Born in Toronto in 1965, Peter Zezel was destined to excel at sports – but it wasn’t clear for a while whether that would be soccer or hockey!

Originally drafted by the Toronto Blizzard for his outstanding soccer skills, Peter eventually made the decision that would carve out his life’s path – he chose hockey.

He began his hockey career with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1984/85. Offensively gifted, he managed to set a Philadelphia rookie record for assists in his first year, and embraced the role of checking centre, relentless penalty killer and face-off specialist.

Four years after beginning his NHL career in Phylly, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues, where he played some of the best hockey of his life. Eventually, however, Zezel was traded back to his hometown, becoming one of the most popular Maple Leafs of the early 1990s.

A key contributor in Toronto’s playoff runs in 1993 and 1994, the team came within one game of the Stanley Cup. And while that would always be a disappointment, Peter’s gregarious, enthusiastic nature carried him through. After playing for several other teams in the league, Peter’s NHL career came to an abrupt end in 1998/99 when he returned to his hometown to be with his terminally ill niece.

He opened the Peter Zezel Hockey and Sports Camps in Etobicoke, which helped teach and improve the hockey and soccer skills of young players. Peter also made the time to coach AAA hockey for the Don Mills Flyers and he was a frequent guest on sports talk shows.

In the spring of 2009, at the age of 44, Peter lost his decade-long battle with Haemolytic anemia, but the effects of the enormous contributions he made to his community will continue to live on.