Vladimir Konstantinov

The Vladiator: Red Wings legend whose career was cut short by tragedy.

Vladimir Nikolaevich Konstantinov (born 19 March 1967) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career, from 1991 to 1997 with the Detroit Red Wings. Previously, he had played for Soviet club CSKA Moscow. His career ended due to a limousine crash six days after the Red Wings' 1997 Stanley Cup victory.

Quick Facts

Played for: CSKA Moscow; Detroit Red Wings
Position: Defense
Shoots: Right
Born: 19 March 1967
Birthplace: Murmansk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Draft: 221st overall
Drafted by: Detroit Red Wings

Lore & Background

Konstantinov was drafted 221st overall in the 1989 NHL entry draft by the Detroit Red Wings, after impressing a Wings scout at the 1987 World Junior Championships, where a brawl broke out in the Soviet Union–Canada game. Although the end of the Cold War was approaching, the Soviet Union was still not allowing their young ice hockey players to leave the country to play in the NHL. The Red Wings worked for over two years to get Konstantinov to Detroit.

Konstantinov had previously signed a 25-year contract committing himself to CSKA Moscow which was a department of the Russian army. If he deserted, he would be considered a felon in Russia, which would make him ineligible for a work visa in the United States. He also had a wife and daughter, and would not consider leaving without them. A Russian journalist named Valery Matveev worked with Wings executive vice-president Jim Lites to secure an army discharge for Konstantinov.

With cash provided by the Red Wings, Matveev bribed six Russian doctors to diagnose and confirm that Konstantinov had inoperable cancer, and thus secured his medical discharge from the military in the summer of 1991. The Red Wings were planning to fly Konstantinov and his family out from Russia and get him to Detroit in time for the start of training camp in September, but the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt forced a change in plans. With the airports closed, Matveev took the family by train to Budapest.

Lites met them there, in Red Wings' owner Mike Ilitch's private jet, and went back to Detroit with Konstantinov aboard. His wife and daughter followed two days later on a commercial flight. Konstantinov played more aggressively than most of his Russian contemporaries, specializing in getting opponents off their game. 'For my game,' he explained, 'I don't need to score the goal.

I need someone to start thinking about me and forgetting about scoring goals.' While he was known as 'Vladdie' to his teammates, his aggressive style of play earned him the nicknames 'Vladiator' and 'Vlad the Impaler' among the media and fans, as well as 'the Red Shark'. Konstantinov was part of the unit known as 'The Russian Five', which consisted of him and fellow defenseman Slava Fetisov, and forwards Igor Larionov, Sergei Fedorov and Slava Kozlov. Konstantinov earned the NHL Plus/Minus Award in 1995–96, with a plus/minus difference of +60.

Reader's Guide

Konstantinov is remembered as a fierce defenseman and key member of the Russian Five. His career was tragically cut short by a limousine crash days after winning the Stanley Cup. The Red Wings honored him with a 'Believe' patch and by bringing him on the ice in a wheelchair after their 1998 championship. His jersey #16 is unofficially retired.

Did You Know?

Konstantinov earned the NHL Plus/Minus Award in 1995–96 with a +60 rating, the highest since Wayne Gretzky's +70 in 1986–87.
He was runner-up for the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1996–97.
He was present for the jersey retirement of Sergei Fedorov on 12 January 2026.