Former Maple Leaf Wade Belak dead at 35

A third NHL player has died this summer, according to Yahoo!. Yahoo! blogger Greg

Wyshynski reported that the cause of death has not been determined, although no

foul play has been suspected. In Mid May, Rangers tough guy Derek Boogaard was

found dead in his apartment at the age of 28. Boogaard died of a drug overdose. On

August 15th, former Vancouver Canuck Rick Rypien was found dead at the age of 27.

Rypien had been suffering from depression.

First of all, I just want to say RIP Wade Belak. His teammates described him as a

funny guy and a class act. I would also like to say RIP Rick Rypien and Derek

Boogaard. I send my condolences out to the families of Wade Belak, Rick Rypien,

and Derek Boogaard.

I will end by saying that the NHL should do more to prevent concussions. Hockey

also needs to ban fighting. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy has been found in

former NHL players Bob Probert and Reggie Fleming. I heard that Derek Boogaard's

family donated his brain for research. Boogaard hadn't been playing since

he suffered a concussion from Ottawa's Matt Carkner in a fight. What will the

NHL do if CTE is found in Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, and Wade Belak?