Former Detroit Red Wings assistant coach Brad McCrimmon and Ruslan Salei, who played with Detroit last season, were among 43 killed when a Russian jet carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League crashed on Wednesday near the western city of Yaroslavl, 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow.
McCrimmon, 52, was a Detroit assistant coach for the past three seasons and left to become Locomotiv's head coach in May. He was a defenseman who played 18 seasons (1979-1997) in the NHL, including three with Detroit (1990-93). McCrimmon also played with the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Hartford Whalers and Phoenix Coyotes. He won the Stanley Cup with Calgary in 1989.
Salei, 36, played 14 NHL seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche and Detroit. He had two goals and 10 points in 75 games last season.
Goalie Stefan Liv, a former Red Wings prospect, was also among those killed along with former NHL players Pavol Demitra, Karel Rachunek, Josef Vasicek, Karlis Skrastins and Alexander Vasyunov along with Locomotiv assistant coach Igor Korolev, who is also a former NHL player.
“I think it's a huge loss for the hockey world, something like this happens,” Red Wings' captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. “ … A tragedy for the hockey world.”
McCrimmon was also Lidstrom's first NHL defense partner when the seven-time Norris Trophy winner was a rookie in 1991-92.
“He was more of a stay-at-home defenseman, letting me get involved with the offense,” Lidstrom said.
“He also protected me at certain times when things got heated.”
McCrimmon and Detroit Director of Pro Scouting Mark Howe were defense partners with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1980's and Red Wing teammates in 1992-93.
“To me, he was kind of like a man's man. What I remember most about him was his honesty and integrity. If he said he was going to do something, it was rock solid,” Howe said. “He was a great husband and a great father … And I know he loved playing hockey.”
Howe was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame earlier this summer and he credited McCrimmon with much of the success that led to that honor.
“An extremely underrated hockey player,” Howe said. “He never got the due or the credit I feel he deserves.”
McCrimmon's nickname was “The Beast”. He was known for his strength and endurance on and off the ice.
“He brought a smile to a lot of people's faces,” Howe said. “... You couldn't slow him down or stop him. He had a strong body and a really strong mind.”
Last season was a tough one for Salei. His family stayed in Anaheim, here he played for Detroit coach Mike Babcock when he coached there, and his wife had a baby during the season.
“Rusty was a team player for us and played well,” Lidstrom said. “I think it was hard on him, being away from his family last year. … I knew it was hard for him but he loved playing hockey.”
Liv, 30, who was Detroit's fourth-round draft choice (102nd overall) in the 2000 NHL Draft, played with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League and the Toledo Storm of the East Coast Hockey League in 2006-07. He and Lidstrom were teammates on the Swedish Olympic team in 2006.
The plane crashed into a riverbank shortly after takeoff.
One player and a crew member are the only survivors.
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