Late hockey player focus of mental health awareness event

SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) - The Saginaw Spirit is holding a mental health awareness event in memory of a former player who committed suicide following a battle with depression.

The Ontario Hockey League team is working with medical professionals to raise awareness about mental illness before Saturday's game against the Belleville Bulls. The game will be played under the slogan, "Talk Today: Hope for Tomorrow," and in former forward Terry Trafford's memory.

Trafford's body was discovered in March in his SUV, and an autopsy determined he died of self-inflicted asphyxiation. The 20-year-old Toronto native disappeared earlier in the month after being disciplined for a violation of team rules.

Team President Craig Goslin tells The Saginaw News the presentations and other efforts aim to ensure that Trafford's "death wasn't in vain."