Karlis Skrastins, his time in Finland and his first paycheck.

I thought it would be okay to share something from an interview I read from the magazine in Finland.

Jukka Koivu, father of Saku Koivu and Mikko Koivu had some words of a young player that once came to TPS Turku, team in Sm-liiga Finland. Jukka was an assistant coach of TPS and worked very much with this player.

That young player was not a star and he had a try-out first. He made it and had some fine years with TPS 1995 - 1998. He also had a silver medal. Then he left to Nashville and so on.

Karlis Skrastins was his name and this very shy, but very much loved player started his career in NHL, but never forgot his time in Finland. Saku was with Montreal and when Jukka was visiting him and saw Skrastins during his visits in USA/Canada,he always talked with Jukka and was asking about finnish hockey.

Jukka told many similar things of his style of play, many of you know these things. But this one thing I have to share with you guys/girls.

When Karlis got his first paycheck, he sent some of it to his mother. And he bought a cow to his mother, so his relatives in Latvia would make it back there. A young man age of 21 did these things and from what I have been reading... He lived his life that way to these last moments...

We in Finland also remember Karlis and may he rest in peace. You had a great career and it did end too soon...

My friend Markus - his nick is Kyrpis - is a fan of TPS and perhaps he might share some more of Karlis to this post later.