Lokomotiv of Russia

I'm getting tweets through, that a charter plane carrying the KHL Lokomotiv team has crashed, with only one surviver! Terrible news

I don't know if anyone else can find a link with more detail.

Just seen that.

Here is a link

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Report-Plane-crash-kills-8216-majority-8217-?urn=nhl-wp11993

devastating news in already a terrible summer for the hockey world.

Yes, its true

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20110907/166504776.html

Tragic news, and I'm sure many of you will shed a tear for former NHLers on board, including Pavol Demitra and Ruslan Salei.

Awful news. Just as I was thinking that the off-season couldn't get any worse.

Blody hell! What a tradegy, this season is leaving me with a pit in my stomagh

I just saw this on my way to lunch. This off season has been unreal it is certainly a summer to forget.

The loss is nothing less for the others but the loss of Karlis Skrastins and Wade Belak hit me particularly hard because they were two of my favourites when they had played for my teams.

Truly awful news. Suicide is one thing, overdosing another - but to die in a plane crash? I can't think of many worse ways to die.

And so many talented people. So many that have touched our lives. While I don't pretend to have heard of the majority of the Yaroslavl team, I will fondly remember:

Ruslan Salei - a solid d-man, whose name I always liked. I signed him on EHM several times, on some older NHL games too - always liked him.

Karlis Skrastins - if I remember right, a former NHL Iron Man? Always a solid pro, one that I admired from afar.

Josef Vasicek - hugely talented, I used to nab him from the Islanders on a regular basis on old games. Really liked him.

Karel Rachunek - another solid D-man I liked for his name.

Pavol Demitra - when the Canucks released Markus Naslund (one of my heroes), and replaced him with Pavol Demitra, I was gutted. Demitra was in decline, was balder than any man in history, and was sucking up $4m a season from us. Almost all Nucks fans thought Mike Gillis was mad. Then he formed part of our RPM Line - Ryan [Kesler]-Pavol [Demitra]-Mats [Sundin] - which helped Kesler break out into the Selke-winning forward he is today. No matter his faults - his play against the Blackhawks was atrocious - I will always remember him for his faultless leadership, popularity amongst his teammates, and his dedication to the fans of our club.

This is one gutted Canucks fan. What a dreadful summer. First Rypien, now Demitra - not to mention all the other NHL-ers to have been taken from us far too early. Not sure what to say really, apart from this:

Pavol Demitra, I love you

Pavol Demitra, I will never forget you

Pavol Demitra, may your dangles never be forgotten

It's a horrible day for hockey, again this summer.

Some big names, just gone like that, the likes of Pavol Demitra, Karlis Skrastins, Ruslan Salei. Brad McCrimmon, a former Flames captain and Stanley Cup winner, also.

I think the most heartbreaking thing is the mother of Sergei Ostapchuk passed away from a heart attack after hearing of her sons death.

The mood is very sombre here in Helsinki tonight to say the least.

RIP to all, and to all their families, my heart is broken for you.

Truly shocking news!

Lots of talk about it at the Panthers game tonight with Peter Hirsch being friends with one of the goalies, he looked distracted, who can blame him.

Another loss for the hockey world, only one survivor, and he has 90% burns apparently.

carnell wrote:Truly shocking news!

Lots of talk about it at the Panthers game tonight with Peter Hirsch being friends with one of the goalies, he looked distracted, who can blame him.

Another loss for the hockey world, only one survivor, and he has 90% burns apparently.

Hirsch has played a lot of time in Sweden, where Stefan Liv played a lot of time for HV71, so I would say it's highly likely they were mates.

It is another utter tradegy for the hockey world and yet again another black day for the hockey calender.

Not to mention devestation for the fans and city of Yaroslavl itself. My sympathies to all those affected

Lokomotiv is to be rebuilt after 30 players offered their services, and each KHL club offered to give Yaroslavl 'two or three' players each. A fine gesture I think, although maybe a little early to make the announcement.

Link

I agree, while that is a fantastic gesture from other teams, i would have though they could give a bit of time before turning attention back to ice hockey after such a tragic loss.
so sad to have this on top of the other losses this offseason, such a terrible summer for the sport.
heard a lot from a fair few caps players, lots of the russians had friends on board, and ovechkin was apparently very good friends with galimov, the one that survived, but i think was told he had died in hospital even though he has thankfullly survived - though can't imagine how hard this must be for him and the one crew member who survived.
apparently tomas vokoun also was great friends with a few on board and was too shaken up to speak to anyone apparently.
of course thoughts with family and friends. another tragedy

Saw this linked from Defending Big D. It is a blog from one of the drivers who takes the Stars players to the airport who was tasked with taking Skrastins family to the airport in the wake of the accident. Very sad stuff

http://achicksperspective.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/reality-check/

mc_homer wrote:Saw this linked from Defending Big D. It is a blog from one of the drivers who takes the Stars players to the airport who was tasked with taking Skrastins family to the airport in the wake of the accident. Very sad stuff

http://achicksperspective.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/reality-check/

That is heartbreaking. It's stories like this that really hammers home the pain of the loved ones are going to go through.

Sadly, Alexander Galimov has passed away this morning.

RIP Alexander.