Former Anaheim Ducks Goalie, Ray Emery Passes Away: Honoring his Memory
On behalf of all of us here at Pucks of a Feather, we would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the friends and family of former Anaheim Ducks goaltender, Ray Emery. We honor his career here.
On Sunday, July 15, 2018, it was reported that former Anaheim Ducks goaltender, Ray Emery, had passed away in a tragic accident. Sunday morning, 35-year-old Emery started off his day swimming with friends. In a turn of misfortunate events, he never resurfaced after diving into Hamilton Harbour on Lake Ontario. After much effort, divers were able to recover his body later that afternoon close to where he was last seen.
It’s never easy to cope with a loss. Especially considering Emery still had a long life left ahead of him. Accidents do happen, and they show no partiality. In the wake of this horrible tragedy, we take some time to honor his memory.
Emery’s impact with the Ducks was not a long-lasting one. However, his passing still had a huge effect on his former teammates in Anaheim as well as Ducks Nation. Although Emery went on to play for Chicago after his short stint in Anaheim, once a Ducks player, you will always be remembered as a Ducks player.
A Bright Star Burns Out Quickly
Ray Emery was selected 99th overall by the Ottawa Senators in round four of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. During the next season, Emery remained on his amateur team, playing for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) another season. The winds of change came blowing in very soon. Emery got his first taste of the NHL during the 2002-03 season when he was called up by the Senators. Although he only played in three games that season, he took home a win.
Emery came back again for another three games during the 2003-04 season, winning two games. His career didn’t really start to take off until the 2005-06 season. In the 39 games he played, he had a 23-11-4 record with a .904 save percentage (SV%).
The Hamilton, ON native’s most significant season with Ottawa, and his entire NHL career, was in 2006-07 which was capped off by an appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Anaheim Ducks. During the Sens postseason run, he started all 20 games, winning 13.
After his Stanley Cup appearance, Emery’s game started to go downhill. In 2007-08, he posted a win-loss record of 12-13-4 with career worsts in both goals against average (GAA) and SV%. Due to his underperformance, Ottawa chose to move on with Brian Elliot and Alex Auld. Subsequently, Razor signed with Philidelphia.
The Anaheim Ducks Take A Chance
After a difficult season with the Flyers, things didn’t seem to be getting any better for the goalie. Emery was diagnosed with avascular necrosis in his hip. The ailment happens when there is a lack of blood supply to the bone and causes the bone tissue to die. It’s the same condition that Bo Jackson of the L.A. Raiders developed. He would eventually require surgery to slow down the progression. After spending months rehabilitating his hip, he was finally able to get back into game shape.
During the 2010-11 season, the Anaheim Ducks found themselves in a bind. Jonas Hiller was out of the line up due to recurring dizzy spells and fatigue. The Ducks didn’t have much confidence in backup Curtis McElhinney. He wasn’t doing the job in the net, and the Anaheim Ducks needed to find another goalie to fill in. On February 7, 2011, the Ducks took a risk and signed Ray Emery.
During his short stint in Anaheim, he began to find himself again. During the regular season, he only played 10 games ending with a 7-2-0 record, 2.28 GAA, and .926 SV%.
Emery became the Ducks number one, goalie heading into the 2011 conference quarter-finals against Nashville, starting all six games. It was a short-lived playoff run that season. The Predators won the series 4-2. Nevertheless, Emery was a true picture of perseverance, determination, and dedication while he was a part of the Anaheim Ducks franchise.
“We are all deeply saddened by the loss of Ray Emery. When he joined us in 2011, Ray made an immediate impact on our team with his inspiring comeback from a debilitating injury, one that rightfully earned him a Masterton Trophy nomination. He was a fierce competitor and his infectious attitude will not be forgoten. We send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.” – Public statement by Bob Murray, General Manager of the Anaheim Ducks.
Gone But Not Forgotten
Emery played four more seasons in the NHL. The first two were with the Chicago Blackhawks. During the strike-shortened 2012-13 season, he went on to win the Stanley Cup. Both he and Corey Crawford finished with a 1.94 GAA that year as they combined to win the Bill Jennings Trophy. His NHL career ended after he headed back to Philadelphia and played for two more seasons.
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Although Emery’s on-ice technique never significantly improved, he still has some notable on-ice moments. Of those moments, was his brawl with Buffalo Sabres goaltender, Martin Biron. A second fight broke out in that game against him and Sabres enforcer, Andrew Peters. Emery received 22 penalty minutes in that game, and would from then on be known as “Sugar Ray” or “Razor” due to his aggressive on-ice playing style.
Before I conclude, I fully understand that there were questionable things that happened in Ray Emery’s past. He was, like the rest of us, an imperfect person. That doesn’t excuse some of the things that happened off the ice. For now, we’ll put that all aside for a moment.
It should bring comfort to people to know Emery spent his last night doing what he loved. His last public appearance was at Zac Rinaldo’s charity hockey game, to raise money for hungry kids. He spent his last few hours doing something that would impact his community for the better.
Although Ray Emery may be gone, his memory will live on, not to be forgotten.
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In the wake of the tragic death of Ray Emery, I leave you all with these parting words. It is accidents like this one that remind us just how fragile life is. As unfortunate as it is, we are not promised tomorrow. Tragedy can happen in the blink of an eye. I urge you to hug the people that you hold dear and tell them you love them.