Kaspars Astashenko

Kaspars Astašenko (17 February 1975 – 20 November 2012) was a Latvian professional ice hockey player. Astašenko was born in Riga, Latvia. Astašenko was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, 127th overall. Astašenko played parts of two seasons in the National Hockey League with the Lightning.
==Playing career==
===Junior===
Astašenko began his career in his native Riga with HK Pārdaugava Rīga, competing in both the Latvian top league and later to Russian Superleague before signing with Russian club, HC CSKA Moscow in 1995.
===North America===
In 1998, Astašenko signed with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the International Hockey League. After a stint with the Cyclones, Astašenko was surprisingly drafted by Tampa Bay and went on to play 23 regular games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Lightning as well as playing for the IHL's Detroit Vipers and Long Beach Ice Dogs. He later played in the American Hockey League for the Springfield Falcons and the Lowell Lock Monsters.
===Europe===
He would return to Europe in 2003, with stops at Finland's SM-liiga with Ilves and HPK, back in Russia with Khimik Voskresensk, the Slovak Extraliga with HC Slovan Bratislava, Ritten Sport of Italy's Serie A and the United Kingdom's Elite Ice Hockey League for the Belfast Giants as well as brief spells in his native Latvia and the lower leagues in Finland.
==International play==
Astašenko played for the Latvian national team in the Ice Hockey World Championships in 2001 and 2006, as well as the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
==Personal life==
In 2003, Astašenko was arrested for possession of Heroin in the United States, effectively ending his North American career. After suffering from various addictions, Astašenko died on 20 November 2012.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1991–92 	HK Cesis Vendenieki 	LAT 		12 	7 	5 	12 	14 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	RASMS Rīga 	CIS-3 		5 	1 	0 	1 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1992–93 	Pārdaugava Rīga 	LAT 		20 	15 	15 	30 	24 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Pārdaugava Rīga 	RUS 		4 	0 	0 	0 	10 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Hokeja Centrs Rīga 	LAT 		21 	7 	7 	14 	34 		3 	0 	1 	1 	8
1994–95 	Pārdaugava Rīga 	RUS 		25 	0 	0 	0 	24 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Pārdaugava–2 Rīga 	LAT 		1 	1 	0 	1 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	CSKA Moscow 	RUS 		26 	0 	1 	1 	10 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	CSKA–2 Moscow 	RUS-2 		16 	6 	1 	7 	10 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	CSKA Moscow 	RSL 		41 	0 	0 	0 	48 		2 	0 	1 	1 	4
1997–98 	CSKA Moscow 	RSL 		25 	1 	3 	4 	6 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99 	Cincinnati Cyclones 	IHL 		74 	3 	11 	14 	166 		3 	0 	2 	2 	6
1998–99 	Dayton Bombers 	ECHL 		2 	0 	1 	1 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–00 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	NHL 		8 	0 	1 	1 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–00 	Detroit Vipers 	IHL 		51 	1 	10 	11 	86 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–00 	Long Beach Ice Dogs 	IHL 		14 	0 	3 	3 	10 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2000–01 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	NHL 		15 	1 	1 	2 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2000–01 	Detroit Vipers 	IHL 		51 	6 	10 	16 	58 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	Springfield Falcons 	AHL 		11 	0 	2 	2 	15 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	Lowell Lock Monsters	AHL 		37 	2 	8 	10 	39 		5 	1 	1 	2 	2
2002–03 	Lowell Lock Monsters	AHL 		47 	6 	11 	17 	60 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	HK Rīga 2000 	LAT 		11 	2 	6 	8 	24 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Ilves 	SM-l 		23 	2 	2 	4 	60 		5 	0 	1 	1 	8
2004–05 	Esbjerg IK 	DEN 		24 	3 	10 	13 	71 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	ASK/Ogre 	LAT 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 		3 	0 	3 	3 	6
2005–06 	Khimik Voskresensk 	RUS-2 		2 	0 	1 	1 	6 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2005–06 	Khimik–2 Voskresensk	RUS-3 		1 	0 	0 	0 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2005–06 	HPK 	SM-l 		28 	2 	4 	6 	112 		12 	0 	1 	1 	49
2006–07 	HC Slovan Bratislava	SVK 		11 	0 	1 	1 	59 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2006–07 	ASK/Ogre 	LAT 		17 	3 	12 	15 	46 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2007–08 	Ritten Sport 	ITA 		29 	3 	16 	19 	76 		13 	2 	5 	7 	36
2008–09 	Ritten Sport 	ITA 		41 	10 	34 	44 	128 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Beibarys Atyrau 	KAZ 		14 	1 	1 	2 	24 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Belfast Giants 	EIHL 		14 	0 	5 	5 	13 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2011–12 	HK SMScredit 	LAT 		2 	1 	0 	1 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2011–12 	Muik Hockey 	FIN-4 		8 	9 	4 	13 	20 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
LAT totals	LAT totals 	LAT totals		84 	36 	45 	81 	144 		6 	0 	4 	4 	14
IHL totals	IHL totals 	IHL totals		190 	10 	34 	44 	320 		3 	0 	2 	2 	6
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		23 	1 	2 	3 	8 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1993 	Latvia 	EJC C 	 	4 	1	0	1 	8
1994 	Latvia 	WJC C 	 	4 	6	4	10 	4
1995 	Latvia 	WJC C1 	 	4 	0	0	0 	18
2001 	Latvia 	WC 	 	6 	1	2	3 	6
2002 	Latvia 	OG 	 	3 	0	1	1 	0
2006 	Latvia 	WC 	 	4 	0	0	0 	8
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	 	12	7	4	11 	30
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	 	13	1	3	4 	14
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
== References ==
==External links==
*
Category:Tampa Bay Lightning players