Ex-NHLers killed in plane crash

[hcsvader 1]

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/NHLers+Demitra+McCrimmon+Rachunek+reported+killed+plane+crash/5363841/story.html

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Several former NHL players — including Pavol Demitra, Brad McCrimmon and Karel Rachunek — are reported among the dead after a Russian jet carrying a hockey team crashed on takeoff Wednesday, killing at least 43.

McCrimmon, 52, a former Calgary Flame and Saskatchewan native who's the coach for the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv team, died in the crash, according to Russia Today, an English language broadcasting network.

There were 45 people on board — 37 passengers and eight crew — the Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger jet that was carrying the team.

Initial reports suggest two people survived the accident — Yaroslavl player Alexander Galimov and one of the stewards. Russia Today said Galimov was in hospital covered in 80 per cent burns.

Another team member, former Detroit Red Wing Ruslan Salei, reportedly escaped the tragedy as he travelled to Minsk earlier.

The plane was bound for the Belarusian capital of Minsk where the team was scheduled to play its season opener in the Kontinental Hockey League when the plane plummeted to the ground and burst into flames.

A Lokomotiv team spokesman told Russian outlet SovSport that officials were still in shock.

"The plane with our team was supposed to take off around 4 p.m. At first we didn't want to believe it. But right now there is no hope. The team is gone. I heard that there are two people (who survived) and are in critical condition. But I don't know who they are."

News slowly poured in of confirmed deaths from the players' agents.

Former Canuck and Senator player Demitra was among five foreign players confirmed dead on a Russian air crash Wednesday, according to AFP.

Other players include Sweden's Stefan Liv and Czech Republic's Josef Vasicek, who played for the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders, Jan Marek, and Rachunek, who played for the Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils.

Matt Keator, Pavol Demitra's agent, said on Twitter that he wanted "everybody to know what an infectious energy (Demitra) has, what a wonderful person he was."

McCrimmon only took the head coaching job with Yaroslav this spring after parting ways with the Wings following the season.

McCrimmon played in the NHL from 1979 until 1997 with Boston, Calgary, Philadelphia, Hartford, Detroit and Phoenix. He had 81 goals, 322 assists and 1,416 penalty minutes in 1,222 regular season games.

Have you seen my pants?
it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream
>:)

[CanuckInUSA 0]

RIP to the deceased and my condolences to their friends and families.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[gravitysurfer 0]

RIP. Thoughts and prayers out to loved ones and family.

aloha.

[grimmie 186]

It's a sad day for hockey...

[charlie5 0]

I'll never fly a Russian or Chinese jet, those things have a horrible track record.

RIP

The feather butts bounce off ya like raindrops hitting a battle-star when they come in too fast...kinda funny to watch. - airtwardo

[raceface 0]

RIP Pavol Demitra, great personality, not only on ice :-[

my pictures

[dannydan 5]

so did the DC10

[tharv17 0]

Such a sad off-season for hockey.

[lawrocket 3]

I was shocked and saddened. The loss of a guy like Demitra, among others. Such a sad thing.

But check this out. It gave me chills and got me kinda choked up. The images. The pucks into the empty net. Our friends on the other side of the world should be applauded. I tip my hat.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-Dynamo-Minsk-8217-s-hockey-funeral-for-L?urn=nhl-wp12157

My wife is hotter than your wife.