In the wake of actor Alan Thicke’s passing -- the 69-year-old suffered a heart attack on Tuesday evening -- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman issued the following release, remembering Thicke as an ardent hockey supporter and a frequent collaborator with the league for some of its more marquee events.
“In addition to being a passionate fan, Alan was an energetic participant in many of our events, including All-Star, charity games and Awards shows.
“He frequently attended games, and was with us as recently as September’s World Cup.
“Alan always displayed humor and grace and he will be greatly missed. We send condolences to Alan’s wife, Tanya, and the rest of his family as well as to his countless friends and the multitudes he entertained.”
Thicke, best known for his role as Jason Seaver on the TV series Growing Pains, was also a close friend of Wayne and Janet Gretzky.
There’s a really interesting Grantland piece on all his connections to the hockey world -- we recommend checking it out.