The on-ice struggles of the Avalanche pale in comparison to the pain and grief they are feeling for Marek Svatos’ family in Lone Tree and Slovakia. Svatos, who played for the Avs from 2003-10, died Nov. 5 in his Lone Tree home with a combination of powerful drugs in his system, the Douglas County Coronor’s Office announced this week.
It was also learned Svatos, 34, had codeine, morphine and an anti-anxiety medication in his system when he died of a combined drug intoxication. He had a history of heroin use and had gone through drug rehabilitation, according to the coroners’ report.