Reactions Around the NHL to the Tragic Team Lokomotiv Plane Crash
The hockey world was saddened beyond belief Wednesday morning as news broke out about a tragic plane crash in Russia. The plane was carrying Team Lokomotiv-- the top team in the KHL-- and killed almost everyone in it (43 to be exact).
Some familiar names of the passengers in the devastating plane crash are Pavel Demitra, Brad McCrimmon, Ruslan Salei, Karel Rachunek, Josef Vasicek, Karlis Skrastins, Igor Korolev, Alexander Karpovtsev and Alexander Vasyunov. All nine of them were former NHL'ers and lost their life in the crash. The lone survivors from the horrific crash were Alexander Galimov and crew-member. Galimov suffered burns to 90% of his body. Alexander Ovechkin, who grew up playing hockey with Galimov tweeted shortly after the plane crash, "I’m in shock!!!!!R.I.P..."
Marian Gaborik, now a member of the Rangers, played on the same line with Pavel Demitra during his time with the Minnesota Wild and the two also were teammates on the Slovakian Olympic team.
"You just can't really believe it, you know?" the Rangers star forward said yesterday after skating with many of his teammates at the team's Westchester practice complex. "It's tough. I can't imagine how it is for his family . . . it's a shock. All of a sudden, he's gone. It's horrible."
He also tweeted, "Demo,u will always b in my heart.U were one of my best friends on and off the ice.U will be greatly missed by all of us.My condolences..."
Meanwhile, popular Canadian coach Brad McCrimmon also lost his life in the tragedy. Just a year ago, he was assist coach of the Red Wings he went to Team Lokomotiv to become a head coach for the first time in his life.
"He was my (defensive) partner my first year over here, and he was my roommate, too, so I got to know him really well," said Nicklas Lidstrom.
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