This one is a real heartbreaker.
Phoenix Coyotes‘ 2nd round pick in the 2007 draft (#32 overall) left wing Brett MacLean(39) is forced to retire from pro hockey at 23-years old after sudden cardiac arrest that occurred during an offseason pick up game with friends in Owen Sound.
He was nothing short of a force on the AHL scoring sheet (264 games, 99 goals and 104 assists) and setting himself up for more of a permanent spot in the NHL.
The 6’2″ 197 lbs. forward skated in 13 games with the Coyotes a couple of seasons ago, scoring a pair of goals and adding an assist, and had 5 appearances when he was briefly picked up on waivers by Winnipeg Jets before being re-scooped by Phoenix and reassigned to their new AHL affiliate Portland Pirates last season, where he notched his fourth straight 20+ goal season with 25.
Great story announcing the news on the AHL site. Ironically this is a player that played the game with all heart and was starting to realize the dream after a lot of hard work in the minors.
