russian hockey team plane crash

[pipo]

I am from Slovakia, Demitra was captain of our national team, we still cant believe what happened

[ChuckyTheGoat]

I am from Slovakia, Demitra was captain of our national team, we still cant believe what happened

Sorry, pipo. Hockey players are a rare breed.

[OneLossParlayGuy]

unreal...

so sad...

[OGUCCI-SBR]

I am from Slovakia, Demitra was captain of our national team, we still cant believe what happened

Sad day here in Latvia as well... we lost our great iron man Karlis Skrastins...

People are currently on a memorial march from Dynamo Riga hockey arena - Latvian hockey federation building.

R.I.P. to all the players and condolences to the families, friends.

[OGUCCI-SBR]

Here are some pictures taken an hour ago at the Dynamo arena Riga, Latvia.

[sharlataans]

Skrastins wife is about to have her 3rd child. Such sad news

[pipo]

It is the biggest sport disaster, which I have ever seen in my life...
Here is a video from Trenčín, place where Palo Demitra was born. Our redactor couldnt handle it

http://tvnoviny.sk/sekcia/spravy/domace/emotivna-rozlucka-s-pavlom-demitrom-v-trencine.html

[pipo]

Alois Hadamczik (czech coach) - ,,I have no words on this, because there is nothing to say....Jan Marek was talking with me 14days ago, he told me that his child had been born. He told me that, he dont want to be in Russia and he will go home....at last he will never come back home

[jjgold]

horrific accident

[pauluk]

Final information is that Salei is also dead. First was information that he was expecting his squad in Minsk (he lived there), but unfortunately he decided to fly in Yaroslavl for training and then return back with the squad. Two hours before tragedy he called Dinamo Minsk managers to ask to find some tickets to the match for his friends... He has 3 childs left (last one was born this spring).

It's a big tragedy for all hockey world, it's a big tragedy for Belarus. We left two our players (+ young Ostapchuk). Salei was probably best belarussian player in last 15 years.. ((((

ps i am from Minsk, tomorrow in the Minsk-Arena instead of match will be funeral ceremony...

[King Mayan]

RIP
Demitra

[TomJSports]

Final information is that Salei is also dead. First was information that he was expecting his squad in Minsk (he lived there), but unfortunately he decided to fly in Yaroslavl for training and then return back with the squad. Two hours before tragedy he called Dinamo Minsk managers to ask to find some tickets to the match for his friends... He has 3 childs left (last one was born this spring).

It's a big tragedy for all hockey world, it's a big tragedy for Belarus. We left two our players (+ young Ostapchuk). Salei was probably best belarussian player in last 15 years.. ((((

ps i am from Minsk, tomorrow in the Minsk-Arena instead of match will be funeral ceremony...

Yeah, I heard that after the conflicting reports. Really liked Salei.

Tough losses for Belarus, Latvia, Slovakia, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and obviously, Russia. God bless your families, boys!

[TomJSports]

Thanks for the pics OGUCCI-SBR, Karli was a badass, that's for damn sure.

[slapshot]

so so sad....too many young guys losing their lives way to early in their lives.
thoughts and prayers go out to all near and dear of the victims

[N.O.S.]

Former Flyers defenseman Brad McCrimmon (top right) was killed in a deadly plane crash in Russia. (Carlos Osorio/AP)

Also confirmed on board were former NHLers Pavol Demitra, Karel Rachunek, Ruslan Salei, Josef Vasicek and Igor Korolev.



This Yak 42 was chartered by Lokomotiv hockey team

[iceminers26]

very sad day for the hockey world, RIP to those that passed and condolences to their loved ones

[infamousbacardi]

These kind of stories just make your heart sink...horrific stuff.

RIP men.

[Dharmonize]

Yeah, I heard that after the conflicting reports. Really liked Salei.

Tough losses for Belarus, Latvia, Slovakia, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and obviously, Russia. God bless your families, boys!

Tough loss for the Czech Republic too. Lost 3 key players of the National team, Vasicek, Marek and Rachunek.

[TomJSports]

Tough loss for the Czech Republic too. Lost 3 key players of the National team, Vasicek, Marek and Rachunek.

Surprised I missed them; I read Havlat's tweet about losing his friends. Terribly sad.

[YorkHunt]

Gives me goosebumps....hate to see this happen to anyone..

RIP

[Full Time Hobo]

RIP
Awful news

[strixee]

I wonder what will Lokomotiv do now.They'll have to use their B-team and juniors. Or will they be playing KHL this season at all?

[rsnnh12]

Just heard that one of the player's mothers had a heart attack and died when she heard about her son

The last thing this needs is more loss of life

[jose21_us]

wow... You just never know when its your time to go...

[TheMoneyShot]

Just like anyone who is in their 30's currently who was a major NHL fan during their 20's... who watched all of these players play hockey on TV at one time or another... I can't believe what just happened?

Pavol Demitra St. Louis Blues as I recall .... Karlis Skrastins for Colorado... Brad McCrimmon Detroit..... Ruslan Salei Anaheim... Karel Ruchunek Ottawa. Wade Belak his Toronto Days.... Derek Boogaard Minnesota. And many others...

Wow... don't even know what to say. UNREAL

[robmpink]

I don't have twitter but I wonder what some of these players last tweets were.

[TR88]

[flyingillini]

Very sad news

[exstatman]

Not sure any sport has taken a bigger hit than hockey this off-season. Three NHL vets die under unusual circumstances, now this.

[BeerDog99]

This has been such as sad summer/year for hockey, I am just in shock about this.

RIP

[InTheDrink]

boys there isn't much to take from this other than pure sadness

i just hope that some of the men who died knew that they were with their team when they were going down and that they didn't die alone

as for their loved ones, hopefully they will know that their family members will be recognized by the world and their sorrow will be shared by all of us

when i was a little kid i vaguely remember thurman munson dying and i didnt know what sense to make of it....then it was joe delaney, len bias, hank gathers, drazen petrovic....and honestly not many others.....thankfully there aren't more tragedies like this one....today is a terrible day for sports

[slapshot]

I wonder what will Lokomotiv do now.They'll have to use their B-team and juniors. Or will they be playing KHL this season at all?

most likely there will be a draft allowing the club to pick players from the other teams in league.

several local players now playing for other teams has expressed desire to go back and play for lokomotiv.

[PuckOff]

Hockey players are a rare breed.

????

I'm confused. Please explain.

[PuckOff]

Just like anyone who is in their 30's currently who was a major NHL fan during their 20's... who watched all of these players play hockey on TV at one time or another... I can't believe what just happened?

Pavol Demitra St. Louis Blues as I recall .... Karlis Skrastins for Colorado... Brad McCrimmon Detroit..... Ruslan Salei Anaheim... Karel Ruchunek Ottawa. Wade Belak his Toronto Days.... Derek Boogaard Minnesota. And many others...

Wow... don't even know what to say. UNREAL

Igor Korolev was a nice dependable player for the Leafs for 4 full straight seasons. Demitra scored over 300 goals in the NHL. He was a very respectable player. This tragedy so very sad even if you're not a hockey fan.

What a horrible off season it's been for hockey.

[babyjesus]

yeah, read about this yesterday. such a sad day in sports. Hockey has had a tough year with deaths and tragedies. RIP boys