Raymond Sawada, a former NHL player and firefighter, passed away while playing recreational hockey on Monday. He is survived by his wife and two young children, aged 9 and 6, who will undoubtedly feel the pain of his loss deeply.
Sawada was drafted 52nd overall by the Dallas Stars in the second round of the 2004 NHL draft. Although he only played 11 games in the NHL for Dallas, he also played in several games in the American Hockey League for various teams. In 2015, after a season with the Belfast Giants in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), Sawada retired from professional hockey.