The hockey world was once again touched by tragedy as the plane carrying the Lokomotiv team of the KHL crashed upon takeoff in Yaroslavl in Russia. The loss of life is horrific, as friends, fathers, and loved ones were snatched away in this devasting accident.
One of those who lost his life was former Predators defenseman Karlis Skrastins. The following is a rememberance of Skrastins by Predators play by play announcer Pete Weber. Pete's poignant recollection needs no other words.
Remembering Karlis Skrastins (9/7/11)
By Pete Weber
This already has been an incredibly sad hockey off-season; the news early this morning (around 7 o’clock CT) of the plane crash into the Volga River, near Yaroslavl, Russia, marks this as hockey’s worst summer ever.
At least 43 have died as the result of the crash of the chartered YAK-42 passenger jet, carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team to Minsk, Belarus, where the season opener was scheduled for tomorrow night.
You would be familiar with the names of many of the victims: Coach Brad McCrimmon, forward Pavol Demitra, defenseman Ruslan Salei have been listed among them. Also listed are ex-Predators Josef Vasicek, defensemen Robert Dietrich and Karlis Skrastins. Vasicek spent part of the 2006-07 season with the Predators before being traded back to Carolina. Dietrich, a 2007 draft pick by the Predators, played two seasons (from 2008-2010) with the Milwaukee Admirals, then returned to Europe. He also represented Germany three times in the World Juniors and twice in the Senior World Championships.
Karlis Skrastins, with no disregard nor disrespect for the other victims, will be the focus here. Karlis was universally regarded as a top four defenseman during the course of his 12 full NHL seasons. Although recognized by Predators’ scouts as a good international prospect while playing for TPS Turku and in the World Championships in the spring of 1998, he was taken in the 9th round of that year’s draft, just weeks before his 24th birthday.
Yet, Karlis was the first member of the Predators’ first Entry Draft Class (which included David Legwand and Denis Arkhipov in the first and third rounds, respectively) to play an NHL game – as a matter of fact, he played two during the team’s first season, before Legwand was in the line-up for the final game that year. When Skrastins first put on a Predators’ uniform, there was an “h” at the end of his nameplate; because that’s the way his name is pronounced.
One of a considerable contingent of Latvian players to make the National Hockey League, Karlis was shy about interviews because of his initial difficulties with English – but he was always willing to cooperate. As many people adjusting to the language, he had difficulty with the “th” diphthong, and would substitute the “s” sound for it. As a result, he got the nickname “Sanks,” because he was always thanking coaches, staffers, and his teammates.
Personally, I will never forget his first trip to New York City in late January of 2000. The team bus pulled up in front of the hotel in Times Square, and as Karlis exited, I thought he was going to sprain his neck as he looked up in amazement at Times Square itself, along with the skyscrapers. He wasn’t in Riga any longer!
He was often partnered with Drake Berehowsky, later Mark Eaton and Richard Lintner, defensemen who had more offensive upside. That left Karlis to play the physical role in front of the net. He had the job of contending with players like Todd Bertuzzi (then of Vancouver). By that point in his career, Bertuzzi had perfected a pushing off move to separate himself from defensemen like Skrastins. One night at 501 Broadway, that move resulted in a cross-check to the face, a broken nose for Skrastins, a goal (and no penalty) for Bertuzzi. Skrastins just publicly accepted that as part of the game.
In all, Karlis played 302 games for the Predators, not missing a game in his last three seasons (2000 – 2003), beginning a streak of 495 consecutive games played, and the record for an NHL defenseman. Skrastins also played for Colorado (with whom his record streak ended), Florida, and the last two seasons with Dallas before deciding to sign with Yaroslavl.
Already today, Skrastins’ former teammate in Nashville and Florida, Washington Capitals’ goaltender Tomas Vokoun was reported distraught at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex this morning. Vokoun played parts of seven NHL seasons with Skrastins in front of him.
Perhaps Rene Fasel, President of the International Ice Hockey Federation, put it best in the aftermath of the crash. “This is the darkest day in the history of our sport. This is not only a Russian tragedy, the Lokomotiv roster included players and coaches from 10 nations," said Fasel, "This is a terrible tragedy for the global ice hockey community."
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s sentiments were similar: "Though it occurred thousands of miles away from our home arenas, this tragedy represents a catastrophic loss to the hockey world -- including the NHL family, which lost so many fathers, sons, teammates and friends who at one time excelled in our League. Our deepest condolences go to the families and loved ones of all who perished.”
All of this comes as we near the 10th Anniversary of the Attacks of 9-11-01 and on the heels of what the NHL has had to handle with the summertime deaths of Derek Boogard, Rick Rypien, and the Predators’ own Wade Belak. We can only hope – and feel – that this marks the end of the NHL’s most tragic summer.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
NHLPA Video: Reaction to Wade Belak's Death
You can go here to view a video on the NHLPA site with player reaction around the NHL about the death of Wade Belak.
While the video doesn't shed any new light on the facts surrounding Belak's tragic death, it is worth noting the comments from players about the need for improved identification of and assistance for problems that players may have. I would look for this to be brought up in the next CBA negotiation.
Also note the shot of the outside of the Air Canada Centre in Toronto at the 4:25 mark of the video. Toronto is where Wade spent the majority of his professional career.
A stick tap to my friend @dani3boyz who sent this video to me.
While the video doesn't shed any new light on the facts surrounding Belak's tragic death, it is worth noting the comments from players about the need for improved identification of and assistance for problems that players may have. I would look for this to be brought up in the next CBA negotiation.
Also note the shot of the outside of the Air Canada Centre in Toronto at the 4:25 mark of the video. Toronto is where Wade spent the majority of his professional career.
A stick tap to my friend @dani3boyz who sent this video to me.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
When the Music Stops
Athletes are different.
From an early age, their physical prowess separates them from the crowd. They are faster, stronger, and more driven to succeed in their athletic endeavors than their peers. They are told they are elite. They stand out from the crowd.
Once a athlete begins to play their sport, great attention is given to their physical needs and condition. They are poked and prodded and measured on all sorts of physical metrics. Speed, strength, cardiovascular conditioning are all measured, recorded, and measured some more. The attention to physical condition only intensifies as an athlete moves through the ranks.
Their physical abilities open doors that few are privileged to enter. They are treated differently because of their talents. The attention given them, even at an early age, is often unmatched. Not only are they told they are different, there is tangible evidence they are not like the general populace.
As an athlete progresses to each new level, the treatment both in and outside the arena of competition steps to a higher plane. The training is more intense, the competition for a roster spot more fierce. And at each succeeding level, the coaching is better, the physical care is taken to new heights, the food is better, and everything about the athlete's existence tells him he is different.
Be one of those that makes it to the pinnacle of their sport, the pro ranks, and your professional existence is taken to elite status. Your travel and accommodations on the road are seen to. You have the best training, the best equipment, the best medical care. Most of your needs are an afterthought- the team takes care of them.
This attention to an athlete's physical ability is normal and justified. That exceptional physical talent is what propelled them to success in their sport. As this tragic summer has painfully revealed however, there is more than just the physical component of an elite athlete that should be considered and nurtured.
Depending on the league, a pre-draft psychological evaluation of varying depth is conducted. In the NFL, their are extensive interviews as well as the (in)famous Wunderlich test that is given each prospective draftee. In the NHL, the psychological evaluation is not as in-depth. In either case, the evaluation is designed to see how well adjusted the individual is at the outset of their career.
A career that at the professional level is an amazing ride.
What happens when the music stops?
What happens when an athlete is no longer considered "elite", or when his playing days are over?
We all know that an athlete receives exemplary care when they suffer a physical injury. Doctors and trainers can get an athlete rehabilitated and back to competition from a physical injury in an amazingly brief amount of time. But what about the injury that doesn't show up on an MRI? What about the doubts and demons that plague some athletes to the point that they are overwhelmed?
Being an elite athlete is a high wire act that we as fans don't often see. The pressure to stay an elite athlete can be immense, and for many losing that elite status is frightening proposition. As an athlete ages, the physical limitations become more apparent, the threat of losing your job or your career looms larger. The pride that drives an athlete to be the best in their chosen sport now turns into a weight that can drag down even the most well adjusted. It is a voice that changes from "You're the best" to "You're not good enough".
The culture of professional sports has been to treat athletes as commodities.The NHL is no different than any other professional sport. The best raw products go into the system, and the ones that are no longer useful are let go. Brent Sopel echoed this sentiment in a tweet:
Sopel says what all elite athletes feel to a varying degree: once I am used up, I am of no value and will be discarded.
A lot of the focus on the tragedies of this summer has been on the guys that made their living as fighters in the NHL, and it is true that these players face a set of circumstances that are particularly difficult. It is not just the fighters, however. To varying degrees, it is all players. Yes, some handle the pressure of holding on to a roster spot or eventually being moved out of the League better than others, but the pressure is still there.
To focus on the burdens of the men who fight for a living in the NHL would be missing the larger point, and that is that the League has to commit to maintaining the psychological health of their players at the same level with which they take care of their physical health.
When a player comes into the League, they are given a baseline neurological evaluation which is used to assess their health in the event of suffering a concussion. Players have extensive physical examinations and evaluations at the start of each season. Why not a baseline psychological evaluation that is part of the pre-season testing? Identifying a potential problem early makes the treatment easier and more effective and protects the player's overall well being.
The mental health of a player is just as important as the physical health. It is time that the League takes the mental health of its players as seriously as it does their physical well being. It is too late when we hear a family member say that a deceased athlete was depressed or fighting some other demon.
It is not enough to wish an athlete well and send them on their way when their playing days are over. The transitional phase is tough, and all players face this emotionally and mentally challenging time. Teams have to make a commitment to their players well being after their playing days are done just as they did when they were playing.
This is not to say that the NHL or teams do nothing for their players. There are programs in place for treatment for addictions and for the transitional period when a player is finished with their career. What has to be done is an aggressively proactive program to avert the tragedies like those we have seen this summer.
We will not know if any of the losses of high profile players could have been averted if the NHL had regular psychological evaluations. One has to believe that routine psychological profiles could have identified earlier the problems with which the players contended.
The NHL has to evaluate mental health as it does physical health and give it the same level of care.
Otherwise, we will continue to too frequently hear funeral dirges when the music stops.
From an early age, their physical prowess separates them from the crowd. They are faster, stronger, and more driven to succeed in their athletic endeavors than their peers. They are told they are elite. They stand out from the crowd.
Once a athlete begins to play their sport, great attention is given to their physical needs and condition. They are poked and prodded and measured on all sorts of physical metrics. Speed, strength, cardiovascular conditioning are all measured, recorded, and measured some more. The attention to physical condition only intensifies as an athlete moves through the ranks.
Their physical abilities open doors that few are privileged to enter. They are treated differently because of their talents. The attention given them, even at an early age, is often unmatched. Not only are they told they are different, there is tangible evidence they are not like the general populace.
As an athlete progresses to each new level, the treatment both in and outside the arena of competition steps to a higher plane. The training is more intense, the competition for a roster spot more fierce. And at each succeeding level, the coaching is better, the physical care is taken to new heights, the food is better, and everything about the athlete's existence tells him he is different.
Be one of those that makes it to the pinnacle of their sport, the pro ranks, and your professional existence is taken to elite status. Your travel and accommodations on the road are seen to. You have the best training, the best equipment, the best medical care. Most of your needs are an afterthought- the team takes care of them.
This attention to an athlete's physical ability is normal and justified. That exceptional physical talent is what propelled them to success in their sport. As this tragic summer has painfully revealed however, there is more than just the physical component of an elite athlete that should be considered and nurtured.
Depending on the league, a pre-draft psychological evaluation of varying depth is conducted. In the NFL, their are extensive interviews as well as the (in)famous Wunderlich test that is given each prospective draftee. In the NHL, the psychological evaluation is not as in-depth. In either case, the evaluation is designed to see how well adjusted the individual is at the outset of their career.
A career that at the professional level is an amazing ride.
What happens when the music stops?
What happens when an athlete is no longer considered "elite", or when his playing days are over?
We all know that an athlete receives exemplary care when they suffer a physical injury. Doctors and trainers can get an athlete rehabilitated and back to competition from a physical injury in an amazingly brief amount of time. But what about the injury that doesn't show up on an MRI? What about the doubts and demons that plague some athletes to the point that they are overwhelmed?
Being an elite athlete is a high wire act that we as fans don't often see. The pressure to stay an elite athlete can be immense, and for many losing that elite status is frightening proposition. As an athlete ages, the physical limitations become more apparent, the threat of losing your job or your career looms larger. The pride that drives an athlete to be the best in their chosen sport now turns into a weight that can drag down even the most well adjusted. It is a voice that changes from "You're the best" to "You're not good enough".
The culture of professional sports has been to treat athletes as commodities.The NHL is no different than any other professional sport. The best raw products go into the system, and the ones that are no longer useful are let go. Brent Sopel echoed this sentiment in a tweet:
Sopel says what all elite athletes feel to a varying degree: once I am used up, I am of no value and will be discarded.
A lot of the focus on the tragedies of this summer has been on the guys that made their living as fighters in the NHL, and it is true that these players face a set of circumstances that are particularly difficult. It is not just the fighters, however. To varying degrees, it is all players. Yes, some handle the pressure of holding on to a roster spot or eventually being moved out of the League better than others, but the pressure is still there.
To focus on the burdens of the men who fight for a living in the NHL would be missing the larger point, and that is that the League has to commit to maintaining the psychological health of their players at the same level with which they take care of their physical health.
When a player comes into the League, they are given a baseline neurological evaluation which is used to assess their health in the event of suffering a concussion. Players have extensive physical examinations and evaluations at the start of each season. Why not a baseline psychological evaluation that is part of the pre-season testing? Identifying a potential problem early makes the treatment easier and more effective and protects the player's overall well being.
The mental health of a player is just as important as the physical health. It is time that the League takes the mental health of its players as seriously as it does their physical well being. It is too late when we hear a family member say that a deceased athlete was depressed or fighting some other demon.
It is not enough to wish an athlete well and send them on their way when their playing days are over. The transitional phase is tough, and all players face this emotionally and mentally challenging time. Teams have to make a commitment to their players well being after their playing days are done just as they did when they were playing.
This is not to say that the NHL or teams do nothing for their players. There are programs in place for treatment for addictions and for the transitional period when a player is finished with their career. What has to be done is an aggressively proactive program to avert the tragedies like those we have seen this summer.
We will not know if any of the losses of high profile players could have been averted if the NHL had regular psychological evaluations. One has to believe that routine psychological profiles could have identified earlier the problems with which the players contended.
The NHL has to evaluate mental health as it does physical health and give it the same level of care.
Otherwise, we will continue to too frequently hear funeral dirges when the music stops.
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