Failing to regain consciousness after a car accident six days earlier, forward Dan Snyder of the Atlanta Thrashers died Sunday night from severe head injuries. He was 25. Snyder had been in critical condition since last Monday's accident. He was the passenger in a Ferrari driven by teammate Dany Heatley when the car left the road travelling at 80 mph and collided with a brick wall. Heatley remains in stable condition with a broken jaw and leg and shoulder injuries.
As the Associated Press reports, Heatley now faces a charge of vehicular homicide. The 2002 NHL Rookie of the Year, recently tagged "The New Face of the NHL" by the Hockey News, could face a prison sentence of up to fifteen years.
Meanwhile, the Thrashers must pick up the pieces of what once looked like a promising season. Atlanta's schedule begins with a Thursday night home game against Columbus. The team will then travel to Snyder's hometown of Elmira, Ontario for his funeral on Friday.