Former Pittsburgh Penguin Konstantin Koltsov has died at the age of 42, according to The Athletic, CNN and other news outlets.
Koltsov was the boyfriend of tennis player Aryna Sabalenka.
The Athletic cited a statement from his Russian club, Salavat Yulaev, which is based in Ufa: “It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that the coach of Salavat Yulaev, Konstantin Koltsov, has passed away. He was a strong and cheerful person, he was loved and respected by players, colleagues, and fans. Konstantin Evgenievich forever wrote himself into the history of our club.”
Koltsov was the Penguins’ first-round draft choice, 18th overall, in 1999. In 144 games from 2003-06, Konstantin had 12 goals and 26 assists for 38 points.
