Former Washington Capitals and Quebec Nordiques ahead Reginald Savage has died on the age of 53, the Capitals introduced. Savage, a former first-round choose, handed away after a battle with most cancers.

The Capitals chosen Savage with the No. 15 general choose within the 1988 NHL Draft, and he went on to play 17 video games for the franchise. Savage scored his first purpose towards the Minnesota North Stars on Nov. 18, 1992, and it got here in uncommon style.

Savage transformed on a penalty shot, and the stick he used is now within the Hockey Corridor of Fame.

Savage, who was born in Canada and was of Jamaican descent, was one among simply 11 black gamers to ever go well with up in a recreation for the Capitals. On Friday, the Capitals launched an announcement honoring Savage’s contributions to the group and the sport of hockey as a complete.

Savage additionally performed 17 video games for the Quebec Nordiques within the 1993-94 season, tallying three objectives and 4 assists over that span.

Along with his stints with the Capitals and Nordiques, Savage was an amazing goal-scorer who carved out a protracted and profitable profession within the AHL. Savage scored 259 objectives with 4 completely different AHL groups, and he performed 18 seasons {of professional} hockey.

Savage’s sister, Sonia, advised NHL.com that his primary purpose in life was to be a hockey participant, and he did every thing he might to make that occur.

“It was his life,” she mentioned. “He skilled every single day, ate what he needed to eat. He’d by no means exit. He by no means took something. He solely wished to be a hockey participant. He did all of the sacrifices he needed to do.”