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Konstantin Koltsov Dies

Former NHL athlete Konstantin Koltsov, who played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, has died at 42.

Aryna Sabalenka with Konstantin Koltsov.

Aryna Sabalenka with Konstantin Koltsov.

Photo Credit: sabalenka_aryna Instagram

Koltsov, a Belarus native who was dating tennis pro and Netflix star Aryna Sabalenka, was drafted to the NHL in 1999 as the Penguins' first round pick.

UPDATE: Former NHL Player Konstantin Koltsov Leapt To His Death From Balcony At Miami Resort, Police Say 

He played in the AHL for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins then went to the NHL with the Penguins from 2003 to 2006, also playing for the Belarus national team in the 2002 and 2010 Olympics and nine world championships.

The Penguins mourned the loss of Koltsov in a statement issued Tuesday morning, March 19:

Russian hockey club Salavat Yulaev, where Koltsov had been working as a coach, announced his death in a statement Monday, March 18:

"He was a strong and cheerful person, he was loved and respected by players, colleagues, and fans. Konstantin Evgenievich forever wrote himself into the history of our club. 

"Koltsov won the Russian Championship and the Gagarin Cup as part of Salavat Yulaev, and did a great job on the team’s coaching staff."

A cause of death was not immediately announced.

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