NHL off season to be remembered for the wrong reasons
In the off-season, hockey fans absorb the outcome of the draft and watch all players depart or arrive at their franchise as excitement builds up for the season to finally kick off in October. Unfortunately, this off-season will be remembered for the wrong reasons as several tragic events have taken place.
In a previous article I wrote about Rick Rypien and Derek Boogaard who both sadly left us far too early. Rypien took his own life after suffering from depression and Boogaard suffered an accident involving alcohol and drugs.
As many of you will know, a horrific accident has occurred since then, with Russian side Lokomotiv Yaroslavl being involved in a plane crash killing 25 players, 11 coaching staff and seven flight crew on the 7th September. It stunned and shocked the hockey world, and the wider world, with an unbelievable amount of tributes being given with many flowers presented at the scene of the crash and Lokomotivs arena.
The crash has led to many franchises in the NHL feeling both devastated and very emotional, as many players were great friends of players onboard the aircraft who had previously played in the NHL. These players included Pavol Demitra, the 36 year old Cezch who was a great servant to the St.Louis Blues and the NHL playing 847 games and recording 768 points which is a great record. Fellow Czech Karel Rachunek was also sadly on board the plane. Rachunek played in eight seasons in the NHL, representing Ottawa, New York Rangers and New Jersey and notching up 140 points in the process. Josef Vasicek also sadly died at the age of 30. He had 460 appearances in the NHL whilst playing for Carolina, Nashville and the Islanders.
Along with the hugely talented Demitra, Rachunek and Vasicek, two other ex-NHL players were in the accident and these two affected me more personally. Legendary Belarusian defenseman Ruslan Salei was one of the 25 players announced as being on the plane. Salei will be mostly remembered by his seven-year stint in Anaheim. Ruslan was playing in Mighty Duck colours when I went to watch my first ever NHL match in the States and played a big part in me getting involved in Ice Hockey and the game I love. He is one of the most consistent performers to have ever played the game and will be missed by many. The 36 year old stepped on the ice 917 times in the NHL and was a massive, massive talent.
Karlis Skrastins, the 37 year old Latvian who played for my Dallas Stars last year had left as a free agent to go and play in Russia for Lokomotiv. Skrastins was named on board the plane and this one hit me hard and shook me up a lot. I admired how Karlis played the game; he got his head down, never moaned about anything and gave 110% on the ice whenever he was called upon. Having watched the majority of Dallas’ games last year I could get a good idea of how good Karlis was and I thought he was a very good, consistent defenseman who will do a job on the point for as long as you want him to. Many of the Stars’ players are very upset as they all saw Skrastins as a friendly guy in the camp. Stay safe up there Skratch, you will be sorely missed by many!
I am sure both hockey and all American sports fans will join me in sending their thoughts and prayers to the families and friends of everyone who was involved in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl air disaster.