Kārlis Skrastiņš

Kārlis Skrastiņš (July 9, 1974 – September 7, 2011) was a Latvian professional ice hockey player. Skrastiņš was drafted by the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League in 1998 as a defenceman and spent twelve years in the league playing for the Predators, the Colorado Avalanche, the Florida Panthers, and the Dallas Stars.
For the 2011-2012 season, Skrastiņš left the NHL and signed a contract to play in Russia for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). However, he never got to play a game for Lokomotiv as he was killed when a plane carrying the entire team crashed on September 7, 2011.
==Playing career==
Skrastiņš was drafted by Nashville Predators with the 230th pick in the ninth round of 1998 NHL Entry Draft. On October 15, 2002, against the New York Islanders, he scored a 5-on-3 shorthanded goal. He played for Nashville for five seasons until being traded to the Colorado Avalanche in 2003. On February 8, 2007, he played in his 487th consecutive game to pass Tim Horton for the longest playing streak in NHL history for a defenceman. Skrastiņš' streak ended at 495 games, when he missed a February 25, 2007 game against the Anaheim Ducks with a knee injury. He had previously missed only one other game due to injury in his career — against St. Louis on February 18, 2000, with a minor shoulder injury. The streak led to him being given the nickname "Ironman".
In his fourth season with the Avalanche in 2007–08, he was traded to the Florida Panthers for Ruslan Salei on February 26, 2008. In his first full season with the Panthers in 2008–09, Skrastiņš scored a career high 18 points in 80 games. On October 16, 2008, he played his 600th career NHL game against the Minnesota Wild and on November 1, 2008, he scored his 100th point in his NHL career in a 3–2 loss fittingly against his original club, the Nashville Predators.
On July 2, 2009, he was signed by the Dallas Stars to a two-year contract worth $2.75 million. He scored his only two goals of the 2009–10 season, including the game winner, on December 19 in a 4–3 Stars victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
On May 17, 2011, after eleven seasons in the NHL, Skrastiņš left to sign a contract with Russian team, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
==Death==
On September 7, 2011, he was killed, when a Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger aircraft, carrying nearly his entire Lokomotiv team, crashed just outside Yaroslavl, Russia. The team was traveling to Minsk to play their opening game of the season, with its coaching staff and prospects. Lokomotiv officials said "'everyone from the main roster was on the plane plus four players from the youth team.'"
==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 	Pārdaugava Rīga 	LHL 	 	16 	7 	6 	13 	10 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
1992–93 	Pardaugava Riga 	LHL 	 	10 	7 	2 	9 	12 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
1992–93 	Pārdaugava Rīga 	RSL 	 	40 	3 	5 	8 	16 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0
1993–94 	Pardaugava Riga 	RSL 	 	42 	7 	5 	12 	18 	 	2 	1 	0 	1 	4
1994–95 	Pārdaugava Rīga 	RSL 	 	52 	4 	14 	18 	69 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
1995–96 	TPS 	SM-l 	 	50 	4 	11 	15 	32 	 	11 	2 	2 	4 	10
1996–97 	TPS 	SM-l 	 	50 	2 	8 	10 	20 	 	12 	0 	4 	4 	2
1997–98 	TPS 	SM-l 	 	48 	4 	15 	19 	67 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	0
1998–99 	Nashville Predators	NHL 	 	2 	0 	1 	1 	0 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
1998–99 	Milwaukee Admirals 	IHL 	 	75 	8 	36 	44 	47 	 	2 	0 	1 	1 	2
1999–00 	Nashville Predators	NHL 	 	59 	5 	6 	11 	20 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
1999–00 	Milwaukee Admirals 	IHL 	 	19 	3 	8 	11 	10 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2000–01 	Nashville Predators	NHL 	 	82 	1 	11 	12 	30 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2001–02 	Nashville Predators	NHL 	 	82 	4 	13 	17 	36 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2002–03 	Nashville Predators	NHL 	 	82 	3 	10 	13 	44 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2003–04 	Colorado Avalanche 	NHL 	 	82 	5 	8 	13 	26 	 	11 	0 	2 	2 	2
2004–05 	HK Rīga 2000 	BLR 	 	34 	8 	17 	25 	30 	 	3 	0 	0 	0 	25
2004–05 	HK Rīga 2000 	LHL 	 	4 	0 	4 	4 	0 	 	9 	3 	10 	13 	33
2005–06 	Colorado Avalanche 	NHL 	 	82 	3 	11 	14 	65 	 	9 	0 	1 	1 	10
2006–07 	Colorado Avalanche 	NHL 	 	68 	0 	11 	11 	30 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2007–08 	Colorado Avalanche 	NHL 	 	43 	1 	3 	4 	20 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2007–08 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 	 	17 	1 	0 	1 	12 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2008–09 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 	 	80 	4 	14 	18 	30 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2009–10 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	79 	2 	11 	13 	24 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2010–11 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	74 	3 	5 	8 	38 	 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	832 	32 	104 	136 	375 	 	20 	0 	3 	3 	12
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 		GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
1993 	Latvia 	WC-C 	21st 		7 	1 	6 	7 	0
1993 	Latvia 	OQ 	NQ 		4 	1 	1 	2 	2
1994 	Latvia 	WJC-C 	18th 		4 	1 	5 	6 	33
1994 	Latvia 	WC-B 	14th 		7 	3 	5 	8 	0
1995 	Latvia 	WC-B 	14th 		7 	1 	1 	2 	4
1997 	Latvia 	WC 	7th 		8 	0 	3 	3 	4
1999 	Latvia 	WC 	11th 		6 	1 	1 	2 	6
2000 	Latvia 	WC 	8th 		7 	1 	2 	3 	4
2001 	Latvia 	WC 	13th 		6 	3 	0 	3 	0
2002 	Latvia 	OG 	9th 		1 	0 	0 	0 	0
2003 	Latvia 	WC 	9th 		6 	3 	3 	6 	27
2005 	Latvia 	OQ 	Q 		3 	1 	0 	1 	0
2005 	Latvia 	WC 	9th 		6 	2 	0 	2 	2
2006 	Latvia 	OG 	12th 		5 	0 	1 	1 	0
2009 	Latvia 	WC 	7th 		7 	1 	1 	2 	0
2010 	Latvia 	OG 	12th 		4 	0 	0 	0 	0
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		4 	1 	5 	6 	33
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals		84	18	24	42 	49
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
==See also==
*List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career
==References==
==External links==
* 
* 
* 
* ESPN Profile
Category:Born in 1974
Category:Dead in 2011
Category:Colorado Avalanche players
Category:Dallas Stars players
Category:Florida Panthers players
Category:Latvian ice hockey players
Category:Milwaukee Admirals players
Category:Nashville Predators draft picks
Category:Nashville Predators players
Category:HC TPS players
Category:Victims of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash