Hockey
The NHL showed great honor to the superstar from Russia. Sergei was moved and admitted guilt
Detroit has retired Sergei Fedorov’s number.
Interesting events during the NHL regular season match between the Detroit Red Wings and the Carolina Hurricanes (4:3 OT) began long before the opening face-off. Detroit has officially retired the number 91 worn by Russian forward Sergei Fedorov, the personification of an entire era for the club.
The ceremony turned out to be touching and homely, and the hero of the day was overwhelmed with emotions.
The appearance that immediately explained everything
Fedorov appeared on the ice in an unexpected way – he rode out in the passenger seat of a Chevrolet Corvette C4 convertible. This is the car he drove during his years playing for the Red Wings. For Detroit, which values the memory of the nineties, this gesture turned out to be a dead ringer.
In the stands is the Fedorov family. On the ice – the current team composition. The hockey players came out for warm-ups in uniforms with number 91. Even outside the arena, the city lived with this moment: the ceremony was recalled on the large scoreboard at the stadium of the Detroit Tigers baseball club.
Fedorov spent 18 seasons in the NHL and 13 of them in Detroit. This is not just the longest period of his career, but the period in which he became the same Fedorov who is remembered both in Michigan and far beyond its borders.
In the history of the club, he ranks sixth in points scored – 954 (400 goals and 554 assists) in 908 matches. Three Stanley Cups, a leadership role, a rare combination of speed, technique and hockey intelligence – all this distinguishes Fedorov and makes him special for the Red Wings.
Decisions that are talked about years later
During the ceremony, Fedorov admitted what they had long wanted to hear from him. He directly called his departure from Detroit a mistake and took responsibility.
The story was not easy. In 1998, Fedorov accepted an offer sheet from Carolina, but the Red Wings repeated the offer – $38 million over five years plus signing bonuses. A few years later, in 2003, he left the club, signing a contract with the Anaheim Ducks for 40 million over five years, despite Detroit’s offer for 50 million over the same period.
— I have had something for a long time that I would like to share and clarify. Leaving Detroit was a huge mistake. It’s my fault. One of the main advantages of this situation was that it set me on the path to meeting the love of my life, my wife Karina, who gave me two beautiful children – Alexandra and Victor,” Fedorov said during the ceremony.
The day before the ceremony, Fedorov met with journalists. And there was a phrase that put a lot of things in place. He called Detroit home, no matter where or when he played.
— Detroit is my home. Always was, no matter where I was. I swear, every time I landed in Detroit, I felt calm and breathed differently. I love this feeling every time I land. Detroit is my home,” Fedorov said.
The path from draft to club symbol
Fedorov was selected by Detroit in the third round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, 74th overall. In his debut game for the Red Wings, he scored against the New Jersey Devils – and this goal was the beginning of a long story. After leaving Detroit, he managed to play for Anaheim, Columbus and Washington, but it was the number 91 in red and white that remained the main symbol of his NHL career.
Removing a number from circulation is not a point. More like a neat line under the era. “Detroit” made it clear that everything important was said on the ice long ago, and now we can just say thank you. No. 91 will no longer appear on the Red Wings’ roster. But he will forever remain a part of the club, the city and the time when people who defined the style of the entire league played in Detroit.
Source: Sportbox
I’m a sports enthusiast and journalist who has worked in the news industry for over 8 years. I currently work as an author at Sportish and my work focuses mainly on sports news.