Alan Thicke died Tuesday after suffering a heart attack while playing hockey with his 19-year-old son. The Canadian-born entertainer was 69 years old. The hockey world's reaction was immediate.

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NHL ✔ @NHL
The NHL family is sad to learn of the passing of longtime hockey fan Alan Thicke. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
4:21 AM - 14 Dec 2016
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Thicke, best known for playing Dr. Jason Seaver on the 1980s sitcom "Growing Pains," was an avid hockey fan. He was good friends with Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky and was instrumental in helping the Kings acquire Gretzky from the Oilers in 1988.

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Thicke even knew Gretzky's wife, actress Janet Jones, before Gretzky did. Thicke was master of ceremonies at their wedding.

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Edmonton Oilers ✔ @EdmontonOilers
RIP to one of the great ones, Alan Thicke.
4:16 AM - 14 Dec 2016
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Thicke had friends all over the NHL. Teams and players offered their condolences on social media.

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Ray Ferraro ✔ @Rayferrarotsn
Terrible to hear that Alan Thicke passed today playing hockey. He loved the game, always played in charity events - such a shame #rip
4:18 AM - 14 Dec 2016
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Tampa Bay Lightning ✔ @TBLightning
The master of ceremonies for the very first #TBLightning game to ever be played at Expo Hall.

Rest in peace, Mr. Thicke. https://twitter.com/nhl/status/808859384897904640 …
5:03 AM - 14 Dec 2016
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Vintage MN Hockey @VintageMNHockey
RIP to long-time hockey fan-Alan Thicke, who participated in several N-Stars celebrity Alumni Met Center games, shown with @Lou_nanne, et al
5:59 AM - 14 Dec 2016
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Thicke, along with former NHL players Ron Duguay, Dave Maloney and Phil Esposito, famously recorded the hockey fighting parody song "Hockey-Sock Rock" in 1979.

"When we were in the studio recording the song, I remember different Hollywood types popping in to say hello," Maloney told Grantland in 2014. "I remember Robin Williams kinda bouncing around. At one point, he did a five-minute stand-up routine on a hockey player with a French Canadian accent where he pulled his shirt over his head. It was a total blast."


Thicke also played in a celebrity basketball game hosted by country singer Kenny Rogers in 1988. Other players in the game were Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins and Larry Bird.

Thicke is survived by his three sons: Carter, 19; Brennan, 41; and Robin, 39, a pop singer who's famous for the song "Blurred Lines."

"The good thing was that he was beloved and he had closure," Robin Thicke told the Los Angeles Times. "I saw him a few days ago and told him how much I loved and respected him."