An already tragic offseason for the hockey world saw more loss this morning as the entire squad from the Kontinental Hockey League team Yaroslavl Lokomotiv was involved in a deadly plane crash in Russia. Conflicting reports are available at this time, however it's believed that one-time Toledo Storm goaltender Stefan Liv and former Detroit Red Wings player and coach Brad McCrimmon were on the plane.
According to initial reports, the Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger jet took off from an airport in Western Russia en route to Minsk, Belarus, where the KHL season was set to open on Thursday. The plane failed to achieve altitude, hit a navigation beacon and fell to the ground where it caught fire.
A total of 45 people were on board including passengers and crew. Two survived the crash but were said to be in grave condition with serious burns.
Goaltender Stefan Liv was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He played the majority of his career in the Swedish Elite League for the HV71 Jonkoping but came to the states for the 2006-07 season which he split between the Toledo Storm and the Grand Rapids Griffins. In Toledo, Liv played three games under current Toledo Walleye head coach Nick Vitucci.
Brad McCrimmon, who played with several teams including Detroit, served as an assistant coach for the Red Wings, an affiliate of the Walleye, before taking over as head coach of the Lokomotiv earlier this year.
Former Red Wings player Ruslan Salei, who played with Detroit in the 2010-11 season, was on the Lokomotiv roster, however it was not immediately known if Salei was on the aircraft at the time. Other former NHL players believed to have perished in the crash include Pavol Demitra and Josef Vasicek.
Thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family members of those affected by this tragic loss.
Update: The Toledo Walleye released a statement this afternoon regarding the crash:
"It is with a heavy heart that the Toledo Walleye organization express our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the tragic plane accident that occurred this morning in Russia. Former Toledo Storm goaltender Stefan Liv and former Detroit Red Wing assistant coach Brad McCrimmon were two of the reported 43 people who perished in this accident."
Comments