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Former first-rounder Shawn Burr dies at 47

shawnburrap

Former Detroit Red Wings first-round pick Shawn Burr died at a Detroit-area hospital on Monday, according to TV station WDIV.

It’s believed that Burr suffered from head trauma following a fall at his home, although WDIV notes that the exact cause of death is unknown. He was 47.

For the last three years, Burr had been battling cancer. MLive.com reports that he was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in 2010.

While he struggled with AML, Burr took part in a “Take a Bite out of Cancer” campaign alongside the Michigan Dental Association and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The goal was to increase bone marrow registries across the state. He described the process to WDIV in May 2012.

“Someone that gets swabbed at the dentist’s office is going to save someone’s life,” Burr said. “And that’s, I mean, it only takes one person that’s going to save somebody’s life, and I think that’s kind of cool to be a part of something like that.”

The Red Wings drafted Burr seventh overall in 1984. He spent parts of 11 seasons with the Red Wings, becoming a regular member of the team from 1986-89 through 1994-95. He followed that with two stints (one in 1995-96 and 1996-97 before his final four career NHL games in 1999-2000) as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning and parts of two seasons with San Jose Sharks.

Overall, he scored 440 points in 878 regular season games and 14 points in 91 postseason contests.

(AP photo via MLive.com.)

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