NHL Offseason 2011

[TheSeeker]

The KHL lost a whole team in a plane crash this morning.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

Sadly, a lot of familiar names on that team.

According to Sov Sport, Lokomotiv has confirmed that the entire main roster, plus four players from the youth team, was on the plane. The Lokomotiv roster was full of players with NHL ties.

The team's head coach, Brad McCrimmon, played in the NHL and most recently served as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings before taking the Yaroslavl job in May. Defensemen Karel Rachunek, Ruslan Salei and Karlis Skrastins, as well as forwards Pavol Demitra and Josef Vasicek all spent a good deal of time in the NHL. Forward Alexander Vasyunov played a handful of games with the New Jersey Devils this past season.

Former NHLers Igor Korolev and Alexander Karpovtsev were listed as assistant coaches for Lokomotiv.

From NHL.com

 

[BigFoot]

 

[Maestro]

The KHL lost a whole team in a plane crash this morning.

Now I kind of feel like a stupid ass for posting last night about how excited I was for hockey to start because of the KHL opener today.

May the saints open to them the doors of Heaven and may the angels escort them into the great hockey arena in the sky.

(BTW, in classy fashion, Mr Medvedev and the KHL suspended the Opening Cup after the First Period in honor of the members of Lokomotiv Yaraslavl who died in this terrible crash.)

 

[TheSeeker]

Can you imagine if that happened to one of our NHL teams? How would the franchise come back from that?

Also, my heart really goes out to the family and friends of all those lost. RIP

 

[Maestro]

It happened with Marshall's football team.

Not to diminish anyone's accomplishments, especially those from Lokomotiv who lost their lives, but there are a ton of talented hockey players out there in both the NCAA and Developmental leagues, as well as players on the bench in the NHL. I think you shut down Lokomotiv for the year and create an expansion draft to restart the team in 12-13.

You might even be able to play the back-half of the season as an exhibition of the new Lokomotiv.

 

[TheSeeker]

Sidney Crosby news conference is starting in a few minutes.

Edited to add: Looks like good news as far as recovery goes but no timeline on his return.

 

[Garak]

Can you imagine if that happened to one of our NHL teams? How would the franchise come back from that?

I heard on the radio that all 4 major sports leagues in North America have a contigency plan in case this happens - it involves doing some sort of draft to restock the team.

Very sad news.

 

[Maestro]

I would think it would go along the same lines as an expansion draft within the league and a supplemental draft of unsigned players.

Which means that Lokomotiv will probably get stuck with Alex Kangas next season!

 

[Gil T.Azell]

Sad truly sad,
Condolences to all the families, friends and fans, affected by this tragedy.

 

[tomalak301]

I've been thinking a lot about what happened today and I think my emotions have gone from shock to sadness to befuddlement, to "Why the hell did this happen". To have an entire team wiped out because of a plane crash is unimaginable, yet it happened, and this season has brought so much tragedy already with Boogard, Ryupin, and Belak last week. This is such a sad sad day for the Hockey community and my thoughts and prayers go out to all the family and friends.

 

[Maestro]

The KHL is suspending their season start until Monday, as well as tabling any discussion on how to rebuild Lokomotiv until then.

 

[TheSeeker]

The only player to survive the crash has died.