Former NHL defenseman Tomas Kloucek dies tragically at 45 years old.

A terrible tragedy has struck the hockey world.

In an official announcement from HC Oceláři Třinec, his former team in the Czech Extraliga, it has been revealed that former National Hockey League defenseman Tomas Kloucek has passed away at just 45 years of age. The post only states that Kloucek was involved in a tragic accident, but since that announcement more details have begun to come out about this terrible tragedy.

According to a report from Czech news outlet Isport Blesk, the former New York Ranger, Nashville Predator and Atlanta Thrasher was involved in a terrible ski accident while visiting one of the most popular ski resorts in Czech in the town of Špindlerův Mlýn.

It would appear that at some point while skiing down the slope, Kloucek would have lost control of his skis and crashed into an electrical switchboard located at the edge of the ski slope, an accident that would cost him his life.

This incident is said to have taken place yesterday, on Sunday March 17th.

Kloucek was a 5th round pick (131st overall) of the New York Rangers at the 1998 NHL Entry Draft and he would go on to play in 141 NHL regular season games as a member of the Rangers, Predators, and Thrashers spread out across several seasons.

Kloucek's wife, with whom he has two children, released a heartbreaking statement following the news of her husband's sudden and unexpected passing.

"I can't even describe in words the incredible pain I feel inside me right now. Yesterday, after a tragic accident, my husband, my universe, my love, the father of our children, but also your friend Tomas Kloucek left us forever," she wrote via her Instagram.

I can't even begin to imagine what his wife Bara (36) his son Honzik (9) or his daughter Karolina (7) are going through right now but my most sincere condolences go out to them and anyone else impacted by this sudden and unexpected tragedy.