Award Winning NHL Goaltender Passes Away Unexpectedly At 52

A sixth-round selection of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2000 NHL Entry draft, the goaltender was already decorated with a gold medal from the Nagano Olympics as a backup for Dominik Hasek with the Czech Republic.

Cechmanek success in the NHL was instant, becoming the first goalie since 1938 to post shutouts in his first two career victories in the league.

He would go on to play in 212 games between the pipes over four seasons in the NHL, making the 2000-01 All-Star Game and capturing the 2002-03 William M. Jennings Award for fewest goals allowed.

After a failed season with the Los Angeles Kings during the 2003-04 season, the goaltender returned home to the Czech Republic where he would play five more seasons of professional hockey before officially returning following the 2008-09 season.

No additional details have been released regarding the cause for his passing.