Police lay down charges and are actively searching for a former NHL enforcer: It won't end well for Link Gaetz

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Skyler Walker
June 6, 2026  (9:47)

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Link Gaetz is now the focus of a police search after authorities in British Columbia said the former NHL enforcer remains at large.

The story moved from a past incident to an active police matter when officers announced charges tied to an alleged attack on a taxi driver in Maple Ridge, B.C.

Gaetz, 57, is facing one count of assault and one count of mischief under $5,000 from an incident dated September 17, 2025.

According to the report, the driver had picked him up before Gaetz allegedly told him to stop without warning.

What followed, police say, turned into a violent encounter inside and around the cab.

Authorities allege Gaetz punched the driver repeatedly in the face, then tried to damage the vehicle's security camera before smashing the windshield and leaving the scene.

That's the part that shifts this from a former-player update into a public search. Police are not just dealing with old allegations now.

They're actively looking for him.

An outstanding warrant has already been issued, and police are asking the public for help locating Gaetz as the case stays open.

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For hockey fans, the name still carries weight from another era.

Gaetz played 3 seasons and built a reputation as one of the toughest players of his time.

He was drafted in the second round by the Minnesota North Stars in 1988, then later appeared for both Minnesota and the San Jose Sharks.

His NHL stat line was never about top-six production.

He finished with 6 goals, 8 assists, and 412 penalty minutes, numbers that tell the story of the role he carried.

Now the hockey record sits far behind the headline.

The larger issue is that police say Gaetz has not been located a day after the charges were announced.

Authorities have also released a physical description, listing him as 6-foot-4 and 252 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes.

Anyone who spots him is being asked to contact police.

There were no direct quotes in the source article to preserve.

Previously

Vegas receives major Brayden McNabb Game 3 update after scary hospitalization in the Finals

Kent Hughes and the Canadiens face bizarre accusations just weeks into their offseason

John Chayka releases statement on Auston Matthews' future in Toronto that sounds like the last

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5 HOURS AGO   |   216 ANSWERS Police lay down charges and are actively searching for a former NHL enforcer: It won't end well for Link Gaetz Should Link Gaetz's hockey past matter at all in how this case is viewed ?

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