[News] Flames alumnus Zarley Zalapski has passed away

[fastpuck]

Condolences to his family. I played hockey with his sister years ago.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by J79

Just 49. Very sad news. RIP.

To put it in perspective, Jagr is 45.

[StrykerSteve]

Sad news. Was a fan as a kid. Still the best name in hockey. “Zalapski with the salapski!”

[flame^thrower]

Way too young, only a year younger than myself. Sad sad news . RiP ZZ

[Geeoff]

Tore it up with him on the Genesis. Condolences to the Zalapski family.

[McG]

Very sad news.

[driveway]

That's super sad, he was the first autograph of any kind I ever got. My aunt worked at the Lodge in Kananaskis during the Olympics and the National Team ended up there for some reason. I'm not sure why she got his autograph specifically, but I always followed him from then on, was really excited when he came to the Flames.

[Gizmo]

Got his autograph right before seeing my first flames game when I was five years old. He was injured and my family and I said hello to him at a restaurant a couple of hours before the game. Gone far too soon. RIP ZZ

[getbak]

This story says it was complications from a viral infection: https://globalnews.ca/news/3912597/f...ki-dead-at-49/

Former Calgary Flames defenceman Zarley Zalapski has died at the age of 49 after suffering complications related to a viral infection, according to a statement sent on behalf of the family.

Zalapski was admitted to the Foothills Hospital’s cardiac intensive care unit in October with a viral infection, according the statement. He was released later that month after extensive treatment.

Due to complications from the infection, Zalapski died in his sleep on Sunday.

Before he was a Flame, he was also a member of Team Canada at the '88 Olympics.

[danimal]

I remember reading a thing in the paper at the time that his nickname was Musclehead because he was so well conditioned that he had rippling facial muscles when he chewed gum. Near the end of his Flames tenure, I was working at a gas station and Zalapski came in. My first thought was “Hey, there’s Musclehead!” Then I watched him rooting around in the ice cream cooler and coming up with a couple of those Chips Ahoy ice cream sandwiches. Everyone needs a cheat meal....

I haven’t thought of ZZ in years but it’s still gut wrenching news, less than 2 weeks before Xmas. Condolences to his friends and loved ones. Life, man. You just never know.

[CofR]

One of he first Flames players I remember along with Fleury... growing up I had a Zalapski bookmark that I would use all the time, it was part of some reading program the Flames ran in schools or in the public libraries.

49 is way too young... RIP

[browna]

Linked to an old thread here:
https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=118134

As I said in that, I remember that same SJ 1995 game he almost scored in OT, he wouldn’t be anywhere near OT of the first 4 games of the next series nowadays.

In the third, he got crunched behind the Flames net and his head hit the glass and was totally wobbly, needing Bearcat and a player to help him get to the bench.

40 minutes in real time and he was back out in OT of a game 7, because he just had his “bell rung”.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

RIP to the Zapper.... I still remember someone new to hockey and to fantasy hockey taking him first overall because of his cool name.

[Dan02]

The greatest name in hockey. Rip