Josef Vasicek, who played for the Hurricanes from 2000-2007, is feared to be among the dead after the plane carrying his Russian team crashed today.
UPDATE: The KHL, on its web site, is reporting Vasicek was among those killed in the crash.
"Joe was an awesome guy, always in good spirits, always smiling," Canes captain Eric Staal said of his former teammate. "It's just a tragedy."
Only two of the 45 to 47 people on board survived the crash, according to varying reports. A Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team official told a Russian newspaper that the team's entire playing roster was on the plane. Other reports said the survivors were a player, Alexander Galimov, and a crew member.
“We have no team any more,” Vladimir N. Malkov, a team spokesman, told the New York Times. “All our starting players, and all the service people, they all burned in the crash.”
Vasicek, who signed with Lotomotiv Yaroslavl in 2008, is listed on the team's roster, as is head coach Brad McCrimmon, who played three seasons for the Hartford Whalers.
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at (919) 829-8947, @LukeDeCock on Twitter or 
Comments
Not a good off season
Wed, 09/07/2011 - 13:15 — louis12580for current and former N.H.L. players. I had some good conversations with Joe and he was a very nice human being. Always the big smile when greeting the fans. All will be missed.
Joe Vasicek
Wed, 09/07/2011 - 12:30 — hellfishRIP big Joe...As John Forslund called him "The Czech condor". His life ended way to soon.
So tragic, for the
Wed, 09/07/2011 - 11:31 — ctillSo tragic, for the always-friendly Vasicek and the other players involved.
Professional athletes (and their coaches, trainers, equipment managers, media personnel, etc) travel a lot. Although travel is generally safe, the sheer volume of their travel exposes them to risk. The Albany River Rats bus crash in 2009 is another example.