Former NHL player Konstantin Koltsov, better known after his retirement as the boyfriend of women’s tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, has died in Florida at the age of 42.
The Miami-Dade Police Department issued a statement Tuesday that said Koltsov died in ‘an apparent suicide’ at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort and that ‘no foul play is suspected.’
Koltsov and Sabalenka first started dating in 2021, according to People magazine. He was frequently in attendance at her matches, including her Australian Open title in Melbourne in January. The No. 2 ranked women’s player in the world, Sabalenka is scheduled to play her first match in the Miami Open on Friday.
The Russian hockey club he coached, Salavat Yulaev, mourned Koltsov’s death in a statement Tuesday.
‘He was a strong and cheerful person, he was loved and respected by players, colleagues, and fans. Konstantin Evgenievich forever wrote himself into the history of our club,’ the statement said. ‘May he rest in peace.’
A native of Belarus, Koltsov was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1999 and played for the team for parts of three seasons from 2002 to 2006. He was also a member of the Belarussian national team that competed in the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics.