43 people are dead in Russia after a plane crashed soon after takeoff in good weather. The plane was carrying the Kontinental Hockey League's Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team.
Two people apparently survived the crash and it is unknown who on the team was on the plane at the time.
Reports say: "Lokomotiv Yaroslavl is a leading force in Russian hockey and came third in the KHL last year. The team's coach is Canadian Brad McCrimmon, who took over in May. He was mosly recently an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings, and played 18 years in the NHL for Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Hartford and Phoenix.
"The Russian team also featured several top European players and former NHL stars, including Slovakian forward and national team captain Pavol Demitra, who played in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks.
"Other top names include forward Josef Vasicek of the Czech Republic, Czech defenseman Karel Rachunek, Russian defensemen Ruslan Salei and Karlis Skrastins, and Swedish goalie Stefan Liv.
"The KHL is an international club league that pits together teams from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia and Slovakia. Lokomotiv was a three-time Russian League champion in 1997, 2002-2003. It took bronze last season."
This is certainly a big hole in the hearts of international hockey fans.
Turning to national news: the death of a third NHL enforcer, Wade Belak.
Wade was found dead in his home in Toronto a week ago, August 31. His death, which is being treated as a suicide according to Sportsnet.ca, has rocked the hockey world. The popular redhead had just retired midseason because of an arthritic hip and had recently signed a deal to work on Predators' television broadcasts. He leaves behind his wife and two young children.
Foxsports verifies the Sportsnet.ca suicide claims by reporting that Belak hanged himself.
There are still no reports (no good ones) as to what happened with Rick Rypien. The other death this off season in the NHL was Aaron Boogard who died of a drug/alcohol overdose. These series of deaths has caused the NHL and the NHL Player's Association to issue a joint statement Thursday in response to the loss of three of its players in the span of one offseason.
The statement read in part: ''While the circumstances of each case are unique, these tragic events cannot be ignored. We are committed to examining, in detail, the factors that may have contributed to these events, and to determining whether concrete steps can be taken to enhance player welfare and minimize the likelihood of such events taking place.''
Toronto Maple Leaf Tie Domi is encouraged that the NHL and the NHLPA are taking steps to help the league's players. It was a subject he discussed with Dr. Brian Shaw on his flight to Nashville Saturday. Shaw is the co-director of the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program,
''I sat with Dr. Shaw on the plane yesterday,'' Domi said. ''It is in good hands with the league and the PA.''
I am of the belief that tragedy of this kind generally come in cycles because of copycat syndrome. This is highly speculative, but it would not surprise me if Wade and Ryan saw Aaron finally at peace and decided to take matters into their own hands to end their pain. Of course, they have caused a ripple effect of more pain by those they have left behind. We all feel horrible about the situations, but none moreso than the family, friends, and teammates of those we've lost.
I hope the pain, the tragedies, end soon.
TTFN
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