Former Penguins forward Konstantin Koltsov has passed away, according to reports confirmed by Russian team Salavat Yulaev.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 19, 2024
Pittsburgh’s first round pick in the 1999 NHL draft, the Belarusian came over to America in time for the 2002-03 season after spending a few years in Russia’s Super League. Koltsov spent much of that campaign in Wilkes-Barre but made his NHL debut with two games in Pittsburgh that year.
From there, Koltsov was an NHL regular for the Pens for two seasons, with a lockout interruption in the middle from 2003-04 and 2005-06.