9 replies to this topic

[YzerFan19]

Dmitry Chesnokov and the Puck Daddy guys are reporting that a plane carrying the majority of the KHL's Lokomotiv team has crashed in Russia. Right now it looks like the lone survivor was a crewmember, all team members were lost.

Lokomotiv is coached by former Detroit assistant Brad McCrimmon and included Ruslan Salei and former Detroit prospect Stefan Liv. Other former NHLers included Josef Vasicek, Pavol Demitra, Karel Rachunek, and Karlis Skrastins.

[YzerFan19]

The entire roster was on the plane.

Lokomotiv official said the entire team was on the plane because they were traveling for the 1st game of the season, a celebration.

http://twitter.com/#!/dchesnokov/statuses/111437557983752192

[YzerFan19]

Reportedly Ruslan Salei was not on the plane, as he was already in Minsk waiting for the team.

Edit: This has not been reliably confirmed but several mainstream media reporters have tweeted it.

Edit (10:51 AM): Belorussian news agencies now confirming that Ruslan Salei was on board.

[SYfanSD]

Fox news is saying 36 dead and one survivor (no name given).

[YzerFan19]

Alexander Galimov is reportedly the only surviving player (there may have been a surviving crewmember, different numbers are being thrown around than initially) and has burns over 80% of his body.

Edit: Pavel Lysenkov tweets that Galimov died in the hospital but that Salei is alive in Minsk.

Edit (11:06 AM): Pavol Demitra confirmed deceased by his agent. He and Liv are the only true confirmations at this time, I think.

[YzerFan19]

Per Puck Daddy, Lokomotiv has confirmed that the entire main roster was on the plane. Russia Today confirms that head coach Brad McCrimmon was as well.

[SYfanSD]

Very, very sad day.

[Mathieu_Datsyuk132351]

This is heartbreaking ): And probably one of the saddest off seasons, ever.

[OldBroad]

This is heartbreaking ): And probably one of the saddest off seasons, ever.

Truly heartbreaking, and yes, a very sad off-season...my heart goes out to their families, to the inconsolable young wives and children....

[NorthStar]

Still a huge effect as of today.. am thinking everyone in the hockey world will now pay attention and honor the dead with special patches and etc.. I can still remember feeling so flaggerested when I heard the news of the KHL team's plane crashing and killing almost everyone.. wow.. really a terrible tragedy to happen....