Pavol Demitra is no longer able to help Team Slovakia on the ice, but his spirit lives on in the thoughts of his countrymen. "Pavol is always with us," said Team Slovakia player Branko Radivojevic. "Everybody think of him, and we remember him. He's a great guy, he's still with us." Demitra was killed in a tragic plane crash along with the entire Lokomotiv KHL hockey team in Sept. 2011. He was the top scorer in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, notching 10 points in seven games along with a memorable shootout goal that lifted Slovakia over Russia in group play.

Saturday is the two-year anniversary of the terrible plane crash that took the lives of the entire Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team. Many in hockey circles are remembering their former friends and teammates who perished in the crash including prominent former NHL players Pavol Demitra, Ruslan Salei and Brad McCrimmon, who was a coach on the squad. Our thoughts and prayers once again go out to all who mourn those who died.

The only member of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl to survive Wednesday's tragic plane crash, Alexander Galimov, passed away on Monday. Doctors attempted to save his life after he suffered severe burns as a result of the crash. While many of the team's former members had experience elsewhere, Galimov spent his professional career with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv after being developed in their system. Yaroslavl Governor Sergei Vakhrukov described him as a fan favorite who "carried the team spirit of Lokomotiv and through his indomitable character often reversed the course of the most difficult games." He was only 26 years old. We would like to extend our condolences to Galimov's friends and family.

Tens of thousands of people flocked to a memorial ceremony Saturday for the victims of the Russian plane crash that devastated a top KHL hockey team. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was among those who crammed into the team's arena in Yaroslavl to lay flowers near coffins containing remains of players and staff of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team. Many wore scarves in the team's colours. Wednesday's crash of a chartered Yak-42 jet killed 43 people and was one of the sports world's worst aviation disasters. Of the 45 people on board, 36 were Lokomotiv players, coaches and team officials, including many European and former NHL players. Former NHL stars Pavol Demitra and Brad McCrimmon, the team coach, were among those who perished.

Former NHL player and assistant coach Brad McCrimmon was among the 43 people that died when the KHL's Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash on Wednesday. Pavol Demitra and Alexander Vasyunov also passed away. McCrimmon was an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings in 2010-11, but decided to coach the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl this season. This is a terrible tragedy and we want to offer our condolences to McCrimmon's friends and family.

Pavol Demitra's agent confirmed that his client was one of the people to tragically die in the KHL's Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash on Wednesday. The plane was carrying 45 passengers and crew and was transporting the Russian team to Minsk for their season opener. Former NHL Ruslan Salei was also a member of the squad, but there have been some conflicting reports as to whether or not he was on the plane. We'd like to extend our condolences to his family and friends.

A Russian plane with 45 passengers on board, including the KHL team Yaroslavl Lokomotiv crashed on Wednesday, killing 43 people. Two were left critically injured, according to officials. It's not yet known who was and wasn't on the plane, but former NHL players Pavol Demitra and Ruslan Salei both play for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv. In addition, Brad McCrimmon, who was formerly an assistant coach with the Atlanta Thrashers, Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Islanders, served as a coach for the KHL team. We'll update you with more information as it becomes available. We'd also like to send our condolences to all the families affected by this tragedy.