Fedorov ending.

[Snuggs]

MSN

Bygones be Bygones, should the organization retire the jersey? Been a defender or not retiring but when a guy admits the mistake... takes a lot of the salt/heat out of a wound.

In retrospect, he believes that decision was a mistake. He’d do it differently if life were to give him a second chance.

“Sign everything that Detroit offered and continue working calmly,” Fedorov explained to Russian website Sport-Express as to what his choice should have been. “Don’t escalate the situation.”

“I finished it like this: “I need to think about it,” Fedorov said of that contract meeting with the Red Wings. “I named a time frame – two or three weeks. But it all turned into months. I was a young man, not very knowledgeable about life. I also trusted the agents.

“My agents kept saying that they could raise my salary. But nothing changed. At some point, I completely stopped understanding what was happening in my life. Playing hockey was my only outlet. And Detroit simply removed a new contract offer from the table.”

Ultimately, Fedorov believes that there were no winners in the scenario.

“Nobody won — neither me nor the club,” Fedorov said. “There were just a lot of negative emotions, on both sides. And it ended with me leaving for Anaheim in 2003, signing a five-year contract for $40 million. Detroit initially gave (an offer of $10 million) per season.”

Click to read more...

 

[jkutswings]

I would like to think that time can heal this particular wound. 91 absolutely belongs in the rafters.

 

[Air Budd Dwyer]

The only people who think it shouldn’t be retired are the Illitches, Devellano, and butthurt fans. It’s just sour grapes from ownership who think business is personal.

 

[ricky0034]

i'd like to see it happen and think it will someday but i've accepted at this point that it isn't going to happen as long as Marian is still around bare minimum

maybe longer than that but at least that long

 

[heyfolks]

• 1 – Terry Sawchuk (1949-55, 1957-64, 1968-69)
• 4 – Red Kelly (1947-60)
• 5 – Nicklas Lidstrom (1991-12)
• 7 – Ted Lindsay (1947-57, 1964-65)
• 9 – Gordie Howe (1946-71)
• 10 – Alex Delvecchio (1951-73)
• 12 – Sid Abel (1938-43, 1945-52)
• 19 – Steve Yzerman (1983-06)

Leave aside the alleged hurt feelings over the contract negotiation, which many claim in the only reason he is not in the rafters. Is Sergei's work history in this rarefied air?

 

[cjm502]

I know I'm in the minority here but 13 pro seasons with the Wings and 14 pro seasons elsewhere isn't something that usually gets a jersey retired, especially for the Wings. Getting your jersey in the rafters with the Wings takes much more then it would on other teams, and that makes it even more special. #1 Terry Sawchuk, #4 Red Kelly, #5 Nicklas Lidstrom, #7 Ted Lindsay, #9 Gordie Howe, #10 Alex Delvecchio, #12 Sid Abel, #19 Steve Yzerman. If Sergei deserves to have his number retired, so does Z, and that would pretty much make Larkin a lock if he retired with the Wings. Its clear the Wings want to have a higher standard then retiring two numbers every generation of players and there is nothing wrong with upholding that standard. Really, I love Sergei and have no ill feelings towards him, but 91 doesn't make the cut for me.

 

[SirKillalot]

Actually it was a Federov ending, but could be a Fedorov opening.

 

[HisNoodliness]

• 1 – Terry Sawchuk (1949-55, 1957-64, 1968-69)
• 4 – Red Kelly (1947-60)
• 5 – Nicklas Lidstrom (1991-12)
• 7 – Ted Lindsay (1947-57, 1964-65)
• 9 – Gordie Howe (1946-71)
• 10 – Alex Delvecchio (1951-73)
• 12 – Sid Abel (1938-43, 1945-52)
• 19 – Steve Yzerman (1983-06)

Leave aside the alleged hurt feelings over the contract negotiation, which many claim in the only reason he is not in the rafters. Is Sergei's work history in this rarefied air?

Yes

 

[ColdToiletSeats]

Fedorov was my favorite player growing up, but signing with the Ducks when the Wings made the same offer is the biggest slap in the face ever to the Wings organization. He has nobody to blame but himself and his ego.

 

[Winger98]

Seeing Fedorov walk sucked at the time, but I also think it was best for the Wings. After this season was the labor melt down, the cap forcing everyone to slash salary, and teams buying players out to get compliant. One of our buyouts was Hatcher, I think the other was Whitney, but I might be wrong. But if we had signed Fedorov for eight or ten million per, is there any real chance we didn't turn around and buy him out after that?

I can't imagine any scenario where we buy out Lidstrom instead, and we were scraping a team together as it was. Carrying Lids and Fedorov would have been insanely difficult.

I have also sort of wondered if rumors of what the owners were looking to get from the players in the labor negotiations played a role in the Wings pulling that initial offer.

 

[lilidk]

Fedorov , Zetterberg and Datsyuk numbers should get retired

 

[Winger98]

• 1 – Terry Sawchuk (1949-55, 1957-64, 1968-69)
• 4 – Red Kelly (1947-60)
• 5 – Nicklas Lidstrom (1991-12)
• 7 – Ted Lindsay (1947-57, 1964-65)
• 9 – Gordie Howe (1946-71)
• 10 – Alex Delvecchio (1951-73)
• 12 – Sid Abel (1938-43, 1945-52)
• 19 – Steve Yzerman (1983-06)

Leave aside the alleged hurt feelings over the contract negotiation, which many claim in the only reason he is not in the rafters. Is Sergei's work history in this rarefied air?

On skill alone he probably deserves it, but it's not just about skill. You put Feds up there, I think it's hard to argue against Shanny then. And cases for Datsyuk and Zetterberg get a lot stronger, too (though I do think Z's case has been very underrated for how the Wings might view him versus how fans view him).

I loved watching Feds, guy could do everything out there. But I probably don't raise his jersey to the rafters. But I also probably don't argue if they do.

 

[RRhoads]

Seeing Fedorov walk sucked at the time, but I also think it was best for the Wings. After this season was the labor melt down, the cap forcing everyone to slash salary, and teams buying players out to get compliant. One of our buyouts was Hatcher, I think the other was Whitney, but I might be wrong. But if we had signed Fedorov for eight or ten million per, is there any real chance we didn't turn around and buy him out after that?

I can't imagine any scenario where we buy out Lidstrom instead, and we were scraping a team together as it was. Carrying Lids and Fedorov would have been insanely difficult.

I have also sort of wondered if rumors of what the owners were looking to get from the players in the labor negotiations played a role in the Wings pulling that initial offer.

Yeah, these are my first thoughts too.
Probably wouldn't have signed Rafalski years later or traded for Robert Lang. Maybe not extended Brett Hull either.

One thing is for sure. He wasn't worth 10M at the time.

 

[jkutswings]

• 1 – Terry Sawchuk (1949-55, 1957-64, 1968-69)
• 4 – Red Kelly (1947-60)
• 5 – Nicklas Lidstrom (1991-12)
• 7 – Ted Lindsay (1947-57, 1964-65)
• 9 – Gordie Howe (1946-71)
• 10 – Alex Delvecchio (1951-73)
• 12 – Sid Abel (1938-43, 1945-52)
• 19 – Steve Yzerman (1983-06)

Leave aside the alleged hurt feelings over the contract negotiation, which many claim in the only reason he is not in the rafters. Is Sergei's work history in this rarefied air?

I don't think anybody would argue Fedorov over any of Sawchuk, Lidstrom, Howe, or Yzerman. So I won't bother posting those stats.

Comparing numbers for games played with Detroit:

Kelly, 846GP, 162-310-472PTS, -9, 253PIM, 4 Cups

Lindsay, 862GP, 335-393-728PTS, +10, 173PIM, 4 Cups

Delvecchio, 1550GP, 456-825-1281PTS, +24, 383PIM, 3 Cups

Abel, 570GP, 183-280-463PTS, +49, 366PIM, 3 Cups

Fedorov, 908GP, 400-554-954PTS, +276, 587PIM, 3 Cups

Shout-out to Delvecchio - I had no idea he was that productive. At a minimum, I don't see how anybody could not think that Fedorov is in the discussion with Abel and likely Kelly. Playing over 900 games with better than PPG scoring while putting up that filthy plus minus is damn impressive.

 

[heyfolks]

I don't think anybody would argue Fedorov over any of Sawchuk, Lidstrom, Howe, or Yzerman. So I won't bother posting those stats.

Comparing numbers for games played with Detroit:

Kelly, 846GP, 162-310-472PTS, -9, 253PIM, 4 Cups

Lindsay, 862GP, 335-393-728PTS, +10, 173PIM, 4 Cups

Delvecchio, 1550GP, 456-825-1281PTS, +24, 383PIM, 3 Cups

Abel, 570GP, 183-280-463PTS, +49, 366PIM, 3 Cups

Fedorov, 908GP, 400-554-954PTS, +276, 587PIM, 3 Cups

Shout-out to Delvecchio - I had no idea he was that productive. At a minimum, I don't see how anybody could not think that Fedorov is in the discussion with Abel and likely Kelly. Playing over 900 games with better than PPG scoring while putting up that filthy plus minus is damn impressive.

If you are not missing a number, Ted wasn't all that terrible. hahaha.

I really don't have a strong opinion on this one, either way. Sergei was certainly a phenom. I recall watching him dominate play. Of course, signing the deal with the Canes and then moving to the Ducks is an indelible stain on his career with Detroit, but that is more ownership than fan. Yet, even the play on loyalty is overblown. A few of these guys played elsewhere, with Ted standing up to all the owners trying to start the union.

Alex Delvecchio: 100 Greatest NHL Players | NHL.com

Captained Red Wings for 12 seasons, centered two versions of 'Production Line' with Gordie Howe

www.nhl.com

Seeing Fedorov walk sucked at the time, but I also think it was best for the Wings. After this season was the labor melt down, the cap forcing everyone to slash salary, and teams buying players out to get compliant. One of our buyouts was Hatcher, I think the other was Whitney, but I might be wrong. But if we had signed Fedorov for eight or ten million per, is there any real chance we didn't turn around and buy him out after that?

I can't imagine any scenario where we buy out Lidstrom instead, and we were scraping a team together as it was. Carrying Lids and Fedorov would have been insanely difficult.

I have also sort of wondered if rumors of what the owners were looking to get from the players in the labor negotiations played a role in the Wings pulling that initial offer.

This alternative future state never struck my mind. Good take.

 

[FMichael]

'No'

Do I think Sergei's #91 deserves to hang up in the rafters?

'Yes'

Will it happen? Unfortunately no.

 

[KJoe88]

I still believe he’s the one of the most talented and unique players I’ve ever seen. He was so immensely talented I truly believe he was neutered sometimes.

Imo he was that good. So yes. He’s also my favorite player of all time.

 

[norrisnick]

Yeah, these are my first thoughts too.
Probably wouldn't have signed Rafalski years later or traded for Robert Lang. Maybe not extended Brett Hull either.

One thing is for sure. He wasn't worth 10M at the time.

Plenty of ways to make up that money.

He certainly was when the likes of Leclair, Holik, Tkachuk, etc... were making $9-10M+.

 

[RRhoads]

Plenty of ways to make up that money.

He certainly was when the likes of Leclair, Holik, Tkachuk, etc... were making $9-10M+.

No he wasn't. Less overpaid than those, yes, but worth 25% of the salary cap. Nope.

 

[norrisnick]

No he wasn't. Less overpaid than those, yes, but worth 25% of the salary cap. Nope.

There was a roll-back. Had he signed for $10M he'd have been at $7.8M after the lockout. Just like Lidstrom.

 

[JediOrderPizza]

 

[JohanFranzenstein]

Complaining about the fans to the press and holding out on a contract for some reason still irks me. So I say no.

Does my opinion matter? Not at all.
But it's the way I feel.

 

[kliq]

• 1 – Terry Sawchuk (1949-55, 1957-64, 1968-69)
• 4 – Red Kelly (1947-60)
• 5 – Nicklas Lidstrom (1991-12)
• 7 – Ted Lindsay (1947-57, 1964-65)
• 9 – Gordie Howe (1946-71)
• 10 – Alex Delvecchio (1951-73)
• 12 – Sid Abel (1938-43, 1945-52)
• 19 – Steve Yzerman (1983-06)

Leave aside the alleged hurt feelings over the contract negotiation, which many claim in the only reason he is not in the rafters. Is Sergei's work history in this rarefied air?

I see what you are saying, however longevity isn’t the only factor when deciding this, peak impact is a factor as well. I’ve read some on here say if he’s retired others need to be to, but let’s not forget the guy won a Hart trophy, and was here for 3 cups in a very key role. Had he re-signed here and played say 7 more seasons as a middle of the road player, should that get him up there just because of GP? It’s not like he was here for a couple years, I feel like when you play for a team for more then a decade, are instrumental in their success which includes multiple championships, and are league MVP, you meet the criteria.

 

[Guyver]

• 1 – Terry Sawchuk (1949-55, 1957-64, 1968-69)
• 4 – Red Kelly (1947-60)
• 5 – Nicklas Lidstrom (1991-12)
• 7 – Ted Lindsay (1947-57, 1964-65)
• 9 – Gordie Howe (1946-71)
• 10 – Alex Delvecchio (1951-73)
• 12 – Sid Abel (1938-43, 1945-52)
• 19 – Steve Yzerman (1983-06)

Leave aside the alleged hurt feelings over the contract negotiation, which many claim in the only reason he is not in the rafters. Is Sergei's work history in this rarefied air?

That's a very good list. But if I am being honest, I still think that Fedorov slides in there somewhere.

 

[Pizza!Pizza!]

He made his bed, he can lie in it. Lots of great players in the history of the league, especially in the history of original 6 teams. How many of them, who have their numbers retired, also signed offer sheets and held out signing after winning a Cup and then held out again at his next negotiation. Spent almost 1/3rd of his career on other teams and then has not been part of the organization in any capacity for over 20 years?

I hate having this argument every season, but seriously, he doesn't deserve it. Yes he was an awesome player and a fan a favorite, but if every great player that was popular got retired then current players would be wearing triple digits. Osgood is more deserving and that's saying something because I was never really an Osgood fan, but he came back, returned to a high level of play and is still with the city and organization and doing a great job on the broadcasts.