MOSCOW, 9 July 2003 — New York Rangers Russian center Roman Lyashenko has been found dead in his hotel room while vacationing in Turkey, ice hockey officials said on Monday.
He was 24.
“He was on holiday in Turkey with his mother and sister,” Yuri Lukin, general manager of Russian champions Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Lyashenko’s former club, told Reuters. “On Sunday morning, they opened his room and found him dead. The cause of his death has not yet been established.”
Lyashenko joined the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1999 after he captained the Russians to the gold medal at the world junior championships earlier that year. He was a regular player with Dallas in his first two seasons, but saw limited action after being dealt to the Rangers in 2001. Regarded as a good two-way forward, Lyashenko only played two games last season and 15 the year before.
Lyashenko’s death is the latest tragedy to hit Russian ice hockey this year. Lyashenko’s former teammate Lokomotiv Yaroslav forward Vladimir Antipov was injured and his wife died in a car crash last month.
Red Wings to Learn Hasek’s
Retirement Plans
The Detroit Red Wings were expected to learn yesterday whether six-time Vezina Trophy winner Dominik Hasek will end his retirement and return to the National Hockey League next season.
General manager Ken Holland was expected to brief the media in morning.
Hasek retired in June 2002 after winning an elusive Stanley Cup but has been contemplating coming out of retirement. The Red Wings last month picked up his $8 million option for the 2003-04 season and coach Dave Lewis met with Hasek recently in Austria.
