In a heartbreaking turn of events, the Spezza family is mourning the loss of Matthew Spezza, the younger brother of former NHL player Jason Spezza. Matthew, aged 37, passed away from an accidental overdose, a devastating revelation shared by the Pittsburgh Penguins on behalf of Jason, who serves as an assistant general manager with the team.

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Jason Spezza, a seasoned NHL player with a 20-year career spanning the Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars, and Toronto Maple Leafs, expressed the profound grief of his family in a statement released through the Penguins’ official account.

“On behalf of my family, it is with the heaviest of hearts that I share that my younger brother, Matthew, passed away due to an accidental overdose over the weekend. My family and I are heartbroken and ask for privacy during this difficult time,” Jason Spezza conveyed.

Who was Matthew Spezza?

Matthew Spezza, born in Mississauga, Ontario, pursued a hockey career as a goaltender. Although he didn’t make it to the NHL, he showcased his skills in the major junior hockey scene in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with teams like the Kingston Frontenacs, Ottawa 67’s, London Knights, and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Additionally, he played with the St. John’s Fog Devils of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Matthew also had a brief stint in minor pro hockey, donning the jersey of the Flint Generals of the IHL during the 2008-09 season.

The Spezza brothers shared a bond rooted in hockey, with Matthew often supporting Jason during his OHL days with the Brampton Battalion and Mississauga IceDogs in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The passing of Matthew Spezza adds to recent sorrows in the hockey community, following the news of Scott Page, the first captain in Mississauga IceDogs history, also passing away. Scott Page, who was a teammate of Jason Spezza during the 1999-2000 season, recently left a void at the age of 44.

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As the Spezza family navigates this painful loss, the cause of Matthew’s accidental overdose casts a poignant shadow over the memory of the goaltender who, while not making it to the NHL, left an indelible mark in the hockey world.