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Igor Korolev
Korolev
Born September 6, 1970(1970-09-06),
Zelenograd, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died September 7, 2011(2011-09-07) (aged 41),
Yaroslavl, Russia
Height
Weight
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
Pro clubs HC Dynamo Moscow
St. Louis Blues
Winnipeg Jets
Phoenix Coyotes
Toronto Maple Leafs
Chicago Blackhawks
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Atlant Moscow Oblast
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Ntl. team Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union
NHL Draft 38th overall, 1992
St. Louis Blues
Playing career 1988–2010

Igor Borisovich Korolev (Russian: Игорь Борисович Королёв; September 6, 1970 – September 7, 2011) was a professional ice hockey player and coach. Korolev played over 700 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1992 until 2004. Korolev returned to Russia, and played a further seven seasons in the Russian Super League (RSL) and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) before retiring from active play in 2010. In 2011, Korolev accepted an assistant coach position with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Korolev was killed in the 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl air disaster[1] along with nearly the entire roster of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League for whom he was coaching. A native of the Russian Republic of the Soviet Union, Korolev became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 2000.[2][3]

Playing career[]

Korolev began his professional playing career with HC Dynamo Moscow in the 1988–89 season appearing once. The following season, Korolev became a full member of the team, playing 17 games. He played two further full seasons with Dynamo. In all three seasons, Dynamo won the league championship. Korolev was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the second round, 38th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. After five games with Dynamo in the 1992–93 season, Korolev left to join the Blues. Korolev played for the Blues for two seasons. Korolev was unsigned in the 1994–95 season and he returned to Dynamo. He was picked up by the Winnipeg Jets on waivers in 1995 and stayed with the team as it moved to Phoenix. He signed as a free agent with Toronto in 1997. He was traded to Chicago in 2001 where he played until 2004. He then returned to Russia and signed with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. After one season, he transferred to Metallurg Magnitogorsk, where he played three seasons. He played one season with Atlant Moscow Oblast and one final season with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl where he retired after the 2009–10 season. He became an assistant coach with the team and was still an assistant at the time of his death.

Death[]

Main Article: 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash

Korolev died on September 7, 2011, the day after he turned 41, when a Yakolev Yak-42 passenger aircraft crashed just outside Yaroslavl, Russia while transporting Lokomotiv to Minsk to play their opening game of the season. Lokomotiv officials said "everyone from the main roster was on the plane plus four players from the youth team."[4][5][6] All aboard were killed, aside from one crew member.

Personal[]

Igor and Vera Korolev married in June 1990.[2] Igor and Vera have two daughters, Kristina and Anastasia. Korolev's family has a permanent home in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Korolevs obtained Canadian citizenship in 2000.[2] Korolev was buried in Toronto[3] at Mount Pleasent Cemetary[7] after a funeral on September 18, 2011.[8] Korolev was the godfather of fellow NHL player Nik Antropov's son. Korolev and Antropov both played several seasons together with the Toronto Maple Leafs.[9]

Honors[]

Career statistics[]

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1988–89 HC Dynamo Moscow RSL 1 0 0 0 2
1989–90 HC Dynamo Moscow RSL 17 3 2 5 2
1990–91 HC Dynamo Moscow RSL 38 12 4 16 12
1991–92 HC Dynamo Moscow RSL 33 12 8 20 10
1992–93 HC Dynamo Moscow RSL 5 1 2 3 4
1992–93 St. Louis Blues NHL 74 4 23 27 20 3 0 0 0 0
1993–94 St. Louis Blues NHL 73 6 10 16 40 2 0 0 0 0
1994–95 Winnipeg Jets NHL 45 8 22 30 10
1994–95 HC Dynamo Moscow RSL 13 4 6 10 18
1995–96 Winnipeg Jets NHL 73 22 29 51 42 6 0 3 3 0
1996–97 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 41 3 7 10 28 1 0 0 0 0
1996–97 Michigan K-Wings IHL 4 2 2 4 0
1996–97 Phoenix Roadrunners IHL 4 2 6 8 4
1997–98 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 78 17 22 39 22
1998–99 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 66 13 34 47 46 1 0 0 0 0
1999–00 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 80 20 26 46 22 12 0 4 4 6
2000–01 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 73 10 19 29 28 11 0 0 0 0
2001–02 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 82 9 20 29 20 5 0 1 1 0
2002–03 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 48 4 5 9 30
2002–03 Norfolk Admirals AHL 14 4 3 7 0 9 2 4 6 4
2003–04 Norfolk Admirals AHL 10 1 4 5 4
2003–04 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 62 3 10 13 22
2004–05 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl RSL 60 8 20 28 26 9 1 6 7 2
2005–06 Metallurg Magnitogorsk RSL 51 7 17 24 26 11 0 2 2 4
2006–07 Metallurg Magnitogorsk RSL 54 2 14 16 28 13 4 3 7 8
2007–08 Metallurg Magnitogorsk RSL 57 6 20 26 58 13 5 5 10 10
2008–09 Atlant Mytishchi KHL 56 7 15 22 46 7 0 1 1 10
2009–10 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL 48 5 15 20 28 15 0 3 3 4
NHL totals 795 119 227 346 330 41 0 8 8 6

International statistics[]

Year Team Event Place   GP G A Pts PIM
1991 Soviet Union CC 5th 5 0 0 0 0
1992 CIS WC 5th 6 2 1 3 2

External links[]

  1. List of those killed in plane crash near Yaroslavl (Russian). sovsport.ru (2011-09-07). Retrieved on 2011-09-07.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Feschuk, Dave. "Ex-Leaf Korolev was devoted to family", Toronto Star, September 8, 2011. Retrieved on September 11, 2011. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Igor Korolev remembered as a proud Canadian", The Globe and Mail, September 8, 2011. Retrieved on September 9, 2011. 
  4. First pictures from the crash of Yak-42 near Yaroslavl (Russian). Lifenews.ru (2011-09-07). Retrieved on 2011-09-07.
  5. The list of Lokomotiv players who died (Russian). Lifenews.ru (2011-09-07). Retrieved on 2011-09-07.
  6. Pavol Demitra among 43 killed in Russian plane crash. theglobeandmail.com (2011-09-07). Retrieved on 2011-09-07.
  7. "Igor Korolev's funeral will be held in Toronto on Sunday", City TV, September 16, 2011. Retrieved on September 16, 2011. 
  8. Shoalts, Dave. "Igor Korolev remembered as a quiet leader", Globe and Mail, September 19, 2011. Retrieved on September 19, 2011. 
  9. "Jets' Antropov mourns loss of friend in Russian plane crash", Winnipeg Free Press, September 9, 2011. Retrieved on September 14, 2011. 
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