Sudden and tragic death of Auston Matthews’ associate and hockey innovator Per Mårs

The hockey world is mourning the unexpected loss of Per Mårs, founder of Marsblade, who passed away at the age of 43 on Friday, March 13. The company confirmed that Per had been struggling with mental health challenges, and his death has been ruled a suicide.

After his own hockey career ended due to a back injury in 2008, Mårs returned to his hometown of Östersund, Sweden, driven to rethink the game’s most essential equipment. Working late into the night, he imagined skates that could enhance training, performance, and the very way hockey is played. That vision became the foundation of Marsblade.

Starting with innovative inline skates for off-ice training, Marsblade quickly gained traction in the hockey community. Elite players such as Connor McDavid, Evgeni Malkin, Brent Burns, and Aleksander Barkov endorsed the product. Auston Matthews even invested in the company, trusting Mårs’ vision for the sport.

Marsblade continued to evolve, developing a patented skate blade holder that pushed skating technology forward, further cementing Per’s influence on the game.

Though his passing is tragic, his legacy in hockey innovation and the impact he had on players, colleagues, and the wider hockey world will not be forgotten.

Rest in peace, Per Mårs.