Vladimir Konstantinov

Vladimir Nikolaevich Konstantinov (Russian: Владимир Николаевич Константинов; born March 19, 1967 in Murmansk, Russian SFSR ) is a former Russian ice hockey player. He played as a defender in the Soviet Hockey League and in the NHL and was a member of the "Russian Five" of the Detroit Red Wings. His career was ended prematurely in a car accident when he suffered serious injuries in 1997, as a result he is now severely disabled.

Career

Soviet Union

His career began in 1984 in the Soviet Hockey League, the Central Sports Club of the Red Army and Soviet Subscription champion HK CSKA Moscow. He also won several world championships with the Soviet national team.

Towards the end of 1980 or at the beginning of the 1990s - Konstantinov was now captain at CSKA and Soviet national team - pushing many Soviet players, such as Vyacheslav Fetisov and Sergei Fedorov in the NHL. Konstantinov, who was also a lieutenant in the Red Army wanted to follow his countrymen, but it was a change in the West denied by Soviet officials.

For this reason he initially feigned a serious viral disease that supposedly would not allow a continuation of his career and asked to be allowed to be treated in the U.S.. His departure was prevented by officials, including by the Soviet national team coach Viktor Tikhonov, the Konstantinov did not believe his disease.

Finally, the exit he succeeded allegedly paying bribes to various places, in August 1991, in the turmoil of the failed military coup against Mikhail Gorbachev.

Time in the NHL

In the NHL Detroit Red Wings had already secured the rights to Konstantinov at the NHL Entry Draft in 1989, although it was not until number 221, because at that time the exchange of Soviet players in the NHL still appeared unlikely. The Scouts ( talent scouts ) the Red Wings had struck against the Soviet Union, the aggressive style of play Konstantinows at the Junior World Championship 1986/87 in Czechoslovakia during the game Canada. In this game, it came between the two teams into a mass brawl that led to the match being abandoned and the disqualification of both teams. No other Soviet player hit it back as hard as Konstantinov what the scouts impressed.

1991/92, in his first NHL season with the Red Wings, he made, among other things, a pair of defenders with Steve Chiasson, with whom he had beaten in the mass brawl during the World Youth Championship against. Konstantinows playing style was not typical for Russian players who impressed mainly by their ice spills skills and technical prowess stock at this time. Its strength were hard body checks, be the tackle and the " clearing " of enemy striker before your own. The North American sports media, with its penchant for nicknames, called him because of the " Vladinator ", in reference to the Terminator, and " Vlad the impaler " ( Vlad the Impaler ), after a Transylvanian tyrant of the late Middle Ages.

In his first NHL season, he was elected to the NHL All-Star team of rookies ( League newcomers ). In the 1995/96 season he led the league with plus-minus of the outstanding value of 60 rating and was elected to the second all-star team. In 1997, he played a major role in the Stanley Cup - winning the Red Wings (4-0 sweep in the final series against the Philadelphia Flyers), he himself took in the election to James Norris Memorial Trophy for the best defenders in the league in second place behind Brian Leetch of the New York Rangers.

He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989.

Accident and End of career

Six days after the final victory in 1997, on the way to an official date for the Red Wings, was the vehicle with Konstantinov, his Russian teammate Vyacheslav Fetisov and Sergei Mnazakanow, a Russian supervisor of the Red Wings, off the road and crashed into a tree. The driver, an employee of a commercial vehicle service, was intoxicated while driving, and Fetisov wore only minor injuries because they were strapped. Konstantinov and Mnazakanow however, suffered life-threatening head injuries.

Konstantinov was after the accident in a coma from which he awoke only after several weeks. He had, however, retained permanent brain damage, so that language and memory were largely lost. He also could be moved only by outside help in a wheelchair.

The Red Wings wore in the following season, 1997/98 in honor Konstantinows and Mnazakanows a circular emblem on the shirts on which was in English and Russian to read the word " faith " and the initials of the two. The team also won again this season the Stanley Cup after a second sweep in the final series against the Washington Capitals. At the presentation of the Stanley Cup, there was an emotional scene: Konstantinov was driven in a wheelchair on the ice, Captain Steve Yzerman gave the Cup, just after he had received him, to Konstantinov further and the whole team went with him the lap of honor.

Konstantinows jersey number 16 was not officially banned by the Red Wings, but out of respect since the accident, no player more the number worn. 2001 superstar Brett Hull was committed, who had his entire career, the number worn 16, but he renounced it and wore instead the 17, which earned him sympathy with the fans.

Konstantinows condition has now improved somewhat, he is able himself move with a walker and can speak again. He lives with his family near Detroit. In July 2005, he participated in the US- American citizenship.

Awards and achievements

Career Stats

( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )