Former NHL hockey player from Richmond, B.C. dies at 38
Posted April 11, 2023 8:23 pm.
Former NHL hockey player and Richmond, B.C. native Raymond Sawada passed away unexpectedly this Monday.
According to a GoFundMe page, started by someone close to the family, Sawada reportedly died on the ice “while playing the game he loved” just outside Vancouver.
Drafted by the Dallas Stars in the second round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Sawada’s professional hockey career included several minor league stops across North America and later into Europe. He played 11 NHL games for Dallas over three years.
Since retiring from professional hockey, Sawada found his way into firefighting, having been a part of Burnaby Fire’s team since 2017.
The GoFundMe has raised over $120,000 as of Tuesday evening.
Sawada is survived by his wife Nicole, and his two young daughters.
