vladimir konstantinov number retirement?

**Downriviera** · November-17-10, 05:22 PM

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.

**Wingnatic** · November-17-10, 05:28 PM

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** · November-17-10, 05:57 PM

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** · November-17-10, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · November-17-10, 06:55 PM

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** · November-18-10, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

**Oldpuck** · November-22-10, 08:12 PM

I agree with Smogboy: "It's respectful and honor enough that the team not use his number for other players. "

**Hamtragedy** · November-18-10, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by marcwigle

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).

**mikefmich** · November-18-10, 02:50 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

**Hamtragedy** · November-18-10, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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.