Police say nothing suspicious in apparent drowning of Ray Emery
Fomer NHL goaltender jumped off dock at yacht club and never surfaced; autopsy today
Former NHL goalie Ray Emery has died during an early morning swim at the dock where his friend’s boat was moored at the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club.
Police confirmed the body found by divers at 2:50 p.m. on Sunday in Hamilton Harbour is the 35-year-old Stanley Cup-winning goaltender originally from Cayuga.
“At this time we do not believe there to be any suspicious or foul play,” said Insp. Marty Schulenberg of the Hamilton Police Service. “We do believe this is a case of misadventure.”
Emery had been with a group visiting a friend’s boat when he jumped in the water by the slip where it was docked just before 6:19 a.m.
It’s not yet known if he went swimming alone or with friends.
“Mr. Emery had gone for a swim and did not surface after he dove in the water,” said Schulenberg.
“All of the events leading up to him diving in are still part of our investigation.”
Hamilton police, fire and paramedics responded and tried to find him on the water in the area around the docks and piers. The club is at 555 Bay St. N. near the Leander Boat Club and Pier 4 Park.
“Unfortunately, we were not able to locate him,” said Schulenberg.
The Niagara Regional Police dive unit was called in to recover the body which was found about 21 metres from where Emery went in the water.
The coroner is taking over the case and will be conducting an autopsy
Monday to determine the cause of death.
Police say Emery had been living in Ancaster.
He played in the Zac Rinaldo charity hockey game in support of Food4Kids Saturday night at Gateway Ice Centre in Stoney Creek.
It’s not clear if he spent the night on the boat, which police say is a large vessel with sleeping quarters.
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas posted a statement on Twitter Sunday afternoon offering condolences to Emery’s family.
Dubas said he was “fortunate to be around Ray at the very start of his promising career in Sault Ste. Marie, where we drafted him in 1999, and then again at the end of his career, when he played for us in 2016-17 with the Toronto Marlies.”
“Ray’s smile and intelligence made him a magnetic personality,” Dubas said.
Emery started his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators in 2002. He played with several teams, ending his career on the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2014-15 season.
He won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013.
Following the win, Emery brought the Cup back to Kenesky’s sports on Barton Street East in Hamilton.
Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk issued a statement on the team’s website saying, “Ray was instrumental in our run to the 2007 Stanley Cup final, and at his best he brought a competitive edge and combative mentality to the game.”
Melnyk offered his “deepest sympathies” to Emery’s “family, friends and loved ones.”
A Royal Hamilton Yacht Club member who knows the owner of the boat Emery was visiting says a number of the man’s friends were on it over the weekend.
“He had some friends over and they were enjoying the boat and the day,” said Richard Seeley. “He’s pretty upset.”
Seeley was called around 10 a.m. to move his boat to assist the recovery efforts.
He says the club is reeling from this second tragedy following the possible murder of members Carla and Alan Rutherford in an apparently deliberately set fire at their Dundas home July 9.
The club hosted memorial events for the couple Thursday and Saturday.
A celebration of life was taking place Sunday at the club while police remained on scene investigating Emery’s death.
“I’m thinking there has been a lot of tragedy around this club,” said Seeley. “It’s been a really tough week for our club.”
Other members of the tightknit boating community expressed similar shock.
“Our hearts go out to the people here,” said Karyn Maddeaux from the Fifty Point Yacht Club. “It’s really hard for the boating community in general. It’s very upsetting.”
Club members said people do not normally swim near the slips where the boats are docked.