A former college hockey star and NHL forward, Tony Hrkac, who currently serves as a scout for the Tampa Bay Lightning, is being credited with saving a life during a recent game.
According to TMZ, Hrkac was attending a game between the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings at crypto.com Arena on Jan. 4 when he noticed a league employee in the press box choking on a pretzel. The 57-year-old wasted no time and performed the Heimlich maneuver, successfully dislodging the pretzel chunk. The individual, who chose to remain anonymous, was able to breathe normally after the incident.
His professional hockey career spanned 20 years, with stints in the NHL playing for the St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Notably, he was part of the Dallas Stars Stanley Cup-winning team in 1999. Hrkac played a total of 758 NHL games, scoring 132 goals and 239 assists, with an additional 14 points in 41 playoff games.
Originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Hrkac's professional career extended to the 2009-10 season with the now-defunct Houston Aeros. He also clinched the AHL's Calder Cup with the Milwaukee Admirals in 2004, tallying a total of 1,418 games in pro hockey, with 360 goals and 698 assists.
Since the 2015-16 season, Hrkac has been a pro scout for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Additionally, he served as the head coach at Concordia University Wisconsin (NCAA D-III) for five seasons.
