Dan Snyder

Dan Snyder

Daniel Snyder (February 23, 1978 – October 5, 2003) was a professional Canadian ice hockey player. He played as a centre in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Thrashers. Following a single-vehicle accident, in which he was a passenger, Snyder fell into a coma as a result of his injuries. He died six days later of septic shock.

Despite Snyder's having played in only forty-nine NHL games, the Thrashers named an annual award after him. The Dan Snyder Memorial Award is given each year to the player that "best embodies perseverance, dedication, and hard work without reward or recognition, so that his team and teammates might succeed." After the Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg the Jets continued to present the award. The American Hockey League's (AHL) Chicago Wolves also have a yearly award given in his honor, the Dan Snyder Man of the Year Award, and have honored his number 19 by hanging a banner with other retired and honored player numbers. Likewise the Ontario Hockey League renamed their Humanitarian of the Year trophy in his honor, making it the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy.