Gold medal winning goaltender takes his own life at just 41 years old.

We unfortunately have some very sad news to report. 

According to reports coming out of the Czech Republic it appears as though goaltender Adam Svoboda has made the decision to end his own life. The news comes as a huge shock considering Svoboda had only stepped away from professional hockey just a few years ago and one has to wonder if being away from the game may not have played a factor in his tragic decision this week. That being said there may have been some warning signs that were ignored in this particular case. 

Earlier this year Svoboda, who had become a coach for young goaltenders with the Dynamo in Pardubice, was arrested after being pulled over by police. This incident took place in January and Svoboda blew well over the legal limit for alcohol, resulting in his arrest. That incident would cost Svoboda his position with the team and obviously would result in severe damage to his reputation as well, something that could also have led to this tragic news or perhaps more importantly perhaps something that should have been seen as a cry for help.

According to a report from iSport police were alerted to Svoboda's death in the early hours of the morning earlier this week and would eventually discover his body in his home. It is unclear at this time if Svoboda was discovered by police or if someone else found his body and then contacted law enforcement and I suppose it does not really matter at the end of the day. According to multiple reports out of the Czech Republic the cause of death has been determined to be hanging, which paints an extremely dark picture of Svoboda's mental state at the time that the decided to go through with his suicide. 

At 41 years old it marks the end of a life taken far too soon, although there is no question that Svoboda leaves behind an impressive legacy and some truly remarkable accomplishments. For one he was part of the 2005 Czech team that would claim a gold medal at an International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship tournament, an extremely proud moment in that country's hockey history. Additionally his hockey career saw him play stints in the Kontinental Hockey League, the Finnish Elite League and the Swedish Elite League, although throughout his career he generally appeared to show a preference for remaining close to home in the Czewch Republic. 

In spite of his incredible accomplishments there is no doubting the tremendous sense of loss at his passing this week. There has been a great deal of support for the Svoboda family following this news and our thoughts and condolences go out to them at this difficult time.