Ex-NHL star saves choking victim’s life at Kings-Red Wings game: Lightning scout Tony Hrkac, 57, ‘rushed to perform Heimlich as league staffer turned purple while eating pretzels’

A 57-year-old former NHL star is being credited with saving a league employee’s life by performing the Heimlich maneuver when the person turned ‘purplish’ at a recent Kings-Red Wings game in Los Angeles.

Tony Hrkac, a retired center now serving as a Tampa Bay Lightning scout, was seated in the Kings press box when a person began choking, according to TMZ.

According to sources, that person began to change color when Hrkac rushed in and administered the life-saving Heimlich maneuver.

The employee, who wished not to be identified, soon began to breathe normally after coughing up a piece of pretzel.

Those on the scene told TMZ that Hrkac saved the person’s life.

Tony Hrkac, a retired center now serving as a Tampa Bay Lightning scout, was seated in the Kings press box when a person began choking, according to TMZ

Tony Hrkac #28 of the Quebec Nordiques skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1989

Kings spokespeople did not immediately respond to Mail Sport’s request for more information.  

A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Harkac attended the University of North Dakota, where he was the recipient of the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in the country. Hrkac ultimately won a national title alongside his future Chicago Blackhawks teammate, Ed Belfour.

Although he wasn’t a top prospect, Hrkac was picked by the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the 1984 NHL Draft ahead of future Hall of Fame goaltender, Patrick Roy.

Hrkac would go on to play for the Quebec Nordiques, San Jose Sharks, Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, and Atlanta Thrashers.

Although his NHL career came to an end in 2003, he still played 174 American Hockey League games for the Milwaukee Admirals and Houston Aeros over various seasons from 2003 until 2010.

Hrkac also coached at Concordia University Wisconsin, winning just 10 out of 139 games.