Fedorov ending.

[Retire91]

Fedorov could easily have 3 Conn Smythe trophies. We don’t win a Cup without him. Easy yes for me.

I won’t get into all the details that I personally witnessed and/or heard through first hand reputable sources but suffice it to say the main reason Fedorov left Detroit and his number isn’t in the rafters is entirely because Mike Ilitch had an overblown ego and had a personal grudge. The number likely never gets retired as long as the Ilitches own the team.

It's also a personal feeling of mine that the hockey we have today is a direct result of his ego postponing the rebuild likely because with his health he was facing his own mortality. I say that in full awareness it's his choice, his prerogative, and we also don't have cups without him so let's not forget that. I don't know about anyone else but I would trade a 100 playoff streak records for a team that would have already opened another cup window. The dumpster fire hockey team we have endured is him not allowing a rebuild when it was past the point it was clear to everyone else it was time to rebuild.

We also missed sweepstakes like McDavid Marner due to the streak. It's a small complaint because Illich era hockey was amazing af. But a few things could have gone down different for sure that could have given us more of a soft landing. And a settling with Fedorov would have elevated the legacy which I think did happen somewhat with the Alumni game.