Twenty-eight years ago tonight, Steve Yzerman handed the Cup to Vladimir Konstantinov in a moment the hockey world will never forget.
On June 16, 1998, the Detroit Red Wings did something that had not been done in the NHL since the early 1990s. They won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, and they did it in a way that transcended the sport itself.
Konstantinov, one of the most feared defensive players in the game, was left in a wheelchair with severe brain damage. The tragedy galvanized a locker room that was already among the most talented in the league and gave the entire season a sense of purpose that went far beyond winning hockey games.
The Red Wings finished the regular season with a 44-23-15 record, good for second place in the Western Conference. With Mike Vernon having been traded away following the 1997 title, the Red Wings turned to Chris Osgood in net, a young goaltender who had faced questions about his ability to perform under playoff pressure.
In the first round, Osgood showed some shakiness as the Red Wings needed six games to knock off the Phoenix Coyotes. Detroit steadied themselves in the second round, with Osgood playing stronger as the Wings beat the St. Louis Blues in six games. The Western Conference Finals brought a matchup with the Presidents' Trophy-winning Dallas Stars, and the Wings dispatched Dallas in six games to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Over the course of the postseason, Sergei Fedorov led the team in goals with ten, while Yzerman contributed 18 assists as the engine that kept the machine running. The roster was loaded with future Hall of Famers. Sergei Fedorov, Viacheslav Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Nicklas Lidstrom, Larry Murphy and Brendan Shanahan all suited up for Detroit, coached by the legendary Scotty Bowman.
Waiting in the Final were the Washington Capitals, making their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in franchise history. Detroit won Game 1 by a score of 2-1, took Game 2 in overtime by a score of 5-4, won Game 3 by 2-1 and closed it out with a 4-1 victory in Game 4.
As the Red Wings celebrated on the ice, out of the tunnel came Konstantinov, wheeled onto the ice in his chair by teammate Slava Fetisov. He was back on the ice, draped in his jersey, surrounded by his teammates. Yzerman skated straight to him and without hesitation placed the Cup in Konstantinov's lap.
The image of Konstantinov sitting in his wheelchair with the Stanley Cup in his arms, teammates crowding around him with tears streaming down their faces, became one of the most iconic photographs in the history of the sport.
Steve Yzerman was named playoff MVP and awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy, leading all scorers with 24 points throughout the postseason. It was a fitting honor for a captain who carried both his team and the weight of everything the season represented.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.