Wednesday, September 7, 2011, at noon Moscow time, a private jet filled with Russian KHL and American NHL hockey players slammed into a riverbank into the Volga River near Yaroslavl, Russia, 150 miles northeast of Moscow, shortly after take off from Yaroslavl's Tunoshna airport. The weather was sunny and clear, according to reports.
The hockey world is reeling across the globe. The chartered YAK-42 passenger jet carried not only an entire KHL professional hockey team, Lokomotiv Yaraslavl , to the first match of the season in Belarus to play against the Dinamo Minsk, but several NHL players as well.
At least 43 people died in the crash, but 2 people lived--Alexander Galimov, right winger for the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and one unidentified crew member--who were hospitalized in "very grave " condition, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin quoted the chief doctor at the Yaroslavi's Solovyov Hospital. Wikipedia reports that Galmov is in critical condition "with burns over 90% of his body." Some reports said he died, but Gazeta.ru denied this late Wednesday citing hospital sources.
Karlis Skrastins
Included on that plane was former Dallas Stars defenseman Karlis Skrastins.
Skrastins is Latvian, yes, but remember, Lativa, when Krastins was born, was part of the Soviet Union, so it's no wonder that he was on that plane Wednesday, with his friends, ready for a new hockey season as a member of KHL's Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He joined the team in May 17, 2011.
Skrastins, age 37, played 11 seasons in the NHL before joining the KHL. Before that, he played with the Dallas Stars, but saw little ice time and scored only two goals in the 2009-10 season as a result, although one was a game winner, the December 9th game against Detroit.
Prior to Dallas, he was traded to the Florida Panthers for Ruslan Salei, who was also on the flight and a casualty according to The Moscow Times, on February 26, 2008, from the Colorado Avalance. In 2008-09, Skrastins scored a career high 18 points in 80 games and on October 16, 2008, against the Minnesota Wild, he played his 600th career NHL game and scored his 100th career NHL point on November 1, 2008, in a 3-2 loss against the Nashville Predators.Originally drafted by the Predators in the ninth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, 230th pick, Skrastins played five seasons for them before being traded to the Avalance in 2003
Skrastins was a scrapper. He rarely missed a game. He was known to play through injuries that would make a normal human faint, well, most of what hockey players would, but every hockey player has a special talent or two, something that makes them unique, stand out.
And for Skrastins, part of his talent was playing through injuries. That didn't mean he was showing off. It meant he was dependable, had your back, and most of all, he wanted to play hockey.
Terry Frei at the Denver Post says that "... it seemed nothing could get him out of the lineup. Not a broken wrist. Not an injured shoulder. Not b-anged up ribs. Not a knee destined for surgical repair. He stays in the lineup as if he is grateful to be here."
Skrastins the Ironman
Skrastins played 302 games for the Preds, 3 seasons never missed games from 2000 to 2003, "... begining a streak of 495 consective games played and the record for an NHL defneseman," says Pete Weber.
When asked Stephane Robidas said of his former teammate Skrastins, "Just played through pain."
Karlis Skrastins was a nice guy.
Adam Burish says on the Dallas Stars website video, "... just a kind, kind, kind man. Just a kind, gentle guy, and a freak on the ice, the ultimate competitor."
Stephane Robidas said, "Karlis would do anything for the team. Just a nice person. I have nothing but good things to say about this guy."
The news of Skratins' death hit the Stars team hard, according to GM Joe Nieuwendyke. He said that Kari Lehtonen heard the news today and turned around and went home because he was so close to Karlis. He said, "Everyone respected Karlis and we don't get over it easy."
A consistent player and tough defenseman. He loved hockey, as so many do or why bother? Karlis Skrastins, one of the top four defensemen during his 12 NHL seasons, is now lost to hockey forever, and it is hockey's great loss.
2011 has been hockey's toughest year. Even the lockout doesn't compare to the deaths that has hit hockey worldwide. For Dallas Stars fans,teammates, associates, we will be missing Karlis Skrastins in our hearts a long time.
For Skrastins remembrances:
Read Pete Weber's "Predators Bradcaster relfects on KHL crash" on usatoday.com.
And Terry Frei's Karlis "Skrastins endured long journey to NHL from Lativa" on deverypost.com
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