Oskars Bartulis Changes Number to Honor Karlis Skrastins

by Ben Rothenberg on Oct 12, 2011 4:38 PM EDT in Philadelphia Flyers News

DECEMBER 11:Karlis Skrastins #37 (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

After initially wearing No. 32 in Glens Falls, Oskars Bartulis has switched his jersey number to No. 37 to honor fallen comrade Karlis Skrastins, who was killed in the devastating plane crash this September in Russia that wiped out the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team of the Kontinental Hockey League.

Bartulis traveled back to Latvia to attend memorial services for Skrastins, missing part of the Flyers training camp to do so. He was later put on waivers by the Flyers and demoted to the AHL.

With the loss of Skrastins and the demotion of Bartulis to the AHL, the NHL is without a Latvian player for the first time since the country became independent in 1991 (a streak previously kept up by players such as Arturs Irbe and Sandis Ozolinsh)

Bartulis and Skrastins, both defencemen, were the only two NHLers on the Latvian men's hockey team's roster at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. The two organized a hockey camp in Latvia this summer.

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Lai dzīvo Latvija

This is a senseless article written on a 14 year old girls level. I am going to go to Hockeybuzz from now on and I am an E5 serious about it. Silly hacks!

Commenter formerly known as M from Pdaddy, but still just Call Me "M"!

DISCLAIMER: Information written above may not be entirely factual nor provable with the use of complex statistics. But it may induce thought, humor and possibly laughter.

by MJDII on Oct 12, 2011 4:44 PM EDT reply actions

How can you joke in times like these?

"Call me dumb, call me stupid, whatever. I block shots."
His Name is Mudd http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo-WjUjzV_Q
@boknows71

by boknows71 on Oct 12, 2011 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I joke in all times!

//rim shot//

Commenter formerly known as M from Pdaddy, but still just Call Me "M"!

DISCLAIMER: Information written above may not be entirely factual nor provable with the use of complex statistics. But it may induce thought, humor and possibly laughter.

by MJDII on Oct 12, 2011 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, but a) the joke is getting a bit old and b) it’s a little tasteless here.

Lightning strikes once, Hextall strikes twice!
"I think there is virtue in pissing off idiots." - Fehr and Balanced

by hintzy64 on Oct 13, 2011 9:23 AM EDT up reply actions

It was only two days old, still current.

Commenter formerly known as M from Pdaddy, but still just Call Me "M"!

DISCLAIMER: Information written above may not be entirely factual nor provable with the use of complex statistics. But it may induce thought, humor and possibly laughter.

by MJDII on Oct 13, 2011 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Nice find, Ben. Thanks for posting.

Sarauj, Latvija!

by LVHokejs on Oct 12, 2011 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

Hey, I think I know how to fix this

I just posted this on the other thread, but it makes more sense here.

(1) Flyers put Wolf on re-entry waivers
(2) LA claims him
(3) Flyers trade their future considerations for Oskar, and maybe more future consideration

Astaire and Rogers, G and Jagr
Hunter Pence did not guarantee a WS, but, then, neither did Carlos Beltran.

by Bud in TN on Oct 12, 2011 5:08 PM EDT reply actions

They may consider that in the future.

Bob.

by The Dark on Oct 12, 2011 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Respect for the Wolf. Well done.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999 and Matt Calvert since May 2010
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
SB Nation Philly - Associate Editor

by Geoff Detweiler on Oct 13, 2011 1:22 AM EDT reply actions