Rememberance

This summer we lost four members of the Rangers family. There has never been a summer so tragic for either the NHL or the Rangers.

Among those who lost their lives yesterday was Alexander Karpovtsev, a member of the Rangers Stanley Cup team of 1993-94, a Gold Medalist at the World Championships in 1993 and one of the first four Russian players to have their names inscribed for posterity on the Stanley Cup.

Wayne Gretzky said of Karpovtsev: "He was an honest guy who gave as much as he took, blocking shots, going into the corners, taking guys out in front. And as far as his personality, it's true, he was always smiling on the bus, on the plane; just a really solid guy who everybody enjoyed being around. He played as big and he played as hard as anybody."

Our prayers go to all those who have lost their lives and those who they left behind. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon them, and give them peace.

EXCERPTS FROM THE RANGERS STATEMENT ON TRAGIC PLANE CRASH IN RUSSIA

Former Rangers Defensemen Alexander Karpovtsev and Karel Rachunek, and 2003 Draft Pick Jan Marek Among the Victims

New York, September 7, 2011 –

"The New York Rangers organization is greatly saddened after learning of today’s tragedy... Words cannot begin to express the magnitude of devastation for such unimaginable loss."

Two Rangers alumni and one former draft pick perished in the accident. Alexander Karpotsev helped to bring a Stanley Cup Championship to New York in 1994. Karel Rachunek played two seasons in New York, and Jan Marek was a former draft pick. Our sincerest condolences go out to the families of these players, and the families of all those lost today...

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Alexander Karpovtsev, 41, was one of the first four Russian-born players to have his name inscribed on the Stanley Cup as a member of the New York Rangers 1994 championship team. The Moscow, Russia native was acquired by the Rangers from the Quebec Nordiques in exchange for Mike Hurlbut on September 7, 1993. He skated in six seasons as a Blueshirt from 1993-1998, tallying 22 goals and 75 assists for 97 points, along with 211 penalty minutes in 280 games. In addition, Karpovtsev recorded 10 points (two goals, eight assists) and 36 penalty minutes in 44 career playoff contests with the Rangers, including four assists in 17 games during the team’s Stanley Cup Championship run in 1994. Karpovtsev was entering his fourth season as an assistant coach with Lokomotiv.

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Karel Rachunek, 33, skated in 371 career games over seven seasons with the Rangers, Ottawa and New Jersey, registering 22 goals and 118 assists for 140 points, along with 227 penalty minutes. Rachunek was acquired by the Rangers, along with Alexandre Giroux, from Ottawa in exchange for Greg de Vries on March 9, 2004. He registered 30 points (seven goals, 23 assists) in 78 games over two seasons as a Blueshirt. The Zlin, Czech Republic native also recorded four assists in six playoff contests with the Rangers in 2007.

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