Former Mighty Duck Ruslan Salei Killed in KHL Plane Crash

You will never be forgotten. We miss you already.

Not sure what is correct, but I found this after someone on the NHL’s website posted it in the comments.Here it says Rusty was not on the plane with the team but had left on an earlier flight.
Still it is a pretty sad story. Rest in Power…

Thank you, Rusty. You will always be remembered for this: http://yfrog.com/o0l44jj

He had a pitchfork from hell. He could clear the opposite glass from behind his own goal line, like some kind of farmhand superhero, the Belarussian Clark Kent.

My goodness, what is up with tragedy in the NHL this offseason? After he officially retired, I was looking forward to seeing him around the Ducks organization and games at the Pond . . .

I will remember the good times and his gritty style that made him a fan favorite here in California. You will be missed, Rusty.

2003 overtime Game 3 against New Jersey. Wrist Shot off a face-off beating Brodeur on the glove side winning the first Finals game in Ducks history. Can still here Gary Thorn calling the play.

I was always a fan of his play (even that puck over the far end glass was impressive) but what I’ll really remember Rusty for was meeting him in person twice, kind of.

Sometime in the late nineties my family and I had dinner at the Benihanna in Anaheim and we shared a hibachi with two young Eastern European guys that my mother and I convinced ourselves were Rusty and Pavel Trnka. We didn’t talk to them or confirm it in any way, but to this day whenever my mom would hear one of their names she’d say “I sat next to him at dinner!”

It was all I could do not to mention it to him when I interviewed him last year after a Kings/Wings game. Even if our first meeting was imagined it’s always been a fun memory and I’ll never forget him.

But it’s a name I’ve often heard other Ducks fans fondly mention. Here’s hoping the Ducks come up with an appropriate way to honor his legacy.

Wow, just wow. I’m speechless.

The Ducks should wear a black 24 patch this year for Rusty.

Sad summer for the hockey community.
This puts things into perspective… in the end, these men just play a game. A game that entertains us, and brings us together. It creates so many emotions from attachment and love, passion. To rivalies, and even hatred in some cases. And then days like yesterday happen, and jeez…. It wasn’t just the hockey players that died. They were fathers, and brothers, and sons, and uncles, and friends.
Rusty – drafted by the Ducks and played the beginning of his career here. I remember him fondly and was excited about the prospet of having him back last summer. His bruising style is what most of us will remember him the most by. He wouldn’t back down from a fight, and was a hallmark at the Pond. He still lived in the O.C. and with his wife welcomed their youngest daughter just this past March. Such a tragedy that she won’t ever get to see her father. My condolences to all the families, friends, and fans of all the men that have left us too soon, that played the game they loved, and we loved watching. From Boogard to Rusty. A sad hockey summer indeed. Hockey will be different this season.

Before Beauchemin, the Ducks had Salei. The original rough and tumble, stocky D man who could shut play shutdown minutes and tear the black off the puck with his slapper. I remember well when he first made his appearance in green and eggplant. He wore #5. And he was physical. He reminded me of a toned-down Belarusian version of Darius Kasparaitis. And I liked it. His mobility and sturdiness were immediately apparent. If I remember correctly, he only played a handful of games in his first season and the beginning of next season he wasn’t with the big club for the first few games until he was recalled with a new number, #24. For me, he gave the Duck’s what I always thought they lacked at the time, a physical yet mobile defenseman. It obviously showed in 2003 when he was paired with Vitaly Vishnevski as the Duck’s shutdown line…

Part of me was holding a glimmer of hope that last season they might get him back in the fold as a 5-6 for our team. But obviously that boat has sailed.

Thanks for all the good hockey Rusty. You will be remembered.

long time fan. Such a sad day for Hockey. Ruslan was always one of my favorite players. Because of the NHL game (by EA, and because of where I lived at the time not having much in the way of access to real sports) I got to learn all about him throughout the years, as well as some of the other players that also unfortunately passed away. I know I didn’t know them personally, but it still feels like I lost a friend. Hockey will definitely have a different feel to it this year. Thanks for the memories, Rusty. RIP.

My favorite memory of meeting Rusty was when I was a young lass at Casino Night and had my fateful meeting with Paul Kariya. My dad and I would end up at a table with Salei and then-girlfriend (I think it was Bethann) playing blackjack. He made us laugh. Whenever the dealer wasn’t looking, he’d steal chips and then blame me. At the end of the night, he gave me all his chips so I could get some quacking Wild Wing stuffed animal. Good guy, giant loss.