Ruslan Salei
Ruslan Albertawitsch Salej (White Russian Руслан Альбертавіч Салей, Russian Руслан Альбертович Салей / Ruslan Albertovich Salei, born November 2, 1974 in Minsk, Byelorussian SSR; † 7 September 2011 in Tunoschna near Yaroslavl, Russia) was a Belarusian ice hockey player who during his active career among other things for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings played in the National Hockey League on the position of the defender.
- 3.1 International
Career
Ruslan Salej harbored initially rather interested in a career as a footballer before he discovered at the age of seven years, his passion for the sport of ice hockey. The basics of hockey he learned at his home club Junost Minsk, for whose team Salej as Junior player was active. His professional career started at the White Russian Dinamo Minsk, for whom he debuted in the 1992/93 season in the International Hockey League and with this also participated in the match operation of the Belarusian Extraliga. 1993, 1994 and 1995 won Salej with the team, which is now operated under the name Tiwali Minski, three times in a row, the Belarusian championship. In addition, he was elected to the 1994 and 1995 All-Star team of the Belarusian Extraliga.
During this time he was scouting from the Scouts of the Las Vegas Thunder of the International Hockey League, which describes the left-handed shooters as a powerful defensive player. Without having seen Salej ever play, General Manager Bob Strumm decided to submit to the White Russians a contract offer. On his arrival in Las Vegas Salej experienced a culture shock because he did not speak English and was exposed for him unusual climatic conditions. In Las Vegas, he played together with long-time NHL goalie Curtis Joseph. After a good rookie season in which Salej with a value of plus 42 in the plus / minus statistics during the regular season won and during this he had reached with the Thunder the semi-finals to the Turner Cup, he was the NHL Entry Draft 1996 selected in the first round, ninth overall position of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. In his first season in the NHL, he completed 30 games and scored one Assist Furthermore, he spent the remainder of the season with the Baltimore Bandits of the American Hockey League and also ran in eleven games for the Las Vegas Thunder on the ice. During the 1997/98 season he achieved a breakthrough in the NHL, as the defender was in 66 games for the Californians on the ice.
In October 1999, he was locked after a check from behind into the boards to Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars for ten games. In addition, he had to pay a fine of 110,000 U.S. dollars. In the season 2002/ 03 he reached with the Mighty Ducks the Stanley Cup final, but there had to admit defeat to the New Jersey Devils in seven games. In the canceled because of the lockout NHL season 2004/ 05 Salej was active for Ak Bars Kazan in the Russian Superleague.
His contract ran out in Anaheim at the end of the season 2005/ 06 and was not renewed. On 2 July 2006, he signed as a free agent contract with the Florida Panthers. The contract period amounted to four years, which should earn him a salary of around 3 million U.S. dollars per year. Salej was until then a total of 594 games in the regular season the defender with the most appearances for the Mighty Ducks. In his first year in Florida he put his record on 32 points in 82 games.
On 26 February 2008 he was transferred to Denver for the Colorado Avalanche. The Panthers received in return Karlis Skrastiņš and a third-round vote in the NHL Entry Draft in 2008. His contract with the Avalanche ran at the end of the 2009/10 season, in which he could contest only 14 games due to a back injury, and was not extended. On 9 August 2010, the defender signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings. In July 2011 Salej received a contract for one year with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League.
Salej 's longtime teammate Teemu Selanne praised the defender for his relaxed, enjoyable way and called the White Russians as one of his favorite players. Furthermore, he was as an actor with all-round skills, especially his high endurance was highlighted. Has been criticized, however, for his Salej occasional indiscipline on the ice.
Salej died 7 September 2011 in a plane crash near Yaroslavl in Tunoschna. In the unhappiness machine type Yakovlev Yak - 42 was a complete ice hockey team of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
Awards and achievements
Internationally
Career Stats
Internationally
Represented in Belarus:
- C1 World Cup 1994
- C1 World Cup 1995
- 1998 Winter Olympics
- World Cup 1998
- World Cup 2000
- World Cup 2001
- 2002 Winter Olympics
- World Championship Division I 2004
- World Championship 2008
- World Cup 2009
- 2010 Winter Olympics
- World Cup 2010
( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )