| Vladimir Konstantinov | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1967-03-19)March 19, 1967 (age 58) Murmansk,Russian SFSR,Soviet Union | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb) | ||
| Position | Defense | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | CSKA Moscow Detroit Red Wings | ||
| National team |  Soviet Union | ||
| NHL draft | 221st overall,1989 Detroit Red Wings | ||
| Playing career | 1984–1997 | ||
Vladimir Nikolaevich Konstantinov (Russian:Владимир Николаевич Константинов; born March 19, 1967) is a Russian former professionalice hockey player who played his entireNational Hockey League (NHL) career, from 1991 to 1997 with theDetroit Red Wings. Previously, he had played for Soviet clubCSKA Moscow. His career was ended in a limousine crash six days after the Red Wings'1997Stanley Cup victory.
Konstantinov was drafted 221st overall in the1989 NHL Entry Draft by theDetroit Red Wings, after impressing a Wingsscout at the1987 World Junior Championships, where abrawl broke out in the Soviet Union–Canada game.
Although the end of theCold War was approaching, the Soviet Union was still not allowing their young ice hockey players to leave the country to play in the NHL. The Red Wings worked for over two years to get Konstantinov to Detroit. Konstantinov had previously signed a 25-year contract committing himself toCSKA Moscow which was a department of the Russian army. If he deserted, he would be considered a felon in Russia, which would make him ineligible for a work visa in the United States. He also had a wife and daughter, and would not consider leaving without them.
A Russian journalist named Valery Matveev worked with Wings executive vice-presidentJim Lites to secure an army discharge for Konstantinov. With cash provided by the Red Wings, Matveev bribed six Russian doctors to diagnose and confirm that Konstantinov had inoperable cancer, and thus secured his medical discharge from the military in the summer of 1991.[1] The Red Wings were planning to fly Konstantinov and his family out from Russia and get him to Detroit in time for the start of training camp in September, but the1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt forced a change in plans. With the airports closed, Matveev took the family by train toBudapest. Lites met them there, in Red Wings' ownerMike Ilitch's private jet, and went back to Detroit with Konstantinov aboard. His wife and daughter followed two days later on a commercial flight.[2]
Konstantinov played more aggressively than most of his Russian contemporaries, specializing in getting opponents off their game. "For my game," he explained, "I don't need to score the goal. I need someone to start thinking about me and forgetting about scoring goals." While he was known as "Vladdie" to his teammates, his aggressive style of play earned him the nicknames "Vladinator" and "Vlad the Impaler" among the media and fans, as well as "the Red Shark".
Konstantinov was part of the unit known as "The Russian Five", which consisted of him and fellow defensemanSlava Fetisov, and forwardsIgor Larionov,Sergei Fedorov andSlava Kozlov.
Konstantinov earned theNHL Plus/Minus Award in1995–96, with a plus/minus difference of +60. The +60 was the highest rating a player achieved sinceWayne Gretzky finished with a +70 in the1986–87 season; it wouldn't be matched or surpassed untilJohnny Gaudreau registered a +64 in the2021-22 season.
In1996–97, Konstantinov helped his team to win theStanley Cup against thePhiladelphia Flyers. Flyers head coachTerry Murray expected his top line ofcentreEric Lindros,left wingerJohn LeClair and right wingerMikael Renberg—known as the "Legion of Doom" for its scoring and toughness—to face Konstantinov. However, Red Wings head coachScotty Bowman surprised the Flyers by instead opting for the finesse-oriented defense pairing ofNicklas Lidström andLarry Murphy to neutralize the Legion of Doom's forechecking.[3] In that same year, Konstantinov was runner-up to theNew York Rangers'Brian Leetch for theJames Norris Memorial Trophy, given to the NHL's best defenseman. However, 1996–97 would prove to be Konstantinov's final season.
On June 13, 1997, following a golf outing with the Stanley Cup celebrating the Red Wings' championship triumph, Konstantinov, along with teammateViacheslav Fetisov and team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov, hired a limousine to drive them home. The driver, Richard Gnida, whose license was suspended at the time fordrunk driving, lost control of the limousine and hit a tree in the median ofWoodward Avenue inBirmingham, Michigan. As a result of the limousine crash, Konstantinov suffered from serious head injuries and paralysis, spending several weeks in a coma, while Fetisov escaped with relatively minor injuries and was able to play the following season. Mnatsakanov sustained significant head injuries as well, and also spent some time in a coma; he has had a considerably more difficult recovery.
After the Red Wings successfully defended the Stanley Cup in 1998, Konstantinov was brought onto the ice in a wheelchair, surrounded by his teammates, to celebrate the win. Team captainSteve Yzerman also defied tradition and handed Konstantinov the Cup first; it is customary in the NHL that the winning team's captain be the first to hoist the Stanley Cup. Throughout the playoffs the Red Wings' catchphrase was the single word, "Believe", and throughout the1997–98 season the Red Wings wore a patch, with the initials of Konstantinov and Mnatsakanov featured prominently, with the word "Believe" written in both English and Russian.[4]
Although Konstantinov was never able to play hockey again, the Detroit Red Wings still recognized him as part of their team. The Red Wings sought and received special dispensation from the NHL CommissionerGary Bettman to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup after they won the 1998 title.
Konstantinov's jersey #16 has not been officially retired by the Red Wings. However, out of respect for him, no player has been given the number since his last game. In 1999, newly acquiredPat Verbeek, who had worn #16 for much of his career, switched to #15. A similar situation occurred in 2001 when the Red Wings signedBrett Hull, who had worn #16 for the bulk of his career with theSt. Louis Blues andDallas Stars; Hull switched to #17. Drafted prospectXavier Ouellet, who had worn #16 as a member of theGrand Rapids Griffins, switched to #61 for the Red Wings.
The Red Wings kept his locker set up for him through the 1997–1998 season, although he would never be capable of playing hockey again. A rock engraved with "Believe" sat in his place.[5]
Konstantinov's condition has improved considerably since his accident. While he still has trouble speaking and walking, he has been seen several times a season watching Red Wings games from a private box in Detroit. In a profile with the NHL, Vladimir's wife Irina noted that injuries to his brain were in part to the left frontal lobe; she said that Vladimir "can't process idealistic feelings about life, like love of country or happiness that his child is graduating. Everything for him is matter of fact."[6]
Konstantinov returned to the ice at Joe Louis Arena, helped by awalker, for the pre-game number retirement ceremony forSteve Yzerman on January 2, 2007.
At the2014 NHL Winter Classic, Konstantinov was helped onto the ice for a rare Russian Five reunion with his former teammates Sergei Fedorov, Viacheslav Fetisov, Vyacheslav Kozlov and Igor Larionov.[7]
On March 6, 2014, he was in attendance at the retirement of former teammate Nicklas Lidström's number.
On December 27, 2016, he was in attendance along with 29 other members of the 1997 Stanley Cup winning Red Wings team and former coach Scotty Bowman to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1997 Stanley Cup championship team.
Konstantinov was present for the final game atJoe Louis Arena, participating with multiple other Red Wings legends in the post-game ceremony.
Konstantinov has participated in six international tournaments for theSoviet Union:
During the final game of the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships between Canada and the Soviet Union, abench-clearing brawl known as thePunch-up in Piestany took place. The fight is infamous for officials having turned off the arena lights in a desperate attempt at ending the 20 minute melee. During the fight Konstantinov leveled ahead-butt that brokeGreg Hawgood's nose. As a result of the brawl, both teams were disqualified from the tournament.
Konstantinov lives in West Bloomfield, Michigan. His wife, Irina, now lives in Florida with their daughter, Anastasia Konstantinova.[8]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1984–85 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 40 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 26 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 35 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 50 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 37 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 47 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 45 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 79 | 8 | 25 | 33 | 172 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | ||
| 1992–93 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 82 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 137 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 1993–94 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 80 | 12 | 21 | 33 | 138 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1994–95 | ESC Wedemark | GER-2 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 30 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 47 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 101 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 | ||
| 1995–96 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 81 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 139 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 28 | ||
| 1996–97 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 77 | 5 | 33 | 38 | 151 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 29 | ||
| USSR totals | 280 | 36 | 48 | 84 | 179 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| NHL totals | 446 | 47 | 127 | 174 | 838 | 82 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 107 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Soviet Union | EJC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | |
| 1986 | Soviet Union | WJC | 7 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | |
| 1986 | Soviet Union | WC | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | |
| 1987 | Soviet Union | WJC | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | |
| 1989 | Soviet Union | WC | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| 1990 | Soviet Union | WC | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | |
| 1991 | Soviet Union | WC | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 37 | |
| Junior totals | 18 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 20 | |||
| Senior totals | 38 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 59 | |||
| Preceded by | Winner of theNHL Plus/Minus Award 1996 | Succeeded by |
