Which former Wing would you choose?

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

If circumstances could've been changed which of these would you have like to see play through:

1. Jiri Fischer never has his heart ailment. What could he have done with all that potential.

2. Sergei Fedorov had never signed with Anaheim. Would his Detroit legacy be cemented and his number hung from the rafters without question or debate?

3. Konstantinov not being in that wreck. Oh the possibilities.

4. McCarty not having to be bought out due to the cap and playing his entire career in Detroit.

5. Shanahan not leaving for NY and hitting more personal milestones in Detroit.

I would have to go with Vladdy. That year he was a Norris finalist and put up that absurd +/-. His ferocious style that intimidated everyone in the league. Okay, so he couldn't fight much more than to simply protect himself but aside from that he was awesome. Who is to say how long he could've kept up his style but he could really do it all, including being able to contribute offensively if given the opportunity.

[DEVILSWATERBOY 10]

I would have loved to see the Vladiator and Fish on the same line oh the hits there would have been

[eva unit zero 271]

This really comes down the stage of their careers the players were at:

1) Fischer was a budding young star with a bright career ahead of him.

2) Fedorov was a star center, but was on the decline.

3) Vladdy was the best defenseman in the world at the time.

4) McCarty was a third liner who was bought out because he was overpaid and underperforming.

5) Shanahan, like Fedorov, was an aging star on the decline.

None of the three forwards mentioned were going to be as good as they had been, while the two defensemen were very good and still had the potential to get better.

So, looking at it that way, it really comes down to one comparison. Fischer or Konstantinov. Konstantinov was the best defenseman in the league, and Fischer had the potential to be such.

Realistically, though, you have to say Vladdy, for the reason that he was at the top of the league when it happened. Fischer could have gotten there, or just as easily flamed out. With Vladdy still around, the Wings likely win two or three more Cups than they have. There are many moves that would never have been made with Vladdy still around, including Hasek, Chelios, Lilja, and Markov.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

This really comes down the stage of their careers the players were at:

1) Fischer was a budding young star with a bright career ahead of him.

2) Fedorov was a star center, but was on the decline.

3) Vladdy was the best defenseman in the world at the time.

4) McCarty was a third liner who was bought out because he was overpaid and underperforming.

5) Shanahan, like Fedorov, was an aging star on the decline.

None of the three forwards mentioned were going to be as good as they had been, while the two defensemen were very good and still had the potential to get better.

So, looking at it that way, it really comes down to one comparison. Fischer or Konstantinov. Konstantinov was the best defenseman in the league, and Fischer had the potential to be such.

Realistically, though, you have to say Vladdy, for the reason that he was at the top of the league when it happened. Fischer could have gotten there, or just as easily flamed out. With Vladdy still around, the Wings likely win two or three more Cups than they have. There are many moves that would never have been made with Vladdy still around, including Hasek, Chelios, Lilja, and Markov.

I think there's probably a case for Feds simply because of what his legacy could've become. He currently stands amongst a great group of former wings like Lindsay, Abel, etc.... But IMO there's a definite higher tier than that and it includes Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman. They are the only 2 right now. If Feds had finished out his career here, maybe he could've elevated beyond the other greats and joined the big 2....which will be the big 3 when Lids hangs them up.

[Vladinator 0]

Vladdy without a doubt...

Vladdy gave us something that no other player before or since has done...

[superstarsingh 23]

Konstantinov for sure. I mean, as you guys have said he was the best dman at the time of the accident. That was also his first year of complete dominance, he had a lot of years of that same dominance ahead of him but sadly they were taken from him. That is the difference between he and Fisch, Vladdy had arguably reached his potential and was at the top of his game. Fischer had not reached his full potential yet. The only case I see for Feds is the fact that he would have cemented himself as a Hockeytown immortal and a surefire Hall of Famer even though he will probably make it anyways. Also had he have stayed, we would have never had to have witnessed his depressing/infuriating departure and he would have remained a Wing for life, as he should have.

[Wing Nut 19 0]

Vladdy no doubt.

The case has already been made. He was the single biggest blow to the team as far as performance goes.

[Winged Scooter 0]

Just agreeing with everybody here: Vlad The Impaler no doubt! He single-handedly made Lindros a non-factor in the 97 Finals!

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

It has to be Konstantinov because he was in his prime as previously mentioned. But come on guys, best D-man in the world? That's going a little too far.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Vladdy. I don't even think he has any competition. At the time of his injury, he was the Wings best defenseman. So far, what he brought to this team has never been fully replaced.

[Wing Nut 19 0]

Fischer was a Hammer on skates when he suffered his heart attack. But none of these guys compare to Vladdy.

[interminded 1]

Vladdy first, Fish second.

The other ones would be nice, but let's be real: These guys had some real bad luck.

Health is everything.

If somehow we could give it back to Vladdy, I guess we all would.

[Vladinator 0]

It has to be Konstantinov because he was in his prime as previously mentioned. But come on guys, best D-man in the world? That's going a little too far.

I really don't think that it is going too far.

I think that everyone would agree that Lidstrom is the best in the world right now (not saying ever, just right now).

Vladdy was a different type of player, but in my opinion was just as good, if not better, overall than Lidstrom. They both have different strengths, but given a choice of either one in their prime and I would personally pick Vladdy.

Given a choice between Vladdy and any other defenseman that has played over the past 20 years, in their prime, and I still pick Vladdy...

[WhiteLightning91 105]

These boards are laughable. When Fischer is healthy and playing for us he is treated worse than Lilja as the team's human pylon but when he goes down by a freak accident he is suddenly almost as important to us Konstantinov was...

[bringback91 2]

Have to go with Vladdy as well. The guy was a beast and one of my favorite Wings. Like others have said, no one has come close to replacing what he brought to the team. It's really a shame how his career came to an end. There's no doubt in my mind if he would've been able to stay around, the Wings would've gotten 1 more cup for sure.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Vladdy. Nobody else even comes close.

[scotzman 29]

I think there's probably a case for Feds simply because of what his legacy could've become. He currently stands amongst a great group of former wings like Lindsay, Abel, etc.... But IMO there's a definite higher tier than that and it includes Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman. They are the only 2 right now. If Feds had finished out his career here, maybe he could've elevated beyond the other greats and joined the big 2....which will be the big 3 when Lids hangs them up.

I really hate to do this... but Feds would never be considered along with Lindsay, Abel, etc. because of his tendency to not play all out all the time, not to mention the bitching and moaning. He was probably the most talented player in Detroit for a very long time, but he never was endeared the way most of those other players were.

Vladdy worked hard and never took shifts off. Vladdy and Nick together for this long would have been amazing. I think we would have maybe won two or three more Cups with that combo. It's hard to even think about it. Vladdy will always be the "what if" for this team. We have never recovered fully.

[auxlepli 17]

Vladdy, no doubt.

[Opie 308]

Yeah add me to the Vladdy wagon.

This man was taken out in his prime.

He was a physical d-man and the word responsible doesn't even began to explain his play in his own zone, but I am lacking a better word.

[detroitdan 0]

easily it's Vladdy, but I don't know if he was the best defenceman in the world when he had the accident...he was definitely one of the top in the game, but I don't even think he was on the top pairing the year they won the Cup, it was Lidstrom-Murphy I believe...that said, he definitely could have become an all-time great if that horrific night had never happened

[Guest jaytan]

If circumstances could've been changed which of these would you have like to see play through:

1. Jiri Fischer never has his heart ailment. What could he have done with all that potential.

2. Sergei Fedorov had never signed with Anaheim. Would his Detroit legacy be cemented and his number hung from the rafters without question or debate?

3. Konstantinov not being in that wreck. Oh the possibilities.

4. McCarty not having to be bought out due to the cap and playing his entire career in Detroit.

5. Shanahan not leaving for NY and hitting more personal milestones in Detroit.

Out of that list, I'd definitely pick Shanny. D-Mac was at the end of his prime. The Konstantinov and Fischer situations aren't something we can really do anything about, and Fedorov is a greedy jerk who is too much trouble than he's worth.

The guy I'd really want back, though, is Sean Avery. He's not even at his prime yet, would be a perfect fit for the team we have now and is a fan-favorite.

[Albeh 1]

If circumstances could've been changed which of these would you have like to see play through:

1. Jiri Fischer never has his heart ailment. What could he have done with all that potential.

2. Sergei Fedorov had never signed with Anaheim. Would his Detroit legacy be cemented and his number hung from the rafters without question or debate?

3. Konstantinov not being in that wreck. Oh the possibilities.

4. McCarty not having to be bought out due to the cap and playing his entire career in Detroit.

5. Shanahan not leaving for NY and hitting more personal milestones in Detroit.

I would have to go with Vladdy. That year he was a Norris finalist and put up that absurd +/-. His ferocious style that intimidated everyone in the league. Okay, so he couldn't fight much more than to simply protect himself but aside from that he was awesome. Who is to say how long he could've kept up his style but he could really do it all, including being able to contribute offensively if given the opportunity.

1. Konstantinov.

2. Konstantinov.

3. Konstantinov.

4. Konstantinov.

5. Konstantinov.

McCarty and Shanahan were not the players they had been when they left Detroit. Fedorov could have been one of the best ever. He was a great player, but he's alot like a bigger version of Petr Nedved. What could he have been with a hard nosed work ethic. I almost puf Fischer into my list, because he seems like a good guy (no bad press I know of) and you hate to see a career cut short by an injury, but...

Vladdy was the best - at the height of his career - and essentially his *life* was cut short. Notwithstanding the grevious personal losses caused by that wreck, the Wings have never really recovered.

[Opie 308]

I will never, ever, ever forget seeing him in that wheel chair with the cup high above his head. When the camera panned the team it looked like half of them were ready to cry. I wouldn't blame them, this was a brother that they went to battle with (pardon the over used expression) and stood side by side with.

That incident had more impact on them winning the second cup than I think most of us could ever really understand.

[norrisnick 1]

Vlad, Sergei, and Fisch are the only ones to consider for me as I wanted to get rid of the other two before they actually left.

As for hypocrisy regarding Fischer... I think you weren't paying attention. Fisch was great in '02 and the Cup run. Took a couple steps early in '02-'03 but then blew out his knee. '03-'04 he was playing on an unstable knee and fairly tentative so he wasn't anything better than average. Then he played in the World Cup and World Championships as well as over in the Czech league during the lockout and he was great early in '05-'06. Second only to Lidstrom IMO in his play. He was skating, hitting, shooting, etc... just playing with confidence. He was a beast out there. Then his heart gave out on him.

Fischer was always a case of great potential and right as he was starting to show it, is when his career ended.

[JayUp88 1]

Big bad Vlad, man what he would have done,

i still wear his jersey all the time