Former NHL goalie Ray Emery died while going for a swim on Sunday morning, according to a report.
The Hamilton Spectator reported Sunday that a man was with a group visiting a friend’s boat at Royal Hamilton Yacht Club when they decided to go for an early-morning swim around 6:30 am. The man did not emerge.
“They went out for a swim and unfortunately he did not emerge after diving in,’ said Insp. Marty Schulenberg, via the Spectator. “We responded along with Hamilton Fire and EMS. Unfortunately, our efforts on the water and in the area just around the piers were met with negative results.”
A dive unit was sent in to see if they could recover the body. The man was presumed to have drowned.
Though the Spectator did not name the man who died, Toronto photographer Andrew Collins reported that it was Emery.
Friends and first responders have identified victim in early morning drowning at the Hamilton Harbour as former @NHL goalie Ray Emery. Ray played the @ottawasenators, @NHLBlackhawks, @AnaheimDucks and the @NHLFlyers. He was swimming with several friends & never surfaced #HamOnt pic.twitter.com/QpD2tNwDzs
— Andrew Collins (@ACollinsPhoto) July 15, 2018
The Hamilton, Ontario native was 35.
Emery played in the NHL from 2003-2015 for four different teams. He spent five seasons with the Ottawa Senators, then had stints with Anaheim, Chicago and Philly. He won the William M. Jennings Trophy in 2012-13 as a member of the champion Blackhawks. Emery had a reputation for being a goalie who loved to fight.
