Matthew Spezza, the younger brother of former Toronto Maple Leafs player Jason Spezza, has died.
Jason said Monday that Matthew died over the weekend from an accidental overdose.
A brief statement was shared by the Pittsburgh Penguins, where Jason is now an assistant general manager, on its X account.
“On behalf of my family, it is with the heaviest of hearts that I share that my younger brother, Matthew, passed away due to an accidental overdose over the weekend,” Jason said.
“My family and I are heartbroken and ask for privacy during this difficult time.”
According to HockeyDB.com, Matthew, who was 37-years-old and from Mississauga, played as a goaltender in various leagues including the OHL and IHL, though didn’t make it to the NHL.
His Instagram account includes several pictures of him with his older brother.
Jason joined the Leafs’ front office in 2022 following a 19-year career with Ottawa, Dallas and Toronto and then in 2023, was named the assistant general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
— With files from The Canadian Press