Former Czech national team goaltender Adam Svoboda passed away today. He was only 41.

According to information published by the police he committed suicide. His body was found dead at his residence in the Pardubice region without any outside influence.

Svoboda played 21 years of professional ice hockey, mostly in his country for Sparta Prague, Pardubice, Slavia Prague, Plzen and Hradec Kralove in the top league as well as stints in Germany (Nuremberg), Russia (Togliatti, Omsk), Sweden (Timra) and in his last season 2016/2017 in Kazakhstan for Beibarys Atyrau. With Slavia Prague in 2008 and with Plzen in 2013 he won two Czech championships.

Internationally he represented the Czechs at two World Junior Championships and one U18 European Championship. He played for the men’s national team for many years and had 41 international games but didn’t play a game in the four World Championships he was on the roster including the gold-winning team in 2005.

This season he worked as goaltending coach for his former club team Dynamo Pardubice and earlier with the Czech Ice Hockey Association.