Colorado Avalanche . In the 1995 – 96 season , Belak appeared in five regular season games with the Aces , getting no points , followed by two playoff games , where he also had no points . Belak spent most of the 1996 - 97 season with the Hershey Bears , where in 65 games , Belak had a goal and eight points , as well as a team high 320 PIM . In 16 playoff games , Belak had an assist and 61 PIM . He made his NHL debut during the 1996 - 97 season with the Colorado Avalanche on December 21 , 1996 , getting no points in a 6 – 2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs . Overall , Belak appeared in five games with Colorado , going pointless with 11 PIM . Belak began the 1997 – 98 with the Avalanche , and on October 22 , 1997 , Belak had a goal and assist against Olaf Kolzig of the Washington Capitals to record his first NHL points in a 4 – 3 win . Belak had an injury plagued season , appearing in eight games with Colorado , getting two points and 27 PIM , while in 11 games with Hershey , Belak had no points and 30 PIM . He began the 1998 - 99 in Colorado , and in 22 games with the Avalanche , Belak had no points and 71 PIM . He also appeared in 17 games with Hershey , getting an assist and 49 PIM . On February 28 , 1999 , the Avalanche traded Belak , Rene Corbet , Robyn Regehr , and the Avalanche ' s second round draft pick at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft to the Calgary Flames for Theo Fleury and Chris Dingman . Calgary Flames . Belak began his Calgary Flames career with the teams AHL affiliate , the Saint John Flames in the 1998 - 99 season , appearing in 12 games with Saint John , getting two assists and 43 PIM . He made his Calgary debut on March 27 , 1999 , as Belak had no points in a 2 – 1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes . Belak earned his first point as a Flame on April 1 , 1999 , getting an assist in a 4 – 1 loss to the Coyotes , that being his only point in nine games with Calgary . At the conclusion of the regular season , Belak was sent back to Saint John for the playoffs , where he had an assist in six games , along with 23 PIM . Belak spent the entire 1999 - 2000 season in the NHL , where he appeared in 40 games with Calgary , recording two assists and a team high 122 PIM . He suffered a shoulder injury on February 10 , 2000 against the Colorado Avalanche that caused him to miss six weeks of action . He began the 2000 - 01 season with the Flames , where in 23 games , Belak had no points and 79 PIM . On February 16 , 2001 , the Toronto Maple Leafs claimed Belak off waivers . Toronto Maple Leafs . Belak made his Toronto Maple Leafs debut on February 17 , 2001 , getting no points in a 5 – 5 tie against the Colorado Avalanche . He scored his first goal and point as a Maple Leaf on February 25 , 2001 , scoring against Jocelyn Thibault in a 6 – 4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks . It was Belak ' s first goal since October 22 , 1997 , when he was a member of the Avalanche . He finished the season appearing in 16 games with Toronto , scoring a goal and an assist , as well as 31 PIM . Belak played in 63 games with Toronto during the 2001 - 02 season , scoring a goal and four points , while recording 142 PIM , which was second to Tie Domi on the team . Belak made his playoff debut on April 18 , 2002 , getting no points in a 3 – 1 win over the New York Islanders . He scored his first playoff goal and point on April 28 , 2002 , scoring against Chris Osgood in a 5 – 3 loss to the Islanders . Belak appeared in 16 playoff games for Toronto , getting one goal and 18 PIM . He had his most productive season during 2002 - 03 , as Belak had three goals and nine points in 55 games , as well as a team high 196 PIM . In the playoffs , Belak appeared in two games , getting no points and four penalty minutes . Belak had an injury plagued 2003 - 04 season , as he suffered an abdominal injury on November 20 , 2003 against the Edmonton Oilers and a knee injury on January 6 , 2004 against the Nashville Predators . He appeared in 39 games , getting a goal and two points , along with 110 PIM . In four playoff games , Belak had no points and 14 PIM . During the 2004 - 05 NHL Lockout , Belak signed with the Coventry Blaze of the EIHL . In 42 games with the Blaze , Belak had seven goals and 17 points and 178 PIM . In the playoffs , Belak had a goal and two points in eight games . After the season , Belak was named to the EIHL Second All - Star Team . Belak returned to the Maple Leafs for the 2005 - 06 season , as in 55 games , he had three assists and 109 PIM , second highest on the team . In 2006 - 07 , Belak appeared in 65 games with Toronto , getting three assists and 110 PIM , again finishing with the second highest penalty minute total on the Leafs . Belak began 2007 - 08 with the Maple Leafs , and on December 4 , 2007 , Belak ended his 143 - game scoreless drought , as he scored against Chris Mason of the Predators in a 3 – 1 Maple Leafs win . He played in 30 games with Toronto , scoring the lone goal , while getting 66 PIM . On February 26 , 2008 , the Maple Leafs traded Belak to the Florida Panthers for the Panthers fifth round draft pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft . Florida Panthers . Belak finished the 2007 – 08 with the Florida Panthers , playing in 17 games , getting no points and 12 PIM . His first game as a Panther was on February 27 , 2008 against his former team , the Toronto Maple Leafs . He began the 2008 - 09 season with Florida , where in 15 games , he had no points 25 PIM . On November 27 , 2008 , the Panthers traded Belak to the Nashville Predators for Nick Tarnasky . Nashville Predators . Belak made his Predators debut during the 2008 – 09 season , as on November 28 , 2008 , he suited up against the Atlanta Thrashers , earning no points . He recorded his first point as a Predator on December 4 , 2008 , getting an assist in a 3 – 2 win over the Colorado Avalanche . Belak finished the season appearing in 38 games with Nashville , recording two assists , and 54 PIM . In 2009 - 10 , Belak returned to the Predators , getting two assists in 39 games , as well as 58 PIM . Belak played his last season in the NHL in 2010 - 11 , going pointless in 15 games with the Predators . On February 25 , 2011 , the Predators placed Belak on waivers , however , he went unclaimed . The club then assigned Belak to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL , however , on March 8 , 2011 , Belak retired , due to arthritis in the pelvis , Belak remained with the Predators in an organizational role until his death . Death . At approximately 1 : 33 p . m . on August 31 , 2011 , Belak was found dead in a condo at the One King Street West hotel in Toronto . Police did not confirm a cause of his death , but Toronto Police treated it as a suicide . He was 35 years old , and had been preparing to take part in the upcoming season of " Battle of the Blades " . His death was the third in a series of NHL players found dead in a four - month span , following Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien . His mother stated that he had been suffering from depression . Michael Landsberg reported that he had spoken with Belak one week before his death about their mutual depression , and that Belak admitted having been on " happy pills " for the previous four to five years . Landsberg stated that Belak was agreeable to appearing in a documentary on celebrity depression that Landsberg was working on , and going public about his condition . On September 2 , 2011 , P . J . Stock suggested that Belak ' s death might not be suicide . " Let ' s just call it an accidental death right now . But he did die of strangulation " said Stock . On September 21 , 2011 , Stock expressed regret for making those comments , explained that he did not have any information about Belak ' s death that was not public , and said " I just wanted to protect Wade , protect his family and his role in the game . " Belak ' s family members have stated that they believe his death was accidental . Belak ' s funeral was held in Nashville , with friends , family , and former teammates in attendance . Personal life . Belak was born in St . Paul ' s Hospital in Saskatoon , Saskatchewan , to Lorraine and Lionel Aadland . His mother , Lorraine , married Barry Belak when Wade was four years old and they took his surname . When he was six years old , his family moved to Battleford where he attended St Vital ' s Catholic School , Battleford Junior High , and North Battleford Comprehensive High School . By age 14 , he was aiming to become a certified lifeguard . His younger brother , Graham , played in several lower - tier leagues and was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche , 53rd overall , in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft , although he never played in the NHL . On July 20 , 2002 , Belak married Jennifer Jordan Russell in Banff , Alberta . The couple had two daughters , one born in 2004 and one in 2006 , both born in Toronto . External links . Wade Belak ' s stats on hockeydb