Fedorov and Lidstrom first ballot hall of fame inductees

Submitted by justingoblue on

Congrats Nick and Sergei! #Classof2015 pic.twitter.com/Z4hffgjlIR

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 29, 2015

The induction ceremony is on 11/9/15. Former Flames president and Hockey Hall of Fame chairman Bill Hay (who will be joining his father Charles Hay in the HOF), and former Compuware CEO and owner Peter Karmanos will be inducted into the builders category.

Nicklas Lidstrom and Sergei Fedorov will be joined by defenseman Chris Pronger (who was technically traded to Arizona on Saturday), current Nashville assistant Phil Housley, and Harvard alumna/gold medal winner Angela Ruggiero as the players inducted into the 2015 class.

bacon1431

June 29th, 2015 at 4:09 PM ^

Lidstrom will probably be remembered more because he was playing more recently for the Wings but damn, Fedorov was fucking amazing as well. 

South Bend Wolverine

June 29th, 2015 at 4:20 PM ^

My favorite players as a kid (Fedorov) and as an adult (Lidstrom)!  Two phenomenal talents who brought great glory to the city of Detroit, glad to see them enshrined as they deserve.

Yostbound and Down

June 29th, 2015 at 4:34 PM ^

The same way he is somehow also working for DoPS while an active player...apparently the league and the PA don't care. I do think it is kinda screwy they just turn a blind eye.

Also, anyone see Mike Richards' contract today was terminated by the Kings? Going to be some strange shit with that.

LSAClassOf2000

June 29th, 2015 at 4:29 PM ^

Totally deserved - two players whose resumes speak for themselves - and great selections indeed. 

What is that now, about 10 members from the 2002 Red Wings in the Hall? 

Pepto Bismol

June 29th, 2015 at 5:00 PM ^

Good question.  I've got 9.  Fetisov was gone by then - inducted in 2001.

Larionov, Yzerman, Robitaille, Hull, Shanahan, Chelios, Hasek, Fedorov, Lidstrom

But if you wanna get weird and pad some stats, Mike Ilitch & Jimmy Devellano are in there, too.

mich_hockey_6

June 29th, 2015 at 4:34 PM ^

Sergei's #91 needs to hang at The Joe. I'm well-aware of the drama that went on between him and ownership, but he was a HUGE part of 3 Cups and (to lazy to look this up to make sure) I'm pretty sure he was the leading scorer over that period. Not only did he play forward on one of the most beautiful 5-man units ever, but he also helped the team by playing defense. He wouldn't be the only other guy who's number hangs from the rafters that's had issues with the front office.

Rant over. I feel better now.

... And congrats to both of them, they deserve it.

justingoblue

June 29th, 2015 at 5:13 PM ^

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. I was trying to get across that I think he has a better case than anyone he played with (except Yzerman and Lidstrom) and anyone currently playing. Someone who would be retiring soon or did recently.

I did forget about Aurie, though, I won't pretend I didn't. Weird situation all around, but then again people might say that about Fedorov after enough time.

uofmken

June 29th, 2015 at 4:57 PM ^

I realize there was drama, but come on, he was one of the best players in hockey during the Red Wings heyday.  Without the drama, he would already be up there.

He deserves it.  Retire #91.

bacon1431

June 29th, 2015 at 5:02 PM ^

It might have been Bowman that said that Fedorov could've been a HOF defenseman if he wanted, he was that good. I think his number should be up there - top 50 in all time points for NHL. 

Hello_Heisman

June 29th, 2015 at 4:44 PM ^

had to be the most loaded team of HOF'ers in the last 40 years aside from some of the 80's Edmonton teams.  Look who's already in the HOF from that team:

Hasek

Robitaille

Hull

Shannahan

Yzerman

Larionov

Chelios

Lidstrom

Fedorov

Bowman

So 9 players plus the head coach, and we still haven't gotten to Datsyuk who will almost certainly make it when all is said and done.  That's incredible to think about - there are 19 players who take a regular shift each game (12 forwards, 6 defensemen, 1 goalie) and on this single team, over half of them will end up in the HOF once Datsyuk gets elected.  

Even crazier, every one of these guys was a first ballot HOF'er except for Shanny, who made it in on his second year on the ballot.  Oh yeah, and they were led by the greatest coach in NHL history who's also in the Hall.  It just goes to show what a grind the NHL playoffs are that you could put a team with this much talent and experience together and they still came dangerously close to losing in the first round against Vancouver. 

The first 6 games of the Conference Finals series against Colorado was the best playoff series I ever saw; so much skill and championship drive on both sides of the ice.  Game 7 was fun, but in hindsight I do wish that the Avs had had a little more in the tank for one more classic matchup.  That series was so great, it should have ended with another nailbiter win by the Wings rather than a 7-0 blowout.

 

CRISPed in the DIAG

June 29th, 2015 at 4:47 PM ^

Everyone remembers Federov as a prodigious scorer, but he was an all-around beast. In '97 during the Stanley Cup Finals (game 4, I think) the Wings faced a 5-3 power play.  Federov was on the ice as one of the three Wings during this stretch and broke a stick along the board.  The Flyers managed to set the puck back to the point, isolated against the stickless Federov.  The next few seconds were amazing - Sergei was athletic enough to get his skate on the puck as the Flyers player tried to brush past him in open ice - and start a break as one of the other WIngs (likely Lindstrom) scooped it up and went the other way with a quickness. 

meechiganman14

June 29th, 2015 at 5:35 PM ^

Sergei/Stevie were my favorites when I was a kid (still have my youth Fedorov jersey) and as I played and watched more hockey I became more aware of just how incredible Nick Lidstrom was. He was never out of position, never made a bad pass, and was better at getting shots through from the point than anyone I've ever seen. As celebrated as he is, I still think he's underrated because there was no aspect of his game that was overwhelming, but his hockey sense makes him, in my mind, the best overall defenseman of all time. I know that's highly debatable and I'm biased as a Wings fan, but I just don't think you could engineer a defenseman to be much better than he was.

Serial MGO Lurker

June 29th, 2015 at 7:25 PM ^

I remember that spot from when it first aired. Crazy that the kid on the left (american pie) and right (it's always sunny) would have success later on. Reminds me of when I pulled out my old U.C.B. dvd's some years back I noticed a not yet famous rob cordry featured very clearly as an audience member.

bronxblue

June 29th, 2015 at 5:40 PM ^

Great for both.  Lidstromg was always a slam dunk; Federov is a bit of a surprise as a first-ballot HOF, but he absolutely deserved to get in.  He was a terror offensively and, when inclined, was extremely tough defensively.

H4ILH4RB4UGH

June 29th, 2015 at 7:14 PM ^

Lidstrom is the model defensemen in about all aspects. But Sergei? How could you not love that guy? The flow, the 'Rari, the Kornikova! And who was the last guy to win hardest shot, and fastest skater at the skills comp? #91

CoverZero

June 29th, 2015 at 8:04 PM ^

It is surprising that Federov made it on the first ballot.  He was an amazing player for a short period of time, and a very good player for most of the rest of it.  He took a lot of shit from Detroit fans who always expected more out of his potential.