[ad_1]
Doug Benc/Getty Images
Koltsov competes at the 2005 ice hockey world championship in Vienna, Austria.
cnn
—
Konstantin Koltsov, former Belarusian professional ice hockey player and partner of tennis player Aryna Sabalenkahas died at the age of 42, according to a statement From the Russian club Salavat Yulaev.
Forward Koltsov represented Belarus at the Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2010 and also spent three seasons in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2003-2006.
He worked as a coach for Salavat Yulaev, with whom he spent part of his playing career and won the team’s first Russian championship title in 2008.
“It is with deep sadness that we inform you that Salavat Yulaev coach Konstantin Koltsov has passed away,” the club said in a statement on Tuesday.
“He was a strong and happy person, he was loved and respected by the players, teammates and fans. “Konstantin Evgenievich has forever been written in the history of our club.”
The cause of Koltsov’s death has not been announced.
in a statement On X, formerly known as Twitter, the Pittsburgh Penguins offered “their deepest condolences to the family and friends” of Koltsov, who played 144 games for the NHL franchise.
Koltsov regularly traveled to tennis tournaments around the world with Sabalenka, who won her second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open earlier this year.
on an instagram mail In 2022, Sabalenka described her partner as “the best man in the world” and said that “he makes me happy every day.” According PeopleThe couple has been linked since June 2021.
The world No. 2 lost in the fourth round at Indian Wells in California last week and is due to compete at the upcoming Miami Open later this week.