As youngsters, Leafs defenceman Luke Schenn and his brother Brayden, now of the Philadelphia Flyers, often played street hockey with Wade Belak back home at their Saskatchewan cottage.

“This was before even my brother and I were hockey players. We were just little kids looking up to him as an NHL player,” Luke Schenn, 21, said on Thursday after participating in an unofficial Leafs workout at the MasterCard Centre.

“He had a street hockey net on his driveway and he used to invite us to come shoot with him. He had a cottage literally right next to us.

“We were just little kids growing up, about 10 and 12 and he was just breaking into the league at the time. He was the nicest guy. He’d bring us on his boat the odd time and throw a football around.”

Schenn, a restricted free agent, was still reeling from the tragic news of Belak’s death, a player he never played with but first encountered when he watched the Saskatoon Blades junior team play.

“I used to watch him growing up,” said Schenn, who continues to practise with the Leafs while his agent negotiates a new contract.

“I didn’t get the chance to play with him but I got to know him a bit when he came to town with Nashville,” Schenn said. “I’d talk to him and see him at restaurants. It’s hard to see a guy like that go.

“This was a shock. A lot of people who knew him would say he’d be the last person you’d think this would happen to.”

The 35-year-old former Leaf tough guy was found dead in his Toronto hotel room on Wednesday.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his apparent suicide. Several police sources said he was found hanging from a closet.

Belak is the third NHL enforcer to die since the spring. Winnipeg Jets forward Rick Rypien, who suffered from depression, was found dead in August. In May, New York Rangers forward Derek Booguard’s death was ruled an accidental overdose from a lethal mixture of alcohol and oxycodone.

Speaking on behalf of his teammates, Schenn expressed his sadness for Belak’s family. He also said the hockey community has lost “a great guy.”

The young Leaf rearguard learned of Belak’s death while on the golf course with several of his teammates.

“You stop right away and it hits you. ... This is the third guy this summer,” Schenn said. “It’s hard to grasp. It’s tough.

“You realize everybody has problems. It doesn’t matter if you’re a hockey player or living in the real world, everybody has things they have to deal with.

“It’s tough for the league. Whether you play with him or against him, the NHL is one big family.”

The reasons behind Belak’s apparent suicide remain unknown but Schenn said life in the NHL can take its toll.

“No question playing in the NHL is everything you wanted as a child. It’s a dream come true for 99.5 per cent of players who make it,” Schenn said. “It’s awesome being a part of it and everyone says it’s awesome from the outside looking in.

“But at the end of the day, NHL guys are no different human beings than anybody else. People go through problems on a day-to-day basis whether you’re a professional athlete or have a regular job.”

Fellow Leaf defenceman Mike Komisarek was also shocked by the tragedy.

“We’ve lost a couple of members of the league. ... You’re just floored. It just hits you like a punch in the stomach,” he said. “You can’t even function. You can’t even breathe when you hear something like that.”

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Komisarek played many games against Belak as a Leaf and before with Montreal.

“He was a hard-nosed guy, a competitor, who battled on the ice every shift,” he said. “He always stuck up for his teammates. He had a great personality.

“Your heart just goes out to his family and friends. That’s all you can think about it.”

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