Former Dallas Stars defenseman killed in Russian air tragedy

FRISCO, Texas – Former Dallas Stars defenseman Karlis Skrastins was reportedly among the victims of a Russian airliner that crashed outside of the Yaroslavl airport, about 150 miles northeast of Moscow.

Skrastins, 37, spent the last two seasons with the Stars. He signed with the club as an unrestricted free agent in July of 2009. In 153 regular season games with the club, Skrastins tallied 21 points (5 G, 16 A) and 62 penalty minutes. The majority of the crash victims were members of the Kontinental Hockey League club, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. The  plane was carrying the team to Minsk, the Belarusian capital, for a Thursday night game against Dynamo Minsk to open the 2011-12 KHL season. Skrastins signed with Lokomotiv in May. The crash occurred at 12 noon Moscow time and the weather was sunny and clear. Reports indicate that the plane was unable to reach a safe altitude fast enough upon take-off and clipped a fence and a navigation antenna before it crashed to the ground, broke apart and burst into flames. Skrastins, 37, a native of Riga, Latvia, was selected by the Nashville Predators in the ninth round (230th overall) in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He played five seasons with the Predators and their International Hockey League affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. In 2003, he signed with the Colorado Avalanche, playing four seasons with the team before being traded to the Florida Panthers near the end of the 2007-08 season. With the Avalanche in 2007, Skrastins set the all-time NHL record for most consecutive games played, at 487. “The Dallas Stars family is shocked and saddened by the passing of Karlis Skrastins and so many other young lives in a plane crash in Russia today,” Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Karlis’ wife Zane and his two daughters, Karolina and Laurena, as well as all of the families and friends who lost loved ones on the plane. Karlis was a wonderful father and husband, as well as a good friend. He will be greatly missed.” Contact the writer/photographer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com