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Karlis Skrastins

Karlis was a Latvian professional ice hockey player.  He spent 12 years in the NHL, playing for the Nashville Predators, the Colorado Avalanche, the Florida Panthers, and the Dallas Stars.  On February 8, 2007, he played in his 487th consecutive game to pass Tim Horton for the longest playing streak in NHL history for a defenseman.

He came to Legacy and worked with Scott Herrera after a skate cut into his thigh during a Stars game.

For the 2011-2012 season, Karlis left the NHL and signed a contract to play in Russia for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL.  He was killed when a plane carrying the entire team crashed on September 7, 2011.

Zane Skrastina, Karlis’ widow and mother of his three daughters, wrote this to Scott:

Zane Skrastina  You know the best, how you and your philosophy changed my dear husband’s Karlis Skrastins health issues, becoming no issues at all, at age when, everyone was retiring … and being in constant pain… He deeply respected you Scott Herrera, and I do to!
You and Claudia Zelazny changed my view on many things in this country. Thank you!

The Skrastins family is Legacy family.  As Scott said, “Karlis was one of the best I ever worked with.”Skrastins-Karlis-Latvian Olympics1024x716

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