vladimir konstantinov number retirement?

[Blarf]

Is there a reason why his number hasn't been retired? Nobody is ever going to use that number again on the Red Wings. Is there some sort of guild-lines in the NHL that deals with retiring numbers? You would think Illitch would of had the number retired by now.

[Johnlodge]

He's not a HOF'er, which may be part of the reason. That's the excuse the organization gives for not putting Larry Aurie's number up there. For those not familiar, his number was retired, but Ilitch refuses to display it.

[Wingnatic]

Unfortunately The Vladinator 's career here was cut way too short by the accident to accomplish a whole lot over a length of time . He was my favorite player . I'm not sure about NHL rules in regards to individual team , the NHL did retire Wayne [[the whiner) Gretzky's #99 from all NHL teams . The Toronto Maple Leafs have a whole lot of jersey's hanging from their rafters , some with the same number/different names , but they don't retire jerseys , they honor former players . I think it would be a great idea if we build a new rink , to do something similar to what they do in Toronto , in addition to the current handful of pnes hanging up there right now who's numbers have been retired . I'm thinking maybe Lids will be up there next some day .

[Downriviera]

Not only should they retire his number, they need to come out with a Vladinator highlight video. His hit on Roenick at center ice that knocked the helmet off Roenick's head and his ot playoff goal against the Hawks and Ed Belfour are two of my favorite moments.

[marcwigle]

Does he still live in the area?

[Wingnatic]

I remember a game in Montreal , the Vladinator had someone lined up and just got a piece of the Habs player and ended up knocking himself out lol ! That guy left it all out on the ice

[mikeg19]

It's the individual teams choice on which numbers to retire. And although he was a great athlete and a tremendous player while he was here, and I was a huge fan of his as well, I don't think that his number should be retired. Think of all the incredible players who have played for the Wings and their numbers are not retired. This isn't the Atlanta Thrashers here. You need to be able to stand in the same sentence as Steve Yzerman, Ted Lindsay, and Gordie Howe if you want your number in the Joe's rafters.

[marcwigle]

It's the individual teams choice on which numbers to retire. And although he was a great athlete and a tremendous player while he was here, and I was a huge fan of his as well, I don't think that his number should be retired. Think of all the incredible players who have played for the Wings and their numbers are not retired. This isn't the Atlanta Thrashers here. You need to be able to stand in the same sentence as Steve Yzerman, Ted Lindsay, and Gordie Howe if you want your number in the Joe's rafters.

Nothing against VK but, in twenty years, we'll all still remember the names Yzerman, Lindsay and Howe. Number and sweater retirements are for the truly great members of a team who have had long-term impacts on the team.

[Downriviera]

Unfortunately we can't speak of long term in Vlady's case because of the tragedy. I think in this instance you throw away the normal requirements and put him up there. His number will never be used so why not. And I will remember him in 20 years, he was amazing.

[smogboy]

Unfortunately we can't speak of long term in Vlady's case because of the tragedy. I think in this instance you throw away the normal requirements and put him up there. His number will never be used so why not. And I will remember him in 20 years, he was amazing.

We get it. He's a fan fave but then so were guys like Bob Probert, Joey Kocur, Dino Ciccarelli and a handful of others. Think about all of the players prior to that you never saw play personally that were fan favorites that will never get their numbers retired. Just because a guy makes a handful of highlight reels [[and I'm not knocking his accomplishments here at all), sooner or later the team will run out of numbers retiring fan favorites if that's the case. I don't think we ever want to get the point of where we have to un-retire numbers or start going to three digits on the backs of jerseys.

It's respectful and honor enough that the team not use his number for other players.

[mikefmich]

Not only should they retire his number, they need to come out with a Vladinator highlight video. His hit on Roenick at center ice that knocked the helmet off Roenick's head and his ot playoff goal against the Hawks and Ed Belfour are two of my favorite moments.

Which year was that? I will not forget being 10 rows up in the corner seeing Kozzies series clinching OT goal against the Hawks leading into the finals in 1995.

[DanFromDetroit]

As superstitious as most NHL players are - there won't soon be another player on the Wings wear 16. Too much bad karma, it's all but retired in spirit.

[rjk]

I've always been of the belief that you should be in the HOF to have your number retired. There might be a few exceptions.

On the Pistons, Laimbeer was questionable, but I don't really have a problem with it. Vinnie Johnson having his number retired was a complete joke.

[Hamtragedy]

Not only should they retire his number, they need to come out with a Vladinator highlight video. His hit on Roenick at center ice that knocked the helmet off Roenick's head and his ot playoff goal against the Hawks and Ed Belfour are two of my favorite moments.

Riviera, that triple OT goal at 1:30am vs. the Hawks was Bruce Martyn's greatest call ever. I never even got up to watch the replay.

[Hamtragedy]

Nothing against VK but, in twenty years, we'll all still remember the names Yzerman, Lindsay and Howe. Number and sweater retirements are for the truly great members of a team who have had long-term impacts on the team.

I disagree. That was Jimmy Devallano's greatest coup. In the 1989 draft, we got the captain of the Soviet Red Army squad [[Konstantinov), their top player/prospect [[Fedorov), and a little known guy from Sweden [[Lidstrom). All had HOF capability.

Vladimir Konstantinov is still talked about to this day by hockey fans everywhere, usually preceded by the remark "just think." He will be remembered by that alone, with the same mystique as Larry Aurrie, [[who was, by the way, Jack Adams' favorite player).

[Lowell]

Had he not been the victim of a drunk driver, I believe he was on a path to the HOF. ["Konstantinov was more than a pest, as some had taken to calling him; he was a skilled player. He earned the NHL Plus/Minus Award in 1995–96, with a plus/minus difference of plus-60. The +60 has been the highest rating a player has finished with in the past 20 seasons, since Wayne Gretzky finished with a +70 in the 1986–87 NHL season. In 1996–97, his final season, Konstantinov was runner-up [[to Brian Leetch) for the Norris Trophy, given to the league's best defenseman." from his wiki]

I always thought the HOF should take into consideration the commie era Soviet careers of players like him who had couldn't play in the NHL until the change. It is almost like the redress baseball made with the denied Negro League stars. The great goalie Vladislav Tretiak should be at the top of that list.

Vlad is only 43 now and with his toughness would probably be winding up an HOF career.

[Downriviera]

If he's on the ice in the 09 playoffs, the Penguins don't beat us in the final.

[Wingnatic]

I think we could make an exception and hang his #16 from the rafters if we have no plans to ever use his number again . The Vladinator was old school , a warrior in every meaning of the word and had absolutely no regard for his own body to give us a chance to win , the ultimate teammate . Has there really been anyone like him since ? A tribute to #16 , I still get choked up when watching this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptEeP4J3toc

[Downriviera]

While known for his toughness and defensive skills, what amazed me was his ability to score. He was money on a breakaway, making goalies look stupid. Too bad he missed out on the shootouts.

[mikeg19]

I agree with some of the comments on here about if he was still playing or never had gotten hurt, he may have been one of the best to play the game and certainly could have had a HOF career. But if Vlady had his number retired, than why not Igor Larionov, Red Kelly, Larry Murphy, etc. The list could go on forever on amazing players who played here. IMO, the retired jersey are for the most incredible players to ever play the game. Not to say Vlady wouldn't have been one if his career was cut short, but that was not the case.

[jerrytimes]

I love Valdy, but there is no reason that his number should be retired. Not sure if you haven't noticed, but it's never been used since. The Red Wings do have a few numbers that they just don't used. number 6 [[Aurie) , 16 [[Konstantinov). For some reason an old owner said that he was retiring number 6 for some reason, Illitch doesn't honor it in the rafters but they haven't issued it.

[jerrytimes]

If he's on the ice in the 09 playoffs, the Penguins don't beat us in the final.

How do you figure?

[Downriviera]

I figure with Vlady on the ice the Pens score less and we score more.

[jerrytimes]

I figure with Vlady on the ice the Pens score less and we score more.

Well, we had Stuart, Lidstrom, Kronwall, Ericsson, Rafalski. Don't know if you can do better than that. Plus he would have been 41 or 42 at the time....so I'm sure he wouldn't be quit as effective as what we had out there.

[Downriviera]

And just think if we would have had Jiri Fisher and Vlady.