Former Washington Capitals player Stephen Peat died from his injuries after an accident about two weeks ago, according to the NHL alumni association. He was 44.
The former enforcer had high-profile mental health struggles over the years, especially after a New York Times article by reporter John Branch, who chronicled Peat’s life after he was arrested for burning down his house in 2015. Peat’s struggles with homelessness were likely a result of brain trauma suffered from his years of fighting in hockey. He wrote a follow-up article in 2017.