20498 replies to this topic

[ChelisChick]

I'm feeling your pain, Linda. I SO wish I was going. If Daniel had started his job a month earlier, I'd be up there. Oh well...Just like I say every year, there's always next year!

[55fan]

When I win the lottery, we're all going. I'll fly by and pick y'all up.

Ok, back to reality.

Thanks for identifying the new boys and/or boys I haven't seen in a while. Block? GREAT name for a goalie!

[Kira]

Seems rather appropriate, doesn't it?

If any of you did come up I would make sure you had a place to stay and food. You wouldn't go hungry, that's for sure. We're going to have to figure out some way to get us all together.

[WizardOfOz30]

Oh, I know, Dawn. Thank you for the offer... I was playing with "dream" vacation which is the whole thing. I am sure you and Sheri will have a great time. I never actually considered going, for real. Just the airfare is more than I can spare.

Maybe another year. I agree with Pat, we need to try to all meet up eventually, if not at camp at a game somehow. Whoever wins the lottery will take care of it.

[Kira]

I am just heartbroken over what happened this morning in Russia. I have a very fond memory of Brad McCrimmon giving my red carnation to Pasha for me. I will never forget it. What a terrible way to start the day, seeing the news. I think we all need to take a minute to cherish our friends and family, and remind ourselves how blessed we are to have them.

[55fan]

I can't even think. How sad.

[ChelisChick]

Taken back in February.







Taken in April.





My heart is broken. What can a person say at a time like this?

[puckloo39]

I am just devastated... I've cried all afternoon over this. Rusty signed my jersey when I was in Nashville with Kristi. Rest in peace, Rusty, Brad and Stefan.

We lost a lot of the NHL family today, so very sad and untimely.

[ChelisChick]

I know he wasn't a Wing, but I don't think anyone will care if I post these.

Karlis Skrastins, #37. Taken back in December.





Pavol Demitra. Taken in 2009.

[puckloo39]

I loved Pavol... what a sweet guy, class act all the way. This is just wrecking me emotionally... I can't imagine what all the families are going through. What a waste. So sad.

[Miss Wing Queen]

My heart is just breaking today. I heard at lunch from my work Wings buddy, who asked if I'd heard about the crash, then said that Brad and Ruslan were on the plane, and that there were only two survivors. My screensaver at work is pictures from training camp and Toast of Hockeytown, and it was a very somber moment when my picture with Ruslan Salei came up.

I just can't imagine what their families are going through, especially Bethann Salei with her six month baby. I cried even more when I read the story on the Red Wing's site and saw their daughter's full name is Ava Ruslanova Salei. I think it hits me even more because of the sad parallels to the children of 9/11 who lost their parent(s) as infants. God grant them the strength to get through this devastating time as well as for the rest of the Wings, having lost former teammates and friends.

Edited by Miss Wing Queen, 07 September 2011 - 08:01 PM.

[WizardOfOz30]

Today was so sad and it's hard to read everyone's thoughts and feelings. It's times like this that may you appreciate everything you have in your life.

[Kira]

I will always remember that sweet smile of Brad McCrimmon's. They will be missed terribly, and I know that fans in Colorado, St. Louis, Vancouver, New York, Dallas, Anaheim and all the other places that these people played and entertained the fans feel the same. We all lost some loved ones today.

www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=587971

The article is not that long, but it's Pasha...a very sad and subdued Pasha. My dear angel, know this - we love you, and we know the pain you're feeling.

Edited by Kira, 08 September 2011 - 06:36 PM.

[Miss Wing Queen]

This photo hit me like a punch to the stomach. It's still so raw . . .



There are more here from the second memorial service held for the victims.

[puckloo39]

I find it hard to believe that Rusty and all those men are in those coffins. It's so surreal, and so terribly sad. Not for the first time since this happened, I've wished it was all a bad, bad dream.

[Kira]

You're not kidding. They had a little bit of an interview with Pasha on Yahoo Sports and he was so subdued...

"I caught myself thinking that I still cannot believe it. I cannot accept that this actually happened. Only now I am starting to realize that you cannot bring the guys back. I don't want to believe it...But now you have to live with it.

'I still held hope that Ruslan Salei arrived in Minsk ahead of Lokomotiv. That he was not on the doomed flight. I received a lot of messages. Some people wrote that he was alive. Others claimed he was not. There was no certainty.

"But now it was announced with certainty that Salei was on the plane. That's how my last hope died.

"I got a feeling that you should treasure your life more. Perhaps these things happen by the will of someone from above. To ensure we don't forget that we are all under one God."

I hope to get a chance to tell Pasha how we feel...that we know a little of the pain he feels, and that he isn't alone. It's not much, but it's all that I have.

[Jenny]

I was hoping to bring some great pictures from Hockeyfest to help cheer everyone up a little, but my camera betrayed me. It had reasonably fresh batteries, but it gave me a "NEEDS NEW BATTERIES!!!!" error message and wouldn't let me take any shots. I'm starting to think the camera must have been made in Chicago or Denver-- it's done this to me twice, and both times were at the Joe!

I can report that I met Todd Bertuzzi, Ian White, Johan Franzen, Ty Conklin, Danny Cleary ( ), Jakub Kindl, Jan Mursak, and Nik Kronwall. Of the alumni group, I met Jason Woolley and Manny Legace. I was shaking like a leaf when I met Manny, because I've had a huge crush on him for, oh, 10 years or so! And I'd never had the chance to meet him before. I had him sign the bobblehead of himself that I got as a premium for applying for a Red Wings credit card I didn't even want, 10 years ago. (I turned down the card but kept the bobble-Manny.) And I can report that he was highly amused by encountering his bobble-self, and that I nearly melted when I shook his hand and he was looking right straight at me with those beautifully intense blue eyes, and maybe he held on to my hand a little longer than politeness demanded. Oh my! (My husband was highly amused by this entire fangirly episode.)

Really, all the guys were great. They all made eye contact, rather than just signing our stuff and passing us along. I thought I'd be totally freaked out trying to find something to say to each of the guys, because I am not good at talking to people AT ALL, but they were so cheerful about everything that it made it easy for me to thank them for the autographs and wish them good luck with the rest of the season. And Mule personally assured me that his injuries are all healed up and he's ready for the season!

I do wish I could have met some of the other guys who were there, but the lines for guys like Pavel, Hank, Lidstrom, and Homer were about 2 hours long. We went for the shorter lines and it was a wonderful day.

Something a little more serious-- on the concourse they still have up the player portraits from last year (the ones on the support columns as you go along the middle of the concourse). The one for Salei-- periodically people would walk up to it and touch it gently, cross themselves, bow their heads, or whatever, all very respectful. We walked closely past it on the way out, and I noticed that someone had written on the bottom corner of it, "We love you." It's the only graffiti I have ever seen at the Joe. I hope they leave it, because it was really very moving.

[puckloo39]

Jenny, pics or no, you made my day with your report of the fanfest. I am so happy for you and so glad you got to attend, and especially that you got to meet Manny, your bobble-boy. I loved him, as well. Glad to hear he's doing OK.

I would have done as you did and gone for the "less famous" Wings, much as I love Pasha and Nick and Z. You did the smart thing and had a great experience because you were smart!!

The story about Ruslan makes me tear up again, not that it takes much right now. I know everyone here will keep him in their hearts, too, always a Wing to us. He will be missed and remembered. RIP, Rusty, and Brad and Stefan. Gone too soon...

I posted this in another thread about training camp and people just posted right past my thoughts, so I will try here.

If I were lucky enough to go to training camp, I would make sure that I somehow acknowledged Ruslan and Brad and Stefan... a poster, a t-shirt, buttons with their numbers, something, so that the Wings know we will never forget their friends and brothers.

That's just me, and I am not going to training camp, probably ever, but I would do that... I hope someone does this, and I hope the Wings wear their initials or numbers on their helmets or uniforms, or maybe they paint a little tribute under the ice for the season at the Joe.

It only seems right, when they were taken from us too soon... RIP.

[Miss Wing Queen]

Puckloo, I didn't pass by your post in my thoughts. I already had been thinking about that. I have an idea, but I'm going to call Centre Ice to talk to them about something.

This has touched me so much, I feel something should be done to remember them. I know training camp is supposed to be happy, but I think we could do something to remember the lost team members.

[Kira]

Jenny, I'm so glad you had fun. I love Manny too...I met him the first year I went to camp, and hugging him is like hugging a teddy bear. He's a sweetheart, no doubt about it.

I've a good feeling that there will be something at camp to remember the guys. I'd bet on it. It would only be right and proper. I'm glad someone wrote that on Ruslan's pillar pic...he will be remembered.

And Loo, you're not alone in the tears. I'm so afraid the minute I see Pasha I'm gonna lose it and end up crying my heart out. This is gonna be rough.