Dan Buccella, a London Knight in 2001-02, died on Sunday in Birmingham, Ala., following a battle with leukemia. He was 39.
The Woodbridge, Ont., native played three OHL seasons with the Peterborough Petes, London Knights and Mississauga IceDogs from 2000-03, before embarking on a minor pro career spent largely in the South Professional Hockey League (SPHL).
He played eight seasons in the SPHL with Fayetteville, Huntsville, Knoxville, Louisiana and Pensacola, winning a championship with the Ice Flyers to wrap up his playing career in 2013.
Buccella, or “Bucky” according to a statement from the Pensacola Ice Pilots organization, whose #47 is retired by the Ice Flyers, had been living in Florida and leaves behind a wife and two young sons.
“Bucky was an incredible teammate, leader, friend and family man,” read the organization’s statement. “He fought so hard and will be forever missed.”