Red Wings ushered in new NHL era 30 years ago with “Russian Five”

The Detroit Red Wings made history 30 years ago, as the club did something that had never been done in NHL history. In a game against the Calgary Flames on October 27, 1997, the Red Wings iced a full five-Russian unit.

Going over the boards were Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov, Vyacheslav Kozla, Slava Fetisov, and Vladimir Konstantinov.

The five were wily hockey veterans at the time. Larionov, Fetisov, and Konstantinov had been stars in their native country before joining the NHL following the end of the former Soviet Union. Meanwhile, Fedorov and Kozlov had joined the Red Wings as young prospects as part of the Soviet Union’s acquiescence to allow Russian players to move to North America.

The Russian Five were the spearhead that led to a Russian invasion in the NHL that has yielded some of the greatest NHL players ever.

Larionov was among the first to join the NHL. He defected from the Soviet Union in 1989 and instantly became an NHL star. He became a Hall of Famer in 2008.

Fedorov was allowed to post for the 1989 NHL Draft, getting his name called at number 74. He would have been a first-round pick hands down, but there was virtually no scouting available in Russia at the time. So, the Red Wings took a flyer on Fedorov. The flyer worked out just fine. Fedorov’s #91 was retired earlier this season.

Kozlov was drafted in 1990 and played nearly 1,200 NHL games. He was a key piece of the back-to-back championship teams from 1997-1998. Kozlov, Larionov, and Fedorov were on one of the NHL's greatest lines ever.

Fetisov was one of the older members of the group. He had been a star in the KHL before moving to the NHL. He played with the New Jersey Devils and the Red Wings across 546 NHL games. He was on the 97-98 championship squads before retiring in 2001. Fetisov will be forever remembered as serving as the Red Army captain in Russia. He was a two-time Olympic medalist.

Konstantinov was a heart-and-soul guy for the Red Wings. He was one of the most physical players to first come over from Russia. He was the prototypical shutdown defenseman in his day. He was a part of the 1997 championship team. Tragically, Konstantinov sustained career-ending injuries in an automobile accident days after the 1997 Stanley Cup victory. He never played again but remained a key member of the Red Wings. He was on the ice for the 1998 Stanley Cup celebration.

All five Russian stars paved the way for the following wave of Russian stars, not just in Detroit, but across the NHL. It’s safe to say that today’s Alex Ovechkin and Kirill Kaprizov would not exist if not for the Russian Five.