Gone, But Never Forgotten

It has been almost nine months since a plane crash claimed the lives of the entire Yaroslavl Lokomotiv hockey team.  For the Slovakian hockey team at the World Championships this year, it also provided inspiration as they made their way to a silver medal in the event.  So, how are the two things connected, you ask?  Looking at the picture of Zdeno Chara (backwards jersey aside), you will notice that he is wearing number 38, the number Pavol Demitra wore for much of his NHL and International career.  Demitra was the most recognizable player on the Lokomotiv team that was on the plane on that fateful day.  Chara's tribute wasn't the only one by the Slovaks, as many, if not all the players wore shirts under the jerseys that bore Demitra's face on them, and more recently, Tomas Kopecky brought his silver medal to Demitra's grave.

For many of the Slovakian players, Demitra wasn't just a hockey player, he was their biggest inspiration on and off the ice.  He was also well-loved by fans and saved his best for the big stage, as the 2010 Olympics proved.