Former NHL goalie and Hamilton native Ray Emery has died

Former NHL goalie and Hamilton native Ray Emery drowned in Hamilton Harbour. Police found Ray Emery’s body on July 15th. Police have said he was on a boat with some friends in the harbour area and at around 6 o’clock in the morning, when he went into the water for a swim and never re-surfaced.

It quickly became a recovery mission. The Niagara Regional Police Dive Team were called into help. Eight divers were in the water for the majority of the day. Police have said the man went into the water that’s surrounded by docks.

Emery was drafted to the NHL in 2001 by the Ottawa Senators. The goalie was often called “Razor” for his aggressive style, he played in the NHL for 11 seasons, and in 2013 he won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks.

On social media, fans say Emery was in town last night playing in a charity hockey game. One fan tweeted saying “Wow this is devastating. We met Ray last night after he played in Zac Rinaldos charity hockey game. He signed a hockey card for my boys and was a gentleman”

One man said he knows the owner of the boat that Emery was on and saw people on it yesterday.

Police would not comment if any factors such as alcohol played a role in the drowning. An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow to determine Emery’s cause of death.