Former NHL defenceman Bryan Marchment died unexpectedly July 6 in Montreal.
Former NHL defenceman Bryan Marchment died unexpectedly Wednesday in Montreal, his agent said. He was 53.
Long-time agent Rick Curran confirmed Marchment’s death to the Associated Press. Marchment was attending the NHL draft in Montreal as a scout for San Jose Sharks.
A cause of death was not immediately available.
“Bryan’s lifelong love of hockey was unparalleled, and he was amongst the most dedicated, physical and fiercest players ever to play the game,” the Sharks said in a statement.
Marchment played parts of 17 NHL seasons from 1989-2006 with Winnipeg, Chicago, Hartford, Edmonton, Tampa Bay, San Jose, Colorado, Toronto and Calgary.
The Toronto native had been working in scouting and other roles for the Sharks and their American Hockey League affiliate since 2007.
Marchment was known for playing with an edge, and sometimes going over it. He is 31st overall in career NHL penalty minutes with 2,307. He was suspended 13 times by the league in his first 12 NHL seasons.
Maple Leafs forward Mike Gartner suffered a partly collapsed lung in a collision with Marchment, then with the Oilers during a 1996 game in Edmonton. Gartner had to return to Toronto by train because changes in air pressure could hurt his lung.
According to a New York Times article after the game, Marchment said his hit on Gartner was “payback time” for a past fight.
Some tributes on social media after news of his death circulated described Marchment’s softer side off the ice. Christina Marleau, the wife of long-time Sharks captain Patrick Marleau, posted that Marchment had introduced the couple “and would remind us each time we saw him.”
“The world really lost a good man today,” she said.
Marchment is survived by wife Kim, son Mason, a forward with the Florida Panthers, and daughter Logan.