Stephen Peat, former NHL enforcer, died at the age of 44 after a car accident

Stephen Peat, a former NHL enforcer who played parts of four seasons for the Washington Capitals, has died from injuries sustained in a car accident more than two weeks ago, the NHL Alumni Association announced Thursday.

He was 44.

According to The Province, Peat was hit by a car at 4:15 a.m. on August 30 in Langley, British Columbia.

“The NHL Alumni Association is heartbroken to learn that Stephen Peat succumbed to his injuries following a tragic accident just over two weeks ago,” the alumni association said in a statement.

Peat and his father, Walter, were concerned about his mental health, believing he was impaired by concussions he sustained while playing hockey and may have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to a June 2016 New York Times article.

They feared that he might suffer an early death like other NHL enforcers, such as former Ranger Derek Boogaard.

“I'm a right-handed guy, right?” Peat told the Times. “And all the blows were on the left side of my head. That's where I feel all the pain. That's my unqualified guess. What other blows did I take?”

A year or two after his last appearance in an NHL game in 2006, Peat began suffering from headaches. He was involved in bar and street brawls and was accused of theft, the Times reported.

“I can't sleep on my right side,” said Peat, who was previously in rehab. “When I do, it feels like someone weighing 200 pounds is standing right here on my face.”

In 2015, the Peat family home burned down after he left a blowtorch unattended in the garage.

He was sentenced to one year of probation after pleading guilty to one count of “arson with respect to inhabited property” and one count of negligent arson, the Times said.

In 2017, Walter told the Times that his relationship with Stephen “fell apart” as his son's health deteriorated and Stephen was arrested twice for violating probation.

Stephen was homeless and addicted to drugs, and Walter applied to Peat's probation officer for a restraining order.

“Confused, aggressive, and I'll be honest, he scares the crap out of me and my brothers,” Walter told the Times after arranging for Stephen to stay with his brothers. “It saddens me to appear helpless as Stephen has accused me of meddling in his affairs. I have no idea how to tell this horror story, but I'm sure many are living this nightmare.”

Originally a second-round pick of the Mighty Ducks in 1998, he played 130 games for the Capitals from 2001 to 2005.

Peat's organs will be donated, the NHL Alumni Association said.