Vladimir Konstantinov

Lore & Background

Konstantinov was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings after impressing a scout at the 1987 World Junior Championships, where a brawl broke out in the Soviet Union–Canada game. The Soviet Union was still not allowing young players to leave, and the Red Wings worked for over two years to get him to Detroit. A Russian journalist, Valery Matveev, worked with Wings executive Jim Lites to secure an army discharge for Konstantinov by bribing six Russian doctors to diagnose him with inoperable cancer. During the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, with airports closed, Matveev took Konstantinov and his family by train to Budapest, where Lites met them in owner Mike Ilitch's private jet.

Konstantinov played more aggressively than most Russian contemporaries, specializing in getting opponents off their game. He was known as 'Vladdie' to teammates, and nicknamed 'Vladiator', 'Vlad the Impaler', and 'the Red Shark' by media and fans. He was part of the 'Russian Five' with Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Sergei Fedorov, and Slava Kozlov. In 1995–96 he earned the NHL Plus/Minus Award with a +60 rating, the highest since Wayne Gretzky's +70 in 1986–87. In the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, Flyers coach Terry Murray expected Konstantinov to face the 'Legion of Doom' line, but Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman instead used the finesse pairing of Nicklas Lidström and Larry Murphy.

Reader's Guide

Konstantinov's legacy is defined by his elite defensive play and the tragic end of his career. He was runner-up for the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1996–97, the season he helped the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup. Six days after that victory, a limousine crash left him with serious head injuries and paralysis; he spent weeks in a coma. Teammate Viacheslav Fetisov escaped with minor injuries, while team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov was paralyzed from the waist down and died in August 2024.

The Red Wings kept his locker set up through the 1997–98 season, with a rock engraved 'Believe' in his place. After winning the 1998 Stanley Cup, the team received special dispensation from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to have his name engraved on the Cup. Captain Steve Yzerman defied tradition by handing Konstantinov the Cup first in a wheelchair ceremony. The team wore a 'Believe' patch during the 1997–98 season with Konstantinov's and Mnatsakanov's initials.

Konstantinov's jersey number 16 has not been reissued by the Red Wings since his last game, out of respect. While not formally retired, it is understood no Red Wing will wear it again. Pat Verbeek switched to 15, Brett Hull to 17, and Xavier Ouellet to 61. Konstantinov's condition has improved considerably; he still has trouble speaking and walking but attends Red Wings games from a private box. He participated in the 2007 Steve Yzerman number retirement, the 2014 Winter Classic Russian Five reunion, the 2016 20th anniversary of the 1997 championship team, the final game at Joe Louis Arena, and the 2026 Sergei Fedorov jersey retirement.

Did You Know?

• Konstantinov was drafted 221st overall in 1989 after impressing a scout at the 1987 World Junior Championships, where a bench-clearing brawl known as the Punch-up in Piestany occurred.
• To secure his release from the Soviet army, six Russian doctors were bribed to diagnose him with inoperable cancer.
• His +60 plus/minus in 1995–96 was the highest since Wayne Gretzky's +70 in 1986–87 and was not matched until Johnny Gaudreau's +64 in 2021–22.
• After the 1997 limousine crash, the Red Wings kept his locker set up with a rock engraved 'Believe' through the 1997–98 season.