MOSCOW — The head of the Russian ice hockey league, Vyacheslav Fetisov, said Thursday that he was hopeful of rebuilding the stricken Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team “in the next two to three days” despite much of the squad being killed in a plane crash.
The start of the season was postponed in the wake of Wednesday’s tragic crash, which killed 43 people including members of the three-time Russian champion as it traveled to its first game of the season.
Fetisov said that players from around the league were volunteering to participate in the rebirth of the club by playing for Lokomotiv, while KHL (Continental Hockey League) president Alexander Medvedev announced that the new season likely would start Tuesday.
“The new Lokomotiv team will be formed within the next two or three days,” Fetisov said. “They will play in the new KHL season. Many of the league’s players said right after the tragedy they were ready to support Lokomotiv and play for Yaroslavl in the new season. At least 30 players have already expressed their desire to play there. This says a lot about players’ solidarity and the tremendous traditions of our hockey.”
Fetisov, the most decorated hockey player in Russian history, said the league would be working out a solution to allow players to transfer from other clubs, although players from Lokomotiv’s youth squad also could be called upon.
Medvedev said, “The new season will likely start Tuesday. The matches that have been postponed will be played during the breaks in the league calendar.”
Yaroslavl player Alexander Galimov was the only team member on board the plane to survive the accident, but he suffered at least 80 percent burns. One of the flight’s eight crew members was the only other survivor following the crash, which occurred during takeoff at an airport outside Yaroslavl.
Lokomotiv’s recent signing from the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, Belarus international Ruslan Salei, had a lucky escape as he had traveled to Minsk earlier for the season opener.