Dan Snyder

Dan Snyder (February 23, 1978 - October 5, 2003) was a professional Canadian ice hockey player. He played as a center in the National Hockey League for the Atlanta Thrashers.

Playing career
Undrafted, Dan Snyder was signed by the Thrashers as a free agent in 1999. During his time in the minor leagues, he was a member of the International Hockey League champion Orlando Solar Bears in 2000–2001, and the American Hockey League champion Chicago Wolves In 2001–2002 he was called up to the NHL, he scored 10 goals and four assists in 36 games with the Thrashers in the 2002–2003 season.

Death
On September 29, 2003, Snyder was critically injured after the Ferrari 360 Modena being driven by his friend and teammate Dany Heatley struck a wall along Atlanta's Lenox Road. Both players were ejected from the car, which was split in half by the force of the impact. Snyder suffered a fractured skull and internal brain injuries due to the rapid acceleration/deceleration incident. He died six days later on October 5 as a result of his injuries complicated by a subsequently-acquired infection.

Heatley was charged with vehicular homicide as a result of the crash. He pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide, driving too fast for conditions, failure to maintain a lane, and speeding. He was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to give 150 speeches on the dangers of speeding for his crime.

After Snyder's death, the Ontario Hockey League renamed their Humanitarian of the Year trophy in his honour. It became the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy.

During the 2006–07 NHL season Dan's parents, Graham and Lu Ann Snyder, travelled across North America in an RV attending NHL games and speaking at engagements to raise awareness for the Dan Snyder Memorial Foundation. In 2003, Canadian band The Tragically Hip recorded a song called "Heaven Is a Better Place Today" in honour of Dan Snyder. The song appears on their In Between Evolution album.

In 2009, an arena will be opened in Snyder's hometown Elmira, called the Dan Snyder Memorial Arena, and it will be opened for the 2009-2010 season of the hometown minors team, the Elmira Sugar Kings.

Career statistics

 * Thrasher's legacy lives on Atlanta Journal Constitution, September 24, 2004.
 * Dan Snyder Memorial Foundation