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Russian Ice hockey team dies in air crash
Russia's Kontinental Hockey League has confirmed "almost all" of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team, including Canadian coach Brad McCrimmon and some former NHLers, were killed Wednesday in a plane crash in Western Russia.
Russia's emergency situations ministry said the 120-seat Yak-42 plane carrying the team crashed Wednesday after leaving an airport near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River northeast of Moscow. The KHL said in a statement that two people, player Alexander Galimov and one of the crew members, survived and are critically injured.
McCrimmon, a former NHL veteran and assistant coach, joined the team as head coach in May.
The emergency ministry said Czech players Josef Vasicek, Karel Rachunek and Jan Marek, Swedish goalie Stefan Liv and Latvian defenseman Karlis Skrastins were among those killed.
Matt Keator, agent for former Vancouver Canuck star Pavol Demitra, told CBC News that he contacted the agency Demitra deals with in Russia and was told the player was on board the plane, but he couldn't confirm it.
"I hope he's safe, but I've been told he's not," Keator said. "I've been trying to reach his family, but obviously it's a tough time for them right now."
The team's 2011 roster also includes Demitra, as well as former NHLers Karlis Skrastins and Ruslan Salei. Former Toronto Maple Leaf players Igor Korolev and Alexander Karpovtsev are listed as the team's assistant coaches.
But it is unclear whether any of those players were on board the plane that crashed Wednesday.
Originally from Dodsland, Saskatchewan, McCrimmon was a former assistant coach for the New York Islanders, Calgary Flames, Atlanta Thrashers and Detroit Red Wings. His NHL career spanned 18 seasons and 1,222 games with five teams, including the Flames, the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit.
Calgary Flames president and CEO Ken King said the death of former McCrimmon was unimaginable. He said McCrimmon was a great friend, associate who was "invincible, we all thought."
Shortly after news of the crash emerged, Riley Armstrong, who was listed on the team's roster, posted a Twitter message saying he was not on board the flight because he is attending a team training camp in St. John's.
"I'm safe but thanks for the kind words," he said on Twitter. "Pray and think of the players and their families on that flight."
Ice hockey team dies in air crash: Voice of Russia
Russian air crash kills 'almost all' of KHL team - Montreal - CBC News
Russia's Kontinental Hockey League has confirmed "almost all" of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team, including Canadian coach Brad McCrimmon and some former NHLers, were killed Wednesday in a plane crash in Western Russia.
Russia's emergency situations ministry said the 120-seat Yak-42 plane carrying the team crashed Wednesday after leaving an airport near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River northeast of Moscow. The KHL said in a statement that two people, player Alexander Galimov and one of the crew members, survived and are critically injured.
McCrimmon, a former NHL veteran and assistant coach, joined the team as head coach in May.
The emergency ministry said Czech players Josef Vasicek, Karel Rachunek and Jan Marek, Swedish goalie Stefan Liv and Latvian defenseman Karlis Skrastins were among those killed.
Matt Keator, agent for former Vancouver Canuck star Pavol Demitra, told CBC News that he contacted the agency Demitra deals with in Russia and was told the player was on board the plane, but he couldn't confirm it.
"I hope he's safe, but I've been told he's not," Keator said. "I've been trying to reach his family, but obviously it's a tough time for them right now."
The team's 2011 roster also includes Demitra, as well as former NHLers Karlis Skrastins and Ruslan Salei. Former Toronto Maple Leaf players Igor Korolev and Alexander Karpovtsev are listed as the team's assistant coaches.
But it is unclear whether any of those players were on board the plane that crashed Wednesday.
Originally from Dodsland, Saskatchewan, McCrimmon was a former assistant coach for the New York Islanders, Calgary Flames, Atlanta Thrashers and Detroit Red Wings. His NHL career spanned 18 seasons and 1,222 games with five teams, including the Flames, the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit.
Calgary Flames president and CEO Ken King said the death of former McCrimmon was unimaginable. He said McCrimmon was a great friend, associate who was "invincible, we all thought."
Shortly after news of the crash emerged, Riley Armstrong, who was listed on the team's roster, posted a Twitter message saying he was not on board the flight because he is attending a team training camp in St. John's.
"I'm safe but thanks for the kind words," he said on Twitter. "Pray and think of the players and their families on that flight."
Ice hockey team dies in air crash: Voice of Russia
Russian air crash kills 'almost all' of KHL team - Montreal - CBC News
