Death is never easy to deal with. And in 2011, the sports world lost some great ones, some unexpectedly.
Hockey was one sport in particular that suffered a series of unfortunate deaths. We lost a number of NHL enforcers during a short period of time and an entire KHL roster due to a tragic plane crash. But hockey wasn't the only sport impacted, as we saw each sport endure some tough times.
From champions to All-Stars to fighters to coaches to owners, none of these sports figures will ever be forgotten, nor will the families that were forced to cope with such deaths.
