Can you name the last Detroit Red Wing to win the Hart Trophy as MVP of the National Hockey League (NHL)?
Most fans would likely say Steve Yzerman, the man who captained Detroit for over two decades and won three Stanley Cups. Some may say that the “Magic Man,” Pavel Datsyuk, or the “Perfect Human,” Nicklas Lidstrom, must have snuck in a Hart somewhere throughout their illustrious careers.
Surprisingly, none of these three men ever won league MVP, or even finished second. Datsyuk’s (2008-09) and Yzerman’s (1988-89) best finishes were both third, while Lidstrom’s was a fourth-place finish in 2007-08.
Perhaps more seasoned fans would guess that no Red Wing has won an MVP since the great Gordie Howe. While Mr. Hockey won the award six times throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he is not the most recent Winged Wheel winner.
That distinction instead belongs to the most forgotten Red Wings legend: Sergei Fedorov, who won the award in 1993-94.
Despite being one of the faces of the NHL in the 1990s, Fedorov is often overlooked by hockey fans who grew up in the 2000s or later. Even among those who watched those legendary teams of the 1990s, Yzerman, Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan, Vladimir Konstantinov, and even Darren McCarty are revered more than Fedorov, although his stats on paper are better.
There are various reasons why Fedorov does not have the respect he earned on the ice, but before discussing those, let’s look at No. 91’s accomplishments in Hockeytown.
On-and off-the-ice, Sergei Fedorov is one of the most impactful Red Wings ever
Fedorov was drafted in the fourth round by the Red Wings in the 1989 NHL Draft. It was a surprising selection due to the bias against Russian players at the time, and the difficulty in getting these players out of the Soviet Union’s Iron Curtain. Detroit, still recovering from the ‘Dead Wings’ era, was willing to take a chance on Fedorov because of his potential.
The Red Wings management had to pull off a Mission Impossible-esque heist, but they were able to help Fedorov defect from the Soviet Union and he debuted in Detroit in 1990-91 at the age of 21.
Almost immediately, Fedorov proved that he was worth the risk for the Wings. The Russian forward had at least 30 goals and 79 points in each of his first three seasons, before his Hart-winning 1993-94 season.
In 1993-94, he had 56 goals and 120 points in 82 games. His goal-total is the fourth most in a season in Red Wings history, while his points is the fifth most.
Fedorov also had a 39-goal, 107-point season in 1995-96, but never again eclipsed the 100-point mark in his career. He still posted at least 30 goals in four of his final seven seasons in Detroit, including five goals in one game, and consistently produced over 60 points.
Defensively, Fedorov was arguably the best two-way forward in the NHL during the 1990s and one of the league’s smoothest skaters. This is best evidenced by his two Selke Trophy wins, traditionally given to the best defensive forward in hockey.
For all his regular season accolades, Fedorov saved his best for the playoffs. The star forward was an instrumental part in returning the Stanley Cup to Hockeytown, winning three times in 1997, 1998, and 2002.
During Detroit’s deep playoff runs from 1995 to 1998, Fedorov had at least 20 points each year. He led the league in points once, goals once, and assists twice during the span. He also had 19 points in the Wings’ 2002 championship season.
Along with his prowess on the ice, Fedorov furthered his status as an international icon through his Nike endorsement. He had signature skates, which is unheard of for hockey players, and a legendary marketing campaign with Nike.
Fedorov’s name is all over the Red Wings record books for career statistics. Most notably, he is fourth in goals (400), seventh in assists (554), and sixth in points (954). He is also third in Detroit history with 163 playoff points, behind only Yzerman (185) and Lidstrom (183).
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015 and was a member of the NHL Centennial Team in 2017-18 as one of the 100 greatest players in history.
If he is statistically one of the best Red Wings of all-time, won multiple championships, was a global icon, and won an MVP, why is Fedorov's No. 91 still not retired in Detroit?
The biggest reason is Fedorov’s unceremonious exit from Detroit. Drama began in the 1997-98 season, when the star forward was a restricted free agent and held out for the majority of the regular season. He even signed an offer sheet with the Carolina Hurricanes, but the Wings matched it and Fedorov returned to the team.
Two Stanley Cups later, in 2003, Fedorov was now an unrestricted free agent. Nobody knows for sure what happened between Detroit and Fedorov, but reports suggest it went something like this:
Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch, determined to keep his star, offered Fedorov a five-year, $50-million contract that would have made him the highest-paid player in the game to finish his career in Hockeytown. Some say Fedorov rejected the offer. Others suggest that Fedorov asked Ilitch for time to talk to other teams and test the market before giving an answer, which insulted the owner and led him to rescind the offer.
Regardless, the result was Fedorov leaving the city for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, who eliminated the Wings in the playoffs the year before. His contract with Anaheim was also less than what Ilitch offered, five-years for $40 million.
Ilitch put the blame squarely on Fedorov for the departure, leading to the Detroit icon’s alienation from the city. Fans were insulted that he would choose California of all places to sign and felt betrayed that he took less money to leave.
This culminated in Fedorov’s return to Hockeytown in the 2003-04 season, where he was mercilessly booed for the entire contest.
While the explanation for the fans disdain is clear, why was Fedorov seemingly determined to leave Detroit? There are once again multiple possible reasons, but the main one is that he wanted his own team and was done living in Yzerman’s shadow. This could also explain why Fedorov is underrated in Detroit history.
For all of his accomplishments and all he gave to the city, Fedorov was never able to even come close to the legend of Yzerman in Detroit. In addition to his stats being just a little bit better than Fedorov’s, Yzerman was the captain who had already rescued the ‘Dead Wings’ and eventually returned Lord Stanley’s Cup.
Fedorov was just one of Yzerman’s sidekicks, even if the stats suggested he was much more than that. Maybe in an effort to gain the respect he deserved, Fedorov felt his only option was to go elsewhere.
Due to lingering Cold War-feelings across the U.S. in the 1990s, there was also a negative perception around Fedorov because he was Russian, leading to his legacy being understated. Once again, the stats may have suggested otherwise, but analysts and fans criticized Fedorov for being too much of a finesse player and not having the grit of the “tough,” North American players.
Politics, contract disputes, overshadowing, and betrayal. I guess it is no wonder why Fedorov’s legacy in Detroit is complicated.
The relationship may be complicated, but it is time for Fedorov and Detroit to make amends
It has been over 20 years since his controversial departure and the hard feelings seem to be long gone. Fedorov admitted recently that he wishes he stayed with the Red Wings and regrets the entire situation.
Instead of focusing on the negative, let’s remember all that Fedorov accomplished in the Winged Wheel and give him the respect that he deserves, beginning with his No. 91 being raised to the rafters.
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