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View Full Version : Courtnall, Royal's boss hit hard by deaths



CdnSailor
09-08-2011, 12:07 PM
The Yaroslavl Lokomotiv air tragedy Wednesday has hit two members of the Island hockey community hard.

Former NHLer Geoff Courtnall of Victoria played four seasons on the St. Louis Blues with Pavol Demitra as one of his linemates.

"I was very close to Pavol and it's sad to lose him but mostly I'm sad for his wife Maja and their children," said Courtnall.

Victoria Royals GM and head coach Marc Habscheid said he lost not only a former teammate and cocoach in Brad McCrimmon but a good friend.

"This is a horrible day for hockey," said a subdued Habscheid.

"Most of all, I feel terrible for Brad's wife, kids and parents."

Head coach McCrimmon and player Demitra were among 43 killed Wednesday, including most members of the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv team of Russia's Continental Hockey League (KHL), when their plane crashed on takeoff to the season opener in Minsk, Belarus.

"I brought Brad over as assistant coach when I coached Team Canada [Habscheid has coached national teams at the senior and junior levels] because he was a great man who loved the game," said Habscheid, who also played with McCrimmon on the Detroit Red Wings and against his friend many times as opponents in the NHL.

The Royals boss fondly remembers a man who belied his nickname, the Beast.

"Brad was a big, burly guy who played the game honorably," said Habscheid.

"He was a quality person."

Habscheid said the numerous flights taken by pro athletes and entertainers does play on the back of the mind, but it's simply part of doing business.

"I went with Team Canada to the Soviet Union in 1986 and it was scary flying over there then, and I don't know if it's changed much," said Habscheid, a former national team player.

Courtnall was in Russia for a Washington Capitals training camp in 1989 and noted: "The planes there were terrible."

But flying extensively comes with the territory of pro sports. Even at the minor-pro level, the Victoria Salmon Kings flew to all their away games during seven seasons in the ECHL.

"It was always a fear through my career," said Courtnall. "For 18 years in the NHL, I was almost always in the air. That amount of flying was a concern for me."

As coach and GM of the Western Hockey League's Royals, Habscheid now does most of his travelling by bus to away games. But he's done his share of flying during his pro playing and coaching career in North America and Europe.

"There is a lot of travelling involved in both pro sports and entertainment," noted Habscheid.

"You try not to think about it and it becomes routine. But you know there is always the possibility of being involved in accidents when that much travelling is involved."

McCrimmon was one of the best players in the WHL from 1976 to 1979 when the old Victoria Cougars were part of the major-junior circuit.

"The Western Hockey League and Brandon Wheat Kings are devastated by the tragic loss of Brad McCrimmon and members of the KHL Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Hockey Club," said WHL commissioner Ron Robison, in a staement Wednesday.

"Brad was not only one of the greatest players in WHL history, he was a great leader. Our thoughts and prayers along with our deepest sympathy are extended to Brad's wife Maureen and their children Carlin and Liam, the McCrimmon family, his friends and former teammates during this very difficult time."

Courtnall was a part of those WHL Cougars teams, although he played after McCrimmon graduated from junior. He never got to play with McCrimmon in the NHL but against him several times.

Demitra, however, was a linemate.

"Pavol was intense on the ice but happy-go-lucky off it," said Courtnall. "He enjoyed hockey and life." cdheensaw@timescolonist.com



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