Stephen Peat was a right winger with the NHL’s Washington Capitals in the 2000s.
- Died: September 12, 2024 (Who else died on September 12?)
- Details of death: Died of injuries sustained in a car accident at the age of 44.
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Stephen Peat’s legacy
Born in Princeton, British Columbia, Peat worked his way up through junior and minor league hockey teams in Canada and the U.S. before joining the Capitals. Initially drafted by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 1998, he was traded to the Capitals, with whom he made his 2001 NHL debut. In his four seasons with the team, he earned a reputation as an enforcer who was quick to fight. After several injuries – including a broken hand, several concussions, and injuries to his pelvis and neck – Peat left professional hockey in 2007.
The years after his time in the NHL were difficult ones for Peat. He began suffering severe headaches and had trouble concentrating. He and his family attributed his physical symptoms, as well as his erratic behavior, to the concussions he sustained as a hockey player.
In 2015, Peat was charged with arson after an incident – which he and his father said was an accident – resulted in his father’s house being burned down. In the years after the arson charge, Peat became estranged from his family and struggled with homelessness.
Notable quote
“Hockey’s been the greatest thing in my life, but it’s also been the worst thing in my life. It was great while I was playing, but what has it done lately?” — from a 2016 interview for The New York Times
Tributes to Stephen Peat
Full obituary: ESPN
