UPDATE - 5:46 PT: All the details of the situation can now be found at Stu Hackel’s NEW YORK TIMES hockey blog. Jaromir Jagr was not involved in Alexei Cherepanov’s collapse and death. Kudos to Yahoo’s PUCK DADDY for staying on top of the story as well.
From our earlier post: Canada’s TSN has some shocking news today, reporting that New York Rangers top prospect Alexei Cherepanov “collapsed on the bench at or near the end of Omsk’s Kontinental Hockey League game and died a short time later, he was 19.”
Omsk head coach Wayne Fleming said “Cherepanov collapsed on the bench during the third period of the game and did not see anything that happened on the ice that may have contributed to it.”
CPR was next administered to no effect. TSN also notes that the “ambulance that is normally at all games had already departed and had to be called back.”
Now the crazy part. PUCK DADDY’s Greg Wyshynski notes a hockey blog that “has been a reliable source for translated Russian news in the past” is reporting that Jaromir Jagr may have been involved in the death.
From The Alex Ovetjkin blog:
According to comments on SportBox.ru it was [Jaromir] Jagr’s elbow. Jarg is Cherepanov’s teammate. Apparently Jarg didn’t see him. Afterwards Jagr was shouting “Wake up Alexei” and was in tears.
Horrible, horrible stuff. As always in Russia, we’ll probably never know exactly what happened. And goodness knows am I in no way blaming Jagr for the death.
The bigger issue isn’t an errant “elbow” from Jagr, but what the fark the medical staff was doing at the arena. And why had the ambulance “already departed“?
4:45 pm on October 13th, 2008
This wouldn't have happened had Jagr stayed with the Rangers. Still, a sad story.
5:27 pm on October 13th, 2008
Clint Malarchuk is not amused by this story.
5:41 pm on October 13th, 2008
And the Rangers were off to such a good start, too. Maybe they can dedicate the rest of their season to Cherepanov.
5:43 pm on October 13th, 2008
Clint Malarchuk would have stopped the ambulance from leaving with his own forehead.
7:48 pm on October 13th, 2008
Could this be another case of Marfan Syndrome?
8:01 pm on October 13th, 2008
It was likely the shock of the elbow hitting his chest. Hockey players are big guys, and very strong. Jagr didn't know his own strength and was probably just kidding around with the kid. Tragic stuff, but ship happens.
8:50 pm on October 13th, 2008
Long QT Syndrome is another possibility. It often goes undiagnosed, but can cause cardiac arrest.
9:10 pm on October 13th, 2008
you people are idiots Jagr had nothing to do with what happened in this tragedy….how many times have team mates or not team mates collided and if that was the case there wouldn't be a single sole out there playing, stop blaming jagr (and I"m not a fan of his), but apparently this poor kid must of had problems…so quit blaming guys, that's not fair to jagr…even he was in tears. my sympathy goes out to his family and may he rest in peace…god love him….
9:18 pm on October 13th, 2008
seroiously it was an accident and some of you guys are makin jokes what the hell i mean the guy just died and u guys are like i guess jagr didnt no his own strength thank you for the people that didnt joke around for being mature
9:56 pm on October 13th, 2008
who accused jagr of killing him? read the post, not just the headline.
10:18 pm on October 13th, 2008
He probably had a condition called HOCM (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy); this is the condition where the heart muscles get bigger and bigger and dont do their job correctly. This condition is what causes sudden deaths in most sports players.
10:39 pm on October 13th, 2008
This kid either had a heart defect or was on drugs that weakened his heart. Kids just dont die like that without a reason. Jagr had nothing to do with this kids death.
10:47 pm on October 13th, 2008
My daughter has Long Qt Syndrome. That is a very good possibility. It can go undiagnosed until it is to late sometimes. You see it all the time. So please don't make it harder on the boy or the families than it has to be.
10:53 pm on October 13th, 2008
I never wrote that Jagr had anything to do with it. Just reporting what a Russian source had initially indicated. And subsequently made clear that Jagr was not involved.
Terrible shame. Speechless.
11:28 pm on October 13th, 2008
There is no way Jagr could have caused this. Hockey players get checked and thrown into things all of the time. He wouldn't be the first hockey player to just collapse. Jiri Fisher of the detroit redwings collapsed on the bench too. He probably had some heart condition it was just a matter of time.
11:55 pm on October 13th, 2008
very sad but the browns just beat the giants! wahoooo!
1:47 am on October 14th, 2008
Are you kidding bambam?! You're a fricken douche bag. Not the time or the place dickhead.
2:13 am on October 14th, 2008
Jared, you are an idiot.
2:14 am on October 14th, 2008
But Bambam is a scumbag.
3:13 am on October 14th, 2008
I guess they conduct a physical at the draft, and in fact one player this year was found to have a condition and stopped playing…all these conditions mentioned are found on a EKG. Wouldn't want to be Jagr!
8:28 am on October 14th, 2008
doc….another possible case of cardiac abnormality not screened in professional athelete which needs serious attention by professioanl sports.
10:54 am on October 14th, 2008
I THINK ITS REALLY TIME THAT ATHLETES AT ALL LEVELS BE TESTED FOR ANY SIGNS OF CARDIAC ABNORMALITIES. IT SEEMS THAT EVERY YEAR WE LOSE YOUNG ATHLETES IN THERE PRIME AND IF PROPERLY DIAGNOSED MAYBE SOMETHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT.
11:00 am on October 14th, 2008
This was a KGB hit. They wanted him to stay and play in Russia and he wanted to go play in the US. Sorry the old times are back… tow the party line or you will be six feet under.
11:32 am on October 14th, 2008
Just another victim of socialized medicine.
8:10 pm on October 14th, 2008
A KGB hit? Straighdope, you might have your tinfoil hat on a little too tight.
10:58 am on October 18th, 2008
IT WAS THE KGB HE IS RIGHT THEY ARE OUT TO KILL ALL SOVIETS PLAYING OVERSEAS