Former Stanley Cup winner Tony Hrkac saves choking person’s life at NHL game

A former college hockey star and NHL forward was credited with saving someone’s life.

According to TMZ, Tampa Bay Lightning scout Tony Hrkac was attending a game between the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings at crypto.com Arena on Jan. 4. The 57-year-old noticed a league employee in the press box choking on a pretzel.

Hrkac wasted little time jumping in to the help the individual, who did not want to me identified. The employee was turning “purplish”, prior to Hrkac performing the Heimlich maneuver. This person was able to breathe normally after the chunk of pretzel was projected.

Hrkac made a name for himself during his time with the University of North Dakota, helping the team winning the NCAA National Championship in 1987, winning the Hobey Baker Award in the process.

He then went on to have 20-year career in professional hockey, making stops with the St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He was on the Dallas Stars team that won the Stanley Cup in 1999, and last played in the NHL with the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2002-03 season.

In 758 career NHL games, Hrkac scored 132 goals and 239 assists, adding another 14 points in 41 playoff games.

The Thunder Bay, Ontario native last played professionally during the 2009-10 season with the now-defunct Houston Aeros. He also won the AHL’s Calder Cup with the Milwaukee Admirals in 2004. In total, Hrkac played 1,418 games in pro hockey, scoring 360 goals and 698 assists.

Hrkac has been a pro scout for the Lighting since the 2015-16 season. He also was the head coach at Concordia University Wisconsin (NCAA D-III) for five seasons.