The news that Detroit Red Wings fans had been waiting years for was officially confirmed on Tuesday morning: Sergei Fedorov’s iconic No. 91 will be retired and raised to the rafters at Little Caesars Arena, becoming the ninth number officially retired by the team.
The ceremony will take place on January 12 before the Red Wings host the Carolina Hurricanes. It's a fitting bit of irony, as it was Carolina that signed Fedorov to the infamous offer sheet in early 1998 that Detroit ultimately matched.
Not only has the news been met with overwhelming approval by Motor City sports fans, but Fedorov himself has now reacted to the well-deserved honor.
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In a prepared statement, Fedorov expressed his thanks to the players he spent his career with along with the fans, while also thanking Red Wings governor, president and CEO Chris Ilitch.
“I’m extremely grateful for this tremendous honor,” Fedorov said in a statement. “Thank you to everyone with the Red Wings organization, especially those who helped bring me to Detroit and gave me the chance to play for such a historic franchise. I was fortunate to be part of some unforgettable teams, and above all, I’m proud of the three Stanley Cup championships we won for our amazing fans in Hockeytown. The memories made along the way – with legendary teammates, coaches, and exceptional ownership – will stay with me forever."
"Lastly, I want to thank Chris Ilitch for the call yesterday to share the news about retiring my number. It’s a moment I’ll always cherish. I can’t wait to see everyone in January.”
Ilitch said that the franchise was honored to celebrate the career accomplishments of Fedorov, who defected literally in the middle of the night from the Soviet Union to come to the Motor City in 1990.
"We are honored to celebrate Sergei Fedorov and raise his No. 91 to its rightful place hanging in the rafters at Little Caesars Arena, among the all-time greats who have worn the Winged Wheel," said Ilitch in a press release. "His exceptional skill, relentless drive, and lasting impact playing a pivotal role bringing three Stanley Cup championships to Detroit make him the perfect embodiment of the qualities deserving of our franchise's most prestigious honor."
One of the most important contributors to Detroit's Stanley Cup victories in 1997, 1998 and 2002, Fedorov was a first-ballot Hall of Famer and is regarded as one of the most dynamic and exciting players not only to play for the Red Wings, but in all of NHL history.
While his time in a Red Wings uniform ended under less than ideal circumstances in 2003, fences have been mended since then.
Now, Fedorov's iconic No. 91 will be hung alongside other Hockeytown legends like Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuk, Ted Lindsay, and others in the Little Caesars Arena rafters.
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