The NHL community could barely move on from the pain of Washington Capitals icon Shawn “Simmers” Simpson passing when fate took away another legend of the game from the mortal world.

Mark “Trees” LaForest, an iconic goalie who played for Toronto, Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Detroit, left the mortal world on Monday. The Welland native played 103 games and made a name for himself thanks to his incredible skills as a netminder. His stats, including the feat of wearing 17 pro sweaters over 15 NHL, AHL, IHL, and minor-league seasons, underscore LaForest’s exceptional talent on the ice.

The official Toronto Maple Leafs’ X account posted on April 1, sharing their grief over losing the former goalie. “We are saddened to learn that former Leafs goalie Mark Laforest (affectionately known as “Trees”) has passed away,” reads the caption of the post that has the fans mourning.

“A true character, great person and even better friend,” LaForest was hailed by Jim Ralph, the Leafs broadcaster who also played alongside the former in the minor league. What etched Mark permanently in the NHL lore was probably his infamous brawl with the New Jersey goalie Sean Burke in 1989. A line brawl erupted between the teams at the visitors’ end, and LaForest managed to ignore Burke’s taunts for quite some time before he couldn’t anymore. But the fisticuff panned out very differently despite the Leafs goalie’s enthusiasm.

In an interview with the Sun much later in his life, Mark LaForest remembered the fight with Burke. “From far away at my side of the rink, Burke didn’t look that big. Then when I got closer … ‘uh oh,’ ” the NHL icon joked. The visitors’ netminder won the battle thanks to his extra weight and height over LaForest. “At that point, I wanted to get thrown out of the game anyway. We were down 5-2, it was my first home start and I figured people would at least remember me for something good,” he said in an interview with the Toronto Sun. While the fight may not have gone LaForest’s way, the initiative and determination that the netminder showed made him a Toronto sensation, and the humor with which he looked back at the incident was testament to his exceptional character.

Naturally, NHL fans are left heartbroken by the passing of the 62-year-old. With that, many members of the community also stepped up with their memories of LaForest, which also highlighted his character beyond the skating rink. “He was always so incredibly nice; stopping for photos and quick conversations during stoppages. Thank you for everything Trees, rest in peace,” wrote a fan who was fortunate enough to catch Mark in action in alumni games for the Maple Leafs. Others soon joined in.

The NHL community mourns the tragic loss

Ottawa’s NHL community suffered a significant heartache earlier this year when Shan Simpson passed away. Likewise, Toronto fans are currently tending to their own bleeding heart after Mark LaForest’s sudden death. “Such an amazing player, rest in peace, champ!” commented another fan as the official Philadelphia Flyers X handle also shared its grief about LaForest’s passing. “Bless him forever,” proclaimed another. Yet another NHL fan reaffirmed that LaForest would undoubtedly go down in the history books, “what a legend! will be remembered forever.”

In the 1989-90 season, the Leafs recorded a massive 337 goals in a single season, making LaForest a part of the team that made franchise history. The squad also included Allan Bester, and memories of the good old days are still ripe among Toronto fans. “I loved Laforest. He and Bester that year finally gave us a respectable team,” fondly remembered another fan.

With a .868 save percentage, Mark ensured all the teams he played with could rely on him to block the puck from hitting the back of the net. “Wow what a kick in the chops,” wailed a fan. It’s a sad day to be an NHL fan right now. Do you also feel the same? Share your message for the LaForest family to help them through the troubled times in a comment below!