With his flowing locks, enviable good looks and wizardry on the ice, Ron Duguay was the hockey heartthrob who transcended the sport.
On Thursday, at the age of 69, Duguay died after battling colon cancer since 2024. His girlfriend, politician Sarah Palin, announced the news on social media.
The former Alaska governor and candidate for vice president wrote: ‘It’s with a shattered heart, but also deep peace knowing Ron is with Jesus now. He fought so hard. Love never ends.’
Duguay played nearly 1,000 games in the NHL from the late 1970s through the ’80s and, following his death, a source close to the hockey star said: ‘Not that anyone wants to think of the result being someone you love passing away, it just seemed to be what was going to happen all along because he was really sick.
‘He was very strong until the last couple weeks and it took a turn for the worse, so everyone expected this to be the result. It is still heartbreaking nonetheless because he was so well known in the family as a man’s man and tough as nails, so to see him this way was very jarring and everyone is devastated.’
But for all his success on the ice, Duguay is more famous for the vibrant life he lived off it. His looks and personality gave him opportunities that didn’t exist for most of his rivals. Against the wishes of his coach, Duguay and his long, flowing hair were regularly seen at hot spots across Manhattan as he soaked up New York’s nightlife.
Ron Duguay’s death was announced by girlfriend Sarah Palin on social media Thursday
Duguay’s good looks and flowing hair allowed the hockey heartthrob to transcend the sport
The ex-Rangers star played nearly 1,000 games in the NHL from the late 70s through the ’80s
Duguay revealed in 2019 that he once ended up in Gene Simmons’s bed with Cher after a wild night at Studio 54 in the late ‘70s.
After a win over the Islanders, a 24-year-old Duguay headed out to celebrate at the iconic nightclub and was called over by a woman pointing at him. The woman turned out to be Liza Minnelli.
After spending time chatting with Minnelli’s husband, she invited Duguay back to her house for a party. Later in the evening, Minnelli asked if he wanted to meet someone else. When he said yes, she called over Cher from the dance floor.
‘If you know Cher, if she wants something, she goes after it,’ Duguay said on the New York Post’s Rangers podcast Up In The Blue Seats.
‘Grabs me by the arm and says, “You dance?” I said, “Yeah.” So we go and start dancing. We’re dancing to all this fun stuff back then – the Bee Gees, Rod Stewart, Billy Joel. To this day, if you Google “Ron Duguay and Cher,” her head’s on my [shoulder]. She’s looking very comfortable. And you look at my face, and the expression on my face is like, “Oh my God, I’m dancing with Cher.”’
After waiting in the lobby of Minnelli’s building, they eventually left and took a taxi to a townhouse. Before they went in, Duguay said Cher told him: ‘By the way, I don’t beep, beep, beep on the first date.
‘Fill in the blank,’ Duguay added. ‘And I said, “I’m happy to just be here.”’
After stepping inside, Duguay quickly realized it wasn’t Cher’s house. Looking around at the gold records on the wall, he discovered it was Gene Simmons’s.
‘So I’m in Gene Simmons’s townhouse, not sure why I’m there,’ Duguay continued. ‘Next thing I know, she told me, “We’re not doing anything tonight.” Next thing you know, we’re sitting on his bed. And that’s where the story stops.’
Duguay, seen with former Miss USA Kim Seelbrede in 1981, thrived in Manhattan’s nightlife
Duguay once ended up at Gene Simmons’s house with Cher after a night at Studio 54
Duguay was considered for a role in Raiders of the Lost Ark and posed for Andy Warhol
‘I couldn’t settle down with Cher, I was only 24,’ he later joked.
After a meeting with Andy Warhol in 1980, the legendary artist decided he wanted to put Duguay on the cover of his Interview magazine. He also included his portrait with the likes of Muhammad Ali and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in his Athletes series.
That meeting with Warhol also led to an encounter with iconic Hollywood director Steven Spielberg, who briefly considered giving him the lead role in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Duguay was eventually traded by the Rangers to the Red Wings in 1983. He believed it was because then-Rangers coach Herb Brooks didn’t appreciate Duguay’s celebrity lifestyle.
‘He got his way,’ Duguay told The New York Times, referring to Brooks. ‘I wasn’t shocked, because there’s been so much talk about it, but I was very disappointed… I love New York and I hate to leave there.’
Duguay went on to marry model Robin Bobo in 1983. The couple, who share daughters Shay and Amber, later divorced. He then got remarried in 1993 to Kim Alexis, spending 20 years and having son Noah with the model before they divorced in 2016.
While Duguay and Palin have been closely linked since 2022 and she has frequently been seen at his bedside throughout his illness, including in family videos showing her feeding him in his hospital bed, the two never officially confirmed their relationship status publicly.
Duguay was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in December 2024. The cancer later spread to his liver.
Duguay married Kim Alexis in 1993
Duguay has two daughters with Bobo and one son with Alexis, who has two sons with her ex
Duguay, pictured with daughters Shay and Amber, frequently shared photos of his close family
The family announced Duguay’s diagnosis back in February, setting up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds to support his treatment.
‘Because of his cancer, he hasn’t been able to work the way he normally would,’ his daughter Shay wrote on the fundraising page.
‘Earlier in his treatment journey, the care he received in Florida nearly cost him his life. That led us to bring him to Orange County [California], where my sister and I live, so he could receive treatment here.’
Duguay was rushed to the hospital in July after being found unconscious at home following a fall that left him with severe facial injuries.
Extensive medical testing revealed severe underlying complications tied to his ongoing cancer battle, including varices, portal hypertensive gastropathy, internal bleeding and an ulcer.
Shay revealed at the time that the cancer in his liver – combined with the physical toll of surgery, chemotherapy and a hepatic pump – caused severe pressure to build up inside the organ, backing up into his stomach and causing internal bleeding.
While Duguay was undergoing chemotherapy treatment, he had to have his gallbladder and appendix removed.
Duguay and Shay opened up about his relationship with Palin in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail earlier this year.
Shay revealed they are ‘very close,’ adding that ‘they haven’t been able to see each other as much lately because of what my dad is going through, and Sarah also has obligations caring for her son, Trig, who requires additional care.’
‘I go there at different times,’ Duguay himself explained. ‘I help with her landscaping in the summer, and I help in the winter clearing a little bit of snow, so I happened to be there in October… but unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling myself, so I had to leave.’
The New York Rangers icon had been battling Stage 4 colon cancer for over a year
Palin, the former governor of Alaska, has been seen by her boyfriend’s side during treatment
She took to Instagram earlier this week to issue a desperate plea for prayers for Duguay
Duguay enjoyed a stellar 12-season NHL career from 1977 to 1989, playing over 860 games across stints with the Rangers, Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings.
He played his first six seasons with the Rangers after they selected him with the 13th pick in the draft in 1977. The Sudbury, Canada, native was an All-Star as a point-a-game producer in 1981-82.
Duguay finished his career in the league with 673 points in the regular season and playoffs, then played in Germany and the minors.
Following his retirement from professional hockey, Duguay transitioned into broadcasting, serving as an in-studio analyst for MSG Network’s coverage of the Rangers for 12 years before stepping away in 2018.
‘The New York Rangers organization mourns the loss of Ron Duguay, one of the most popular players in franchise history,’ the club said in a statement.
‘Ron’s signature skating style – with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice – captivated the [Madison Square] Garden faithful, and his skill, tenacity and charisma earned him the admiration of all New Yorkers.
‘We join the hockey community in sending our condolences to Ron´s friends, family and loved ones during this difficult time.’
