from Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun,

Thirty years ago in Moscow, Dave King remembers being gobsmacked by a beyond-his-years performance by teenage blueliner Zarley Zalapski at the 1987 Izvestia Cup.

Back in Russia to prepare for the latest instalment of what is now known as the Channel One Cup, King was reminiscing about that feat Tuesday after hearing the tragic news of Zalapski’s death.

Zalapski skated for Canada at the 1988 Winter Olympics, returned to the Saddledome for a five-season stint with the NHL’s Flames and called Calgary home after his playing days.

He was 49 when he died.

According to a Globalnews.ca report, the family has stated Zalapski died Sunday after suffering complications from a viral infection.

continued