Dan Snyder

Dan Snyder 	Dan Snyder
Born 	February 23, 1978(1978-02-23),
Elmira, ON, CAN
Died 	October 5, 2003 (aged 25),
Atlanta, GA, USA
Height
Weight 	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
196 lb (89 kg; 14 st 0 lb)
Position 	Centre
Shot 	Left
Played for 	Atlanta Thrashers
Playing career	1999–2003
Daniel Snyder (February 23, 1978 - October 5, 2003) was a professional Canadian ice hockey player. He played as a centre in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Thrashers. Following a single-vehicle accident, which he was a passenger, Synder fell into a coma as a result of his injuries, he died six days later of septic shock.
Despite only playing in 49 NHL games the Thrashers named an annual award after him. The Dan Snyder Memorial Award is given each year to the player that "best embodies perseverance, dedication and hard work without reward or recognition, so that his team and teammates might succeed." The Thrashers American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves also have a yearly award given in his honor, the Dan Snyder Man of the Year Award and have honored his number 19, hanging a banner with other retired and honored player numbers. Like wise the Ontario Hockey League renamed their Humanitarian of the Year trophy in his honor making it the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy.
== Playing career==
=== Juniors===
In 1994 Snyder was one of the last players selected for his home town Junior B team, the Elmira Sugar Kings. He struggle early in the season and was warned that if his poor play continued he might be replaced. Snyder's play improved following the talk, eventually earning the Sugar Kings rookie of the year honors.[1] The following year he tried out for the Owen Sound Platers, a Major junior team playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).[2] After starting his try-out slowly, the coaching staff gave him the option to stop and pursue an NCAA scholarship.[2] Snyder decided to continue his try-out and made the team after leading the Platers in scoring during the exhibition season.[3] He played four years for the Platers registering 75 goals and 221 points, captaining the team in his final two seasons.[4]
=== Professional===
Undrafted, Snyder was signed by the Thrashers as a free agent in 1999. During his time in the minor leagues, he was a member of the International Hockey League champion Orlando Solar Bears in 2000–2001, and the American Hockey League champion Chicago Wolves In 2001–2002, he was called up to the NHL, he scored 10 goals and four assists in 36 games with the Thrashers in the 2002–2003 season.
== Death and legacy==
On September 29, 2003, Snyder was critically injured after the Ferrari 360 Modena, being driven by his friend and teammate Dany Heatley, crashed.[5] Heatley, who was driving between 55-82 MPH in a 35 MPH zone,[6] lost control and skidded into a brick pillar and iron fence.[5] Both players were ejected from the car, which was split in half by the force of the impact.[7] Snyder required surgery to repair a depressed skull fracture and was comatose.[5][8] Six days later on October 5, he lapsed into septic shock and died, never regaining consciousness.[7][9] Heatley was charged with vehicular homicide as a result of the crash. A sentence that could have carried as much as 15 years in prison.[10] He pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide, driving too fast for conditions, failure to maintain a lane, and speeding. He was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to give 150 speeches on the dangers of speeding, and pay $25,000 to Fulton County for the cost of investigating the crash.[6] The lighter sentence was due in part to Snyder's parents forgiving Heatley for the accident, their desire that he not be sent to prison, and the judge's opinion that Heatley being prison would not benefit the community.[6]
The following season Atlanta dedicated the season to Snyder and Heatley, while further honoring Snyder with a patch displaying his number 37 on it and painting the same logo on the boards.[9][11][12] Snyder was further honored with the creation of The Dan Snyder Memorial Scholarship. The scholarships were to be given to three recipients from the Elmira area.[13] On December 31, 2003 the Thrashers played the Detroit Red Wings, during the game both teams wore the commemorative patch.[11] Following the game the NHLPA auction off the game-worn jerseys with the proceeds going towards the scholarships, the resulting auction raised $56,029.[13] The Chicago Wolves paid tribute to Snyder by renaming their community service award the Dan Snyder Man of the Year award,[14] while the OHL renamed their Humanitarian of the Year trophy in his honor, making it the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy.
During the 2006–07 NHL season, Snyder's parents, Graham and LuAnn Snyder, traveled across North America in an RV attending NHL games and speaking at engagements to raise awareness for the Dan Snyder Memorial Foundation. A foundation that provides four college scholarships a year and help raise money of the Elmira recreation center.[15]
Canadian band The Tragically Hip recorded a song called "Heaven Is a Better Place Today" in honor of Snyder. The song appears on their In Between Evolution album.[16]
In 2003 plans for a new sports complex in Elmira were completed with a projected completion date in 2017. Snyder felt that the project needed to be completed much quicker and wanted to help make it happen sooner.[17] After his passing the Dan Snyder Memorial Foundation contributed $750,000 to the project which opened in 2009.[17] The main arena houses the Sugar Kings and was named the Dan Snyder Memorial Arena.[18] The Atlanta Thrashers held a practice and promotional session in the arena on October 18, 2009. [19]
== Career statistics==
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1995–96 	Owen Sound Platers 	OHL 		63 	8 	17 	25 	78 		6 	1 	2 	3 	4
1996–97 	Owen Sound Platers 	OHL 		57 	17 	29 	46 	96 		4 	2 	3 	5 	6
1997–98 	Owen Sound Platers 	OHL 		46 	23 	33 	56 	74 		10 	2 	3 	5 	16
1998–99 	Owen Sound Platers 	OHL 		64 	27 	67 	94 	110 		16 	8 	5 	13 	30
1999–00 	Orlando Solar Bears	IHL 		71 	12 	13 	25 	123 		6 	1 	2 	3 	4
2000–01 	Orlando Solar Bears	IHL 		78 	13 	30 	43 	127 		16 	7 	3 	10 	20
2000–01 	Atlanta Thrashers 	NHL 		2 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	Chicago Wolves 	AHL 		56 	11 	24 	35 	115 		22 	7 	10 	17 	25
2001–02 	Atlanta Thrashers 	NHL 		11 	1 	1 	2 	30 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Atlanta Thrashers 	NHL 		36 	10 	4 	14 	34 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Chicago Wolves 	AHL 		35 	11 	12 	23 	39 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		49 	11 	5 	16 	64 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
Category:Atlanta Thrashers players