Dmitri Uchaykin

Dmitri Uchaykin (Russian: Дмитрий Викторович Учайкин) (10 June 1980 – 31 March 2013) was a Russian ice hockey left-winger.
Uchaykin was born in Khabarovsk, Soviet Union.

Hockey career

From 1998 until 2009, Uchaykin played for his hometown team Amur Khabarovsk. Afterwards, Uchaykin played briefly for HC Yugra (Khanty-Mansiysk), Rubin Tyumen (then "Gazovik"), and Ermak Angarsk.

Uchaykin last played for Yertis Pavlodar of the Kazakhstan Hockey Championship, since 2010.

Death

On 27 March 2013 Uchaykin was on the ice for Yertis Pavlodar against Arystan Temirtau in the Kazakhstan Hockey Championship playoffs, when he sustained a high hit from Arystan's Donatas Kumeliauskas. Soon he was taken to the hospital, where he died of cerebral hemorrhage at 4 am on 31 March.

He was survived by his wife Anna, who was pregnant at the time of his death, and daughter Polina.

A memorial service for Uchaykin was held in Pavlodar on 2 April. Uchaykin was buried in his hometown Khabarovsk on 4 April.

Reactions

The director of Yertis Pavlodar stated to the media that Kumeliauskas's fatal hit on Uchaykin was legal. Kumeliauskas himself also denied violating the rules. No disciplinary action was taken against him by the league; nevertheless, Arystan chose to keep Kumeliauskas on the bench during the next game of the series on 1 April.

The club announced that Uchaykin's #17 will be permanently retired, and that it has paid Uchaykin's widow his remaining contract salary at the time of his death.