Ed Kea

Adriaan Jozef Kea (January 19, 1948 – August 31, 1999) was a Dutch-born Canadian ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League with the Atlanta Flames and St. Louis Blues from 1974 to 1983.

Ed Kea
Born	(1948-01-19)January 19, 1948 Weesp, North Holland, Netherlands
Died	August 31, 1999(1999-08-31) (aged 51) Six Mile Lake, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Atlanta Flames St. Louis Blues
Playing career	1969–1983

Playing career

Born in Weesp, North Holland, Netherlands, but raised in Collingwood, Ontario (his family moved to Canada when he was four years old),^[1] Kea started his National Hockey League career with the Atlanta Flames. He also played with the St. Louis Blues. His career lasted from 1974 to 1983. Kea was the father of stand-up comedian Gabe Kea from Cincinnati, and uncle of Jeff Beukeboom and Joe Nieuwendyk.^[2]

Injury and retirement

Kea was playing for the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, the Blues' Central Hockey League affiliate in Salt Lake City in 1983 when he suffered severe head trauma as he fell and hit his head on the ice during a game. The injury left him physically and mentally disabled. Because he was playing in a minor league game, NHL benefits for catastrophic injuries did not apply to his case, and he and his family struggled financially for several years because he was unable to hold a job.

Post-playing career and death

On September 1, 1999, Kea accidentally drowned at his family's summer home in Six Mile Lake in Ontario. He was 51 years old.^[3][4] In 2012, Dave Bidini claimed in an opinion article for the National Post that Kea committed suicide due to undiagnosed injuries and concussions from his playing career.^[5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1967–68	Collingwood Legionnaires	OHA-C		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Collingwood Kings	OHA Sr		2	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Collingwood Legionnaires	OHA-C		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Collingwood Kings	OHA Sr		8	0	1	1	4		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Jersey Devils	EHL		52	4	18	22	130		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Seattle Totems	WHL		5	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Jersey Devils	EHL		74	8	26	34	148		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	St. Petersburg Suns	EHL		63	10	39	49	107		6	2	2	4	20
1972–73	Omaha Knights	CHL		68	10	22	32	145		11	3	3	6	10
1973–74	Atlanta Flames	NHL		3	0	2	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Tulsa Oilers	CHL		51	6	17	23	38		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Atlanta Flames	NHL		50	1	9	10	39		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Omaha Knights	CHL		21	6	6	12	26		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Atlanta Flames	NHL		78	8	19	27	101		2	0	0	0	7
1976–77	Atlanta Flames	NHL		72	4	21	25	63		3	0	1	1	2
1977–78	Atlanta Flames	NHL		60	3	23	26	40		1	0	0	0	0
1978–79	Atlanta Flames	NHL		53	6	18	24	40		2	0	0	0	0
1978–79	Tulsa Oilers	CHL		2	0	3	3	0		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	St. Louis Blues	NHL		69	3	16	19	79		3	0	0	0	2
1980–81	St. Louis Blues	NHL		74	3	18	21	60		11	1	2	3	12
1981–82	St. Louis Blues	NHL		78	2	14	16	62		10	1	1	2	16
1982–83	St. Louis Blues	NHL		46	0	5	5	24		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Salt Lake Golden Eagles	CHL		9	1	4	5	10		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				583	30	145	175	508		32	2	4	6	39