About Dan Snyder (ice hockey)
Daniel Joseph Snyder (February 23, 1978 – October 5, 2003) was a Canadian professional 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 was injured and fell into a coma as a result. He died six days later of septic shock. Although he 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 who "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 him by hanging a banner with other retired numbers and honored personnel. Likewise, the Ontario Hockey League renamed their Humanitarian of the Year trophy in his honor as the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy. He played four years for the Platers registering 75 goals and 221 points, captaining the team in his final two seasons. In 2001–2002, he was called up to the NHL, he scored 10 goals and four assists in 36 games with the Thrashers in the 2002–2003 season.
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