Tom Cavanagh, an AHL forward over parts of the past six seasons, died Thursday in Providence, R.I.
He was 28.
Cavanagh was drafted by San Jose in the sixth round (182nd overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He played 286 games in the AHL with Cleveland, Worcester, Manchester and Springfield, recording one assist in five games with the Falcons earlier this season.
He remains the Worcester Sharks’ franchise scoring leader with 138 points in 202 games.
"We are shocked and saddened by the news today of Tom’s passing," said San Jose Sharks executive vice president and general manager Doug Wilson in a statement. "Tom was an extraordinary young man and a terrific teammate who spent four seasons with our organization. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time."
Cavanagh played in 18 NHL games with San Jose over two seasons (2007-09), picking up three points (one goal, two assists).
