New York Rangers: Their tragic past

NEXT: On the cusp of stardom

Roman Lyashenko was selected by the Dallas Stars with the 52nd overall pick (second round) of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. The defensive-minded forward brought home gold, silver, and bronze medals from the World Junior Championships, as well as a silver from the World Championships

Highlights with the Stars included scoring the winning goal in the first game of the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals against the New Jersey Devils in his rookie year.  Lyashenko also scored the decider in Game Seven of the Western Conference Finals against the Colorado Avalanche.

But he couldn’t stick with the Stars, splitting time with the IHL Utah Grizzlies, even though many Dallas players asked Coach Ken Hitchcock to give him more time on the ice.

In 2002, Lyashenko and Martin Rucinsky were traded to New York for Barrett Heisten and Manny Mahlhotra. He scored 2 goals in 15 games before the season ended and he was assigned to Hartfod for their playoff run. Lyashenko irked a few teammates by leaving the Wolf Pack after four games to skate for Russia at the 2002 World Championships, where he helped win a silver medal.

Though he only played two games with the Rangers in 2002-03, he had a breakout season with the Hartford Wolfpack. In 71 games, he tallied 23 goals and 35 assists (58 points), his best season as a professional by far.

But Lyashenko wasn’t happy with playing in the minors or being treated as a fourth-line player on the parent club. Half-way through the season, he asked to be released so he could return to Russia. New York said no.

In July of 2003, Roman Lyashenko was on vacation in Turkey with his sister and mother when he was found dead in his motel room. He’d committed suicide, having attempted to cut his wrists before hanging himself.

Only 24 years old, was Lyashenko on the verge of establishing himself in the NHL and fulfilling his potential? We’ll never know.

A rules change from a tragedy

Luděk Čajka was a defenseman from Czechoslovakia drafted 115th overall by the New York Rangers in the 1987 Entry Draft but he never played hockey in North America.

He played in the Czechoslovak League and won a bronze medal with the Czech team in the 1987 World Ice Hockey Championships.

In a game in January 1990, Čajka collided with an opposing player and smashed into the boards going after a puck in an icing situation. He was paralyzed and remained in a coma until he died on February 14.

His death eventually led to the implementation of automatic icing, where the call is made once the puck crosses the goal line.