Former Detroit Red Wings forward Sergei Fedorov, one of the greatest and most dynamic players to ever wear the Winged Wheel, will be appropriately honored by having his iconic No. 91 jersey raised to the rafters at Little Caesars Arena in the upcoming season.
Fedorov, who defected to Detroit from the Soviet Union at great personal risk to himself, played a pivotal role in the Red Wings' Stanley Cup victories in 1997, 1998, and 2002. During his time in Detroit, he scored exactly 400 goals and won numerous awards, including the Hart Trophy in 1994 as the NHL's Most Valuable Player.
“My Heart Beat Faster”: Sergei Fedorov Recaps Finding Out Of Jersey Retirement NewsThe iconic No. 91 jersey of former Detroit Red Wings forward Sergei Fedorov will soon be taking its rightful place in the rafters of Little Caesars Arena, and will be displayed alongside the eight previously retired numbers that include his teammates Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom.
Fedorov's longtime teammate Darren McCarty, who was a part of all three of the aforementioned Stanley Cup wins as well as a fourth in 2008, couldn't be happier for him.
"This was just right," McCarty said during a recent Woodward Sports segment. "If you ask me straight up if I ever thought it would happen while certain things were in palce, no. But this is where we're at."
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Noting the struggles of the Red Wings to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, McCarty said that he felt this is one of the things that fans of the club can look to in terms of the culture that continues to be a work in progress.
"It's one of those things that it feels like the world has settled back into place, at least for the Red Wings," he said. "What are we looking for with the Winged Wheel culture right now? There's not a lot of things to really put your hat on, but this is one of them."
"I couldn't be happier for my friend and teammate, someone who is one of the best to ever do it, and I know it means a lot to him, too."
Fedorov's countless accomplishment during his time with the Red Wings was overshadowed by his controversial holdout following the 1997 Stanley Cup win, during which he infamously signed a front-loaded offer sheet from the Carolina Hurricanes in early 1998.
While the Red Wings matched the offer sheet, the relationship between the two sides appeared irreparable when Fedorov reportedly rejected a five-year, $50 million contract offer in 2003 and later signed for less money with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
It was especially startling, considering the Mighty Ducks had just swept Detroit in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs months earlier.
Upon Fedorov's return to Detroit in December 2003 for the first time wearing opposition colors, he was heavily booed by the sellout crowd at Joe Louis Arena.
Thankfully, the relationship between Fedorov and the organization as well as the fans has been mended in recent years, and he'll rightfully take his place alongside other franchise legends like Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and others this January.
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