Fedorov's leadership lifting Capitals

[T.Low 1,011]

Hey, nice read, thanks for posting it.

BTW, bring back federov, eh! Wouldn't that be great?

Do you think they will ever retire his number and hang his jersey from the rafters?

Did you guys hear that the Flint Generals signed McCarty? Hah, like he's gonna make a comeback or something.

[Reds4Life 51]

Nice article, thanks for posting it. I still love Feds. If Kenny can get him signed, I will be very happy.

[Nev 1,085]

Great article - 13 points in 18 games for Feds, clearly he is rejuvinated like he said.

As for his leadership, or alleged lack thereof in Detoit - when he was here there was a lot of veteran leadership ie Yzerman, Shanahan, Draper, Lidstrom, Chelios etc etc etc etc with 1 clear, undisputed leader. Any attempt by Fedorov to display more "leadership" would have no doubt been interpreted by the legions of Feds haters as him trying to usurp Yzerman. Because lets be honest, there have always been a core of Wings fans who hated him, no matter what he did.

In Washington there is a young but talented team with very little experience, especially postseason experience. When a guy walks in with 1100 career points, 162 points in 163 postseason games, 1 Hart, 2 Selkes and 3 Stanley Cups - he's going to be looked up to by the young guys.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

...Never stepped up? Ahem, 1994? Need we say more? Uh in 2003, after the sweep, who was their leading scorer? Fedorov

...The reason he left Detroit, do yo really want to know? Can you swallow this? In December of 2002, Ken Holland told Fedorov here is what we are offering. Fedorov told him, it looks good, but I am going through a divorce, looking for a new agent and going through some other personal issues. Can we talk about this later? Holland told him no, this offer won't be on the table long. So when finally Fedorov got his poersonal life somewhat in order, he contacted Holland and low and behold the offer went down and so did the legnth of it. The original offer was 5 years at around 11 million per. The last offer was 4 years at 10 million. Slap! Ken Holland teaches Fedorov not to play games, well Fedorov then made up his mind, (before the season was over) he was going to leave. He signed with Anaheim for the same 10million but for 5 years. PLUS he got to hang out in LA after the game instead of Detroit, BONUS!!! Holland thought he could control Fedorov, like Fedorov owed them. Well, for the longest time Fedorov made $285,000 per season, even during his MVP/Selke year. The Wings owed HIM. The Wings tried to screw him, he screwed back. Now, they want him back (as evident by the trade deadline) Holland wanted him back BAD, but (and rightly so) didn't want to part with Filpulla. Lets hope that when he calls Feds over the summer that Feds is still interested in coming back here. Who knows, he just may like playing with AO...

Holland may have wanted him back but I heard that many other persons in the organization poo-pooed that idea. Most notably Mike Babcock did not want him back.

People need to grow up and get over their personal s***. Acting like a lost love has finally been found again and can come home.

He's almost 40 ******* years old. I'm sorry, we have way too many other options that could be better for this team than bringing Fedorov back to play 3rd line duties.

Do we need Fedorov's leadership? NO! We have Z, Dats, Draper, Chely, Lids

Do we need Fedorov's offense? NO! We have Dats, Z, Homer, Franzen, Cleary, Lids, Rafs, Kronner

Do we need Fedorov's defense? NO! We have Dats, Z, Flip, Franzen, Cleary, Draper, Maltby, Drake, etc...

Do we need Fedorov's faceoff ability? NO! Wings are already one of the elite face off teams

Basically there is nothing Sergei Fedorov can bring to this team that is so far above and beyond what a younger free agent player(s) or guys in our minor league systems (Eriksson, Kindl, etc..) can bring.

If Fedorov was 33 I would feel differently about bringing him back. But he's not and I don't. Move on already and start putting the team's best interests ahead of your own puppy love and sentimentality. That goes for all of you wanting to bring him back.

Edited April 8, 2008 by GordieSid&Ted

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Having Fedorov would have been likely offset by:

No Lang; that trade never happens if Fedorov is still around.

Datsyuk cheaper, likely ~2.4-2.6m

Zetterberg cheaper, likely ~1.7-1.9

Here goes Eva again, praying upon the sheep of the internet world, trying to pawn hypothetical statistics off on us as some sort of truth.

You have no basis for your argument. It's a complete and utter theory and I just wanted to point that out.

[Opie 308]

why did he bolt? what was his reasoning? going with what i've heard. he left cause the Wings offered him one contract that he'd accepted and then when he went to sign it the term's had changed. i'm not sure how you'd react to that but i'd be insulted if that happened to me. loyalty is a two way thing . it's not always solely the player/employee's fault .

True, but just a couple of years before that he had the opportunity to show loyalty and instead he hung them over a barrel. Again I have no problem with him leaving for his reason, but as far as him deserving to come back that is where I think differently than you.

[Opie 308]

...Never stepped up? Ahem, 1994? Need we say more? Uh in 2003, after the sweep, who was their leading scorer? Fedorov

...The reason he left Detroit, do yo really want to know? Can you swallow this? In December of 2002, Ken Holland told Fedorov here is what we are offering. Fedorov told him, it looks good, but I am going through a divorce, looking for a new agent and going through some other personal issues. Can we talk about this later? Holland told him no, this offer won't be on the table long. So when finally Fedorov got his poersonal life somewhat in order, he contacted Holland and low and behold the offer went down and so did the legnth of it. The original offer was 5 years at around 11 million per. The last offer was 4 years at 10 million. Slap! Ken Holland teaches Fedorov not to play games, well Fedorov then made up his mind, (before the season was over) he was going to leave. He signed with Anaheim for the same 10million but for 5 years. PLUS he got to hang out in LA after the game instead of Detroit, BONUS!!! Holland thought he could control Fedorov, like Fedorov owed them. Well, for the longest time Fedorov made $285,000 per season, even during his MVP/Selke year. The Wings owed HIM. The Wings tried to screw him, he screwed back. Now, they want him back (as evident by the trade deadline) Holland wanted him back BAD, but (and rightly so) didn't want to part with Filpulla. Lets hope that when he calls Feds over the summer that Feds is still interested in coming back here. Who knows, he just may like playing with AO...

You are misusing my post, my post was in response to Fedorov DESERVING to be a Red Wing.

But your example, if life were lived in a vacuum, would be valid and Holland would look like an ass, but what you forgot in your little explanation is that Feds signed an offer sheet with Car before this.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m120...222/ai_20382950

This little tidbit was in response to paying Feds more money:

"As long as Steve Yzerman ($5.08 million) is here, he will be the highest-paid player on the Red Wings," Holland said, getting even more perturbed with my questioning.

So it is not like Holland had reasons to feel ok about waiting around for Sergei to make up his mind, last time he didn't jump all over Sergei, he signed with another team.

But you just like to support Fedorov because he bailed on the wings like you and if they take feds back you are hoping Wings fans will let you back on the bandwagon!!!

OK that was a little sarcasm, but you did bail.

OH BTW I hope Feds doesn't sign with this team in the summer, nothing Personal, but that guy is not what this team needs, as laid out in GS&T's post.

Edited April 8, 2008 by Opie

[CloudConnected 0]

...Never stepped up? Ahem, 1994? Need we say more? Uh in 2003, after the sweep, who was their leading scorer? Fedorov

You mean 1994, first round loss at the hands of an expansion team?

2003? After the sweep? I think you're talking about when we lost to Anaheim in the first round. Yes, Fedorov was our leading scorer in that series with 3 points in 4 games. But he scored on a flukey ricochet. The year after the sweep, he bolted to Anaheim, the team that we lost to. (frontrunning are we?) And lo and behold, Anaheim missed the playoffs under his leadership. Fedorov- 65 points in 80 games. Anaheim-76 points on the season. Way to step it up there...

He failed when our two leaders went down to injury against LA.

He tried to bolt to Carolina, but the Wings wanted him around.

When Holland tried to get him signed, Fedorov balked. Who's to say Sergei didn't shop himself around between the time Holland offered him the deal and the time he went to accept it? We don't know what goes on in negotiations, everything we read and hear is secondhand, and most of the time we're just hearing one side of the story.

All I am judging by is his performance as a Wing over the years, and I would be a fool to say he wasn't one of the most talented Russians to ever play the game. He had all of the physical tools you could want in a hockey player. The problem I had with Fedorov is that he whined to the media about wanting more ice time when he lead all forwards on our team in ice time. Then there were the nights he would be invisible on the ice. Floating all over the place. We've remained an elite team without him, and the only time he made it back to the playoffs is when he was a deadline acquisition for a hot team. The Caps can have him. Good riddance.

Edited April 8, 2008 by CloudConnected

[eva unit zero 271]

Here goes Eva again, praying upon the sheep of the internet world, trying to pawn hypothetical statistics off on us as some sort of truth.

You have no basis for your argument. It's a complete and utter theory and I just wanted to point that out.

Lang wouldn't have been acquired had Fedorov been on the team. That is a fact. That also covers most of Fedorov's salary.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg would have been the second line if Fedorov had stayed, so they would have seen less ice and likely scored fewer points. And thusly, made less money.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Lang wouldn't have been acquired had Fedorov been on the team. That is a fact. That also covers most of Fedorov's salary.

Datsyuk and Zetterberg would have been the second line if Fedorov had stayed, so they would have seen less ice and likely scored fewer points. And thusly, made less money.

I'm not saying it isn't possible. Just that its a theory. And yes, even the part about Lang is just a theory.

[eva unit zero 271]

I'm not saying it isn't possible. Just that its a theory. And yes, even the part about Lang is just a theory.

The Wings have no need to acquire a big strong center to play on a scoring line if Fedorov is on the roster. Lang was acquired to replace Fedorov...Holland even said as much. With Fedorov still around, there's no need to replace him. They might have looked into acquiring someone else...but we don't know that. Combine that with the fact that Holland was setting up for the cap environment we all knew was coming at that point; with Fedorov's deal on the books he wouldn't have added Lang's contract. He might have acquired someone whose deal was expiring, but that doesn't affect the 2005-06 roster does it?

[Sergeiwasmyfav 0]

You mean 1994, first round loss at the hands of an expansion team?

2003? After the sweep? I think you're talking about when we lost to Anaheim in the first round. Yes, Fedorov was our leading scorer in that series with 3 points in 4 games. But he scored on a flukey ricochet. The year after the sweep, he bolted to Anaheim, the team that we lost to. (frontrunning are we?) And lo and behold, Anaheim missed the playoffs under his leadership. Fedorov- 65 points in 80 games. Anaheim-76 points on the season. Way to step it up there...

He failed when our two leaders went down to injury against LA.

He tried to bolt to Carolina, but the Wings wanted him around.

When Holland tried to get him signed, Fedorov balked. Who's to say Sergei didn't shop himself around between the time Holland offered him the deal and the time he went to accept it? We don't know what goes on in negotiations, everything we read and hear is secondhand, and most of the time we're just hearing one side of the story.

All I am judging by is his performance as a Wing over the years, and I would be a fool to say he wasn't one of the most talented Russians to ever play the game. He had all of the physical tools you could want in a hockey player. The problem I had with Fedorov is that he whined to the media about wanting more ice time when he lead all forwards on our team in ice time. Then there were the nights he would be invisible on the ice. Floating all over the place. We've remained an elite team without him, and the only time he made it back to the playoffs is when he was a deadline acquisition for a hot team. The Caps can have him. Good riddance.

I think some of what you say here is true, in that he did tend to float at times, and he could be somewhat moody. However, what about all that he contributed during the Stanley Cup runs? I don't think the times that they didn't win are his fault only. The team didn't play well enough to win; one player cannot win the Cup (exception may be Roy with the '86 Candiens), so I don't think years that the Wings did not do well in the playoffs should be used to support the idea that Feds couldn't lead the team. No one lead the team well enough those years to win the Cup, including Yzerman. It was a nice article about him, showing how he is doing well with another team, helping out the young players. His teammates there seem to like him and appreciate him. Why can't we just be happy for him having some success in the twilight of his career, instead of rehashing every non-perfect thing he ever did here?

[eva unit zero 271]

one player cannot win the Cup (exception may be Roy with the '86 Candiens),

Yes, home ice advantage for the first three rounds indicates how bad a team the Canadiens were in 1986...

EDIT: Of goaltenders who have won the Cup since 1984, here are the average number of playoff rounds with home ice in that goaltender Cup-winning season:

Dominik Hasek 4

Mike Richter 4

Cam Ward 4

Ed Belfour 4

Nikolai Khabibulin 4

Patrick Roy 3.25

Grant Fuhr 3.25

JS Giguere 3

Chris Osgood 3

Mike Vernon 3

Bill Ranford 3

Tom Barrasso 2.5

Martin Brodeur 1.67

Yes...you read that right. Patrick Roy's team was better than the opposition in Cup seasons as often as Grant Fuhr's team was, and more often than Chris Osgood's. What blows my mind is the fact that Brodeur has averaged more series without home ice than with, which is just ridiculous. But, done with the thread jack.

Edited April 8, 2008 by eva unit zero

[Sergeiwasmyfav 0]

Yes, home ice advantage for the first three rounds indicates how bad a team the Canadiens were in 1986...

Wow, way to pull the most unimportant few words out of a post to create an argument. That comment was merely an aside thought, and totally not the point of the post.

Edited April 8, 2008 by Sergeiwasmyfav