Eric Nesterenko was a professional ice hockey center from Canada. At the age of 88, he passed away. Let’s see how he died, what happened, and what was Eric Nesterenko Cause of Death.
Eric Nesterenko Cause of Death
Eric Nesterenko, a nimble skater and smart thinker who spent 16 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, has passed away. He was 88 years old when he died.
Eric “Sonja” Paul Nesterenko, born October 31, 1933, was a Canadian professional ice hockey center who played with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1951 to 1956 and the Chicago Black Hawks from 1956 to 1972 in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Nesterenko was born to Ukrainian immigrants in Flin Flon, Manitoba. North Toronto Collegiate Institute was his high school.
We are saddened by the passing of former forward Eric Nesterenko at the age of 88.
Nesterenko was a key member of the 1961 Stanley Cup championship team and played 16 years with the Blackhawks. We extend our condolences to his entire family ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XSHE3EhVut
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 6, 2022
The Chicago Blackhawks reported Eric Nesterenko’s death on Twitter. His reason, however, is unknown at the time of publication.
Eric Nesterenko Early Life
Nesterenko, Eric “Sonja,” was born on October 31, 1933. He was a Canadian professional ice hockey center who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1951 to 1956 and the Chicago Black Hawks from 1956 to 1972 in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Nesterenko was born in Flin Flon, Manitoba, to Ukrainian parents. He went to North Toronto Collegiate Institute for high school.
He played Dean Youngblood’s father (Rob Lowe) in the 1986 film Youngblood, as well as served as the film’s hockey consultant. He’s worked as a DJ, a stockbroker, a travel broker, a freelance writer, a university professor, and a ski instructor, among other things.
He was interviewed for Studs Terkel’s bestselling book Working: What People Do All Day and How They Feel About It, while he was nearing the end of his NHL career.
Eric Nesterenko was married and had children, however, his wife’s name is not publicly available at this time. Eric and his wife had three children.
Eric Nesterenko’s Career
After a year of teaching in Switzerland, he returned to the NHL and played for the Chicago Cougars of the World Hockey Association from 1973–to 74. During his NHL career, he scored 250 goals and added 324 assists, and he won the Stanley Cup with Chicago in 1961.
Nesterenko was recognized for his speed on the ice rather than his goal-scoring ability. “I’ve always maintained that Nesterenko would have been the best player of all time if they played the game without a puck,” Chicago columnist Bob Markus said.
Nesterenko famously racially abused Willie O’Ree, the NHL’s first black player, and butt-ended him with his hockey stick, shattering his nose and knocking out his front teeth, during a game in 1960.
Nesterenko needed 15 stitches in his skull as a result of O’Ree’s stick retaliation. Eric Nesterenko’s net worth was believed to be $1 million, according to sources.
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