Former NHL player Kyle Calder has died at the age of 47.
His daughter, Madison Calder, shared the heartbreaking news in an Instagram post, writing that she never imagined the day would come.
“Never in a million years would I have thought this day would come,” Madison wrote.
Calder, a former forward, was drafted in the fifth round of the 1997 NHL Draft and went on to play in the league from 1999 to 2010.
He spent six seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, appearing in 359 games for the team. During his time in Chicago, he scored 85 goals and recorded 210 points.
The NHL Alumni Association honored Calder in a statement, remembering him as “not only a respected former NHL player but a cherished teammate, friend, and member of our hockey brotherhood.”
Calder’s hockey career also included major moments on the international stage.
He won a silver medal with Canada’s 1999 World Junior Team in a matchup against Russia. He later won gold with the Canadian National Team at the 2003 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship and placed fourth with Canada in 2006.
After his professional playing career, Calder continued giving back to the sport as a coach with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings.
The team said Calder had been dealing with “a brief illness,” though his exact cause of death has not been publicly revealed.
Madison remembered her father with a touching message in her post.
“Thank you for being my biggest fan,” she wrote. “I know you’re skating around in heaven, cheering all of us on from above.”