Peter Zezel dies
Former Flyer Peter Zezel died today at the age of 44.
Peter Zezel dies
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
Terrible news out of Toronto: Former Flyer Peter Zezel has died in a hospital as a result of a rare blood disorder.
Multiple reports indicate that Zezel had fought the disorder, hemolytic anemia, for the last decade, but that he was thought to be coping well in recent years. His family made the decision to turn off life support this afternoon.
Zezel was drafted by the Flyers in 1983 and was a very popular player, especially among the females in the stands, when he played here from 1984 to 1989. In that time, he and his young teammates made two trips to the Stanley Cup finals under coach Mike Keenan. He was one of the faces of that popular young group that never was quite able to knock down the door.
The end of Zezel's career told you something about the man. He was in Vancouver and requested a deadline trade to the East so that he could be near a young niece who was dying of cancer. Instead, he was traded to Anaheim and promptly retired.
Now, this. Zezel was only 44 years old.
Comments (70)
Wow, that really sucks. I hope he can pull through. He was part of a great team here in the mid-80s and was part of lots of great memories for me watching games.— mikemcnhl- what a shame. he is still so young. Best wishes to Peter and his family.
- what a shame. he is still so young. Best wishes to Peter and his family.
- Hang in there, Pete.— Jackie Marlo
- We're pulling for ya Peter.— robkaos
Comment removed.- OMG (sob)Zezel was one of my favorite players. Get better soon, Peter.— Stanley Levin
At this time, it is sadly reported that Peter Zezel will be taken off life support in a Toronto hospital today after he lapsed into a coma due to complications from a blood disorder. He had his spleen removed after undergoing chemotherapy to treat this blood disorder. Godspeed, Peter. We are praying for you.- Comment removed.
- This is terrible news. I am so sorry to hear this about Peter.— BobbyD
- P-Zez deserves better, especially considering the way he opted out of the game. We wish him and his family the very best in this time of need.— psuwelsh
- Praying for you, Pete. Surely all the ladies are, too.— Philly Fan in Kuwait
- I'm heartbroken. I was a huge fan of Peter's - on and off the ice. I had the best summers as a teenage hanging out with the Flyers softball team. He was a great part of that. Truly a stand-up guy.— emmkay
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Godspeed, Peter Zezel...— kjuggs77- god bless Peter
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- May God watch over you Peter, my prayers are with you.— losteagle
That group from the 80s is still my favorite group, being in HS at the time. They took the great Edmonton dynasty as far as they could twice. Zezel is also known for being in the Rob Lowe hockey movie "Youngblood". He's the center who comes off the ice on the last scene so Lowe can take his place and fight the Dave Schultz looking guy. The movie was filmed using Zezel's junior league team as extras.— burholme- Now this is sad stuff #25 was a great guy.— EnoughAlready
- Never heard of him.— Drew777
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- Very sad to read this. I remember reading about his retirement to be near his niece. Good player / Great person.— Flyers37
- don't give up Peter! Loved you as Flyer, loved you in "YOUNGBLOOD", and I pray you pull through.— mebphila
Great Guy. He gave me an autograph as a kid that I still have framed. Hope he pulls through. We are pulling for you, Peter. Godspeed.- Comment removed.
- Wow ForeverFlyer....your mom must be so proud of you, having a lowlife loser like you for a son. What are your great accomplishments in life...getting to the highest level of a video game while sitting in mommy's basement?— flyersgal
- Hang in there Pete you were da bomb here in Philly— MoBayYankee
- ForeverFlyer16 is a product of bad DNA, why would you say something like that, you are truely sub human— MoBayYankee
- Thoughts and prays are with you.— EastFallsSean
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- If he doesn't make it, and there is an afterlife, he's probably headed to the best place possible... One of the good guys...
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- The news is he was taken off life support. Fans in Philly are joined by fans in other towns like Toronto and St. Louis lamenting his life.— Fandink
- Keep Fighting Pete...— albertpa
- How terribly sad. Peter was truly one of the stand up human beings to play sports in Philadelphia. My thoughts and prayers are with Peter and his family.— downtheshore
- Peter Zezel has passed away at age 44...RIP, Peter. http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=280002— JSaq
- Peter along with Pelle Lindbergh from the '84-85 team that went to the finals in Mike Keenan's rookie season now gone too soon.— BobbyD
- Sad. This being the Internet age, you oughta keep your site updated. Peter Zezel died today in Toronto.— wallevich99
- He now spends eternity in the box.— mikerainey82
- I'll say a prayer for you Peter— Bobphxville
- I met Peter at Pulsations night club the year after the Rangers had knocked the Flyers out of the playoffs. I said, "Peter, I hope you can get them next year." He said, "yeah, after them knocking us out last year, I understand." I just about scared him out of his wits after that response. "PETER," I screamed. "I want you to kill the Rangers for what they have done since 1967, not just last year! Just then, I think he learned a little more about Flyers' fans. A sad ending to way too short a life. My sympathy to his loved ones.— Scott B.
- What horrible news. Peter was a spark plug. I dont think any Flyer ever came off the bench with his energy. He was great off the ice. One year during the playoffs my young son and I sat with him while he was injured during a Flyers/Caps series. He was great. Prayers for him and his family.— PhillyInVa
- Zezel was playing when I first got into the Flyers.. and remember him from Youngblood?— bobbyd24
- Man, it's really sad. What can't his family give him a chance to pull through yet has to pull a plug? Man, I feel terrible for him. May God give him peace.— Robert88
- Responsed to iamnot THATking: Oh, leave Eric Lindo alone. He's still a good player and you don't like him, then that's YOUR PROBLEM.— Robert88
How sad, truly sad this news is. My prayers go out to the family.— delcodanno- Sad very sad.Read earlier that he was in a coma. Now to hear this it just stops the presses. He will surely be missed by all of Philly Hockey fans. Me included. Goodbye Peter may God bless you and your family.— Bubba
- "Suddenly, you were gone From all the lives you left your mark upon" -Rush From a Flyers fan in the mid-1980's, the news of Peter Zezel's passing hits just as hard as Pelle Lindbergh's death did back in 1985. Back then, Zezel was one of the many young catalysts for those great Flyers teams that won three straight Patrick Division titles and went to the 1985 and 1987 Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers. It was P.Z. that started the play that resulted in J.J. Daigneault's goal that turned the Spectrum into an earthquake in Game 6 against the Oilers in '87 and forced an improbable Game 7. Zezel wasn't the biggest player on the ice, but like many of the teams he played on in his career, he played with enormous heart, and he was pretty good as a playmaker and a two-way forward. The Flyers organization and the hockey world is worse off today for this loss. R.I.P. # 25! Say, “Hi” to Pelle for me!— sonnycrockett
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- RIP Peter. My thoughts and prayers are with his family!— dankil13
Yo, philly.com! The pic you show sure appears to be Rick Tocchet, not Peter Zezel. Nevertheless, God bless Peter!— Nihilist
It's a sad day in our house to hear of Peter Zezel's passing. He was a Flyer. Period.- Travel on Pete, you'll be missed.— Augs
- Such terribly sad news! My thoughts and prayers are with his family. As much fun as he was to watch play hockey (i can still see him circling before faceoffs), the story about his retirement speaks to him as a person. He retired to be with his dying niece, Jill, rather than extend his NHL career. Nothing is more important than family and Peter proved this was how he felt. His love of children was also shown in the charitable work he did and the camps he ran. Thanks, Peter - you will be greatly missed.— flyerfan25
- Condolences to his family. He was the epitome of a Flyer in '85-'87, all youth, grit and high hopes.....— Ticogringomike
- God rest his soul, what quality man we lost.— steveo
- He was one the boys from my favorite era of Flyers hockey and will be missed. Female Flyers fans from the 80s everywhere are sighing in sorrow. Rest in peace, Peter Zezel.— edf
- Godspeed Mr.Zezel, you were a class act. R.I.P.— andymag31
wow, how terribly sad. some of my all time favorite sports' memories are from those 80's Flyers. my prayers go out to his family and friends.- This really sucks!! I have 4 heart attacks and a triple bypass due to Vioxx an this athlete and wonderful supporter for the Flyers Fight For life passes. I am only 60 and have grown children. Somehow I can't digest a 44 year old in th prime of his life passing, regardless of what I have to be thankful for. Howard from Las Vegas but ACHS class of 1966— hrlevine
- God bless you Pete, rest in peace. Only the good die young.— flyerdup
- Scott B.: Awful story.— mikerainey82
- Shocked. Saddened. Terrible news.— jp
- RIP, Peter.
- That flyers team provided an important respite for me during an intense time in my life. I remember watching Peter and that team demonstrate how grit could carry you further than pure talent. Rest in piece.— owl87
- Rest in Peace.— zen
- So sad, PZ was a big part of the most fun Flyers teams of the past 30 years. Outside of the Stanley Cup era, that late 80's team was the most enjoyable to watch.— frankpantangello
- RIP Peter; you're in a better place now.— JBinPA
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