Vyacheslav Fetisov

Viacheslav Alexandrovich "Slava" Fetisov is a Russian former professional ice hockey defenceman who later worked as a coach, politician, and sports official. He spent 13 seasons with HC CSKA Moscow before moving to the NHL, where he played for the New Jersey Devils and the Detroit Red Wings. As a member of the Red Wings' famous Russian Five unit, he won consecutive Stanley Cups. After his playing days, he served as an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils, helping the team reach two Stanley Cup finals and win one championship. Fetisov also won two Olympic gold medals and seven world championships, earning him a place in the Triple Gold Club.

Fetisov played a key role in breaking the barrier that kept Soviet players from joining the NHL. His efforts allowed several top Soviet players to enter the league and encouraged many of Europe’s best players to follow. He was a longtime captain of the Soviet national team and a two-time Olympic champion. In 2002, he served as general manager and head coach of the Russian Olympic team, which won a bronze medal. Widely regarded as one of the greatest defencemen ever, he was named to the IIHF Centennial All-Star Team and inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2005.

After his coaching career, Fetisov moved into politics and sports administration. Following the 2002 Olympics, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed him Minister of Sport, a role he held until 2008. He holds the rank of 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation. He is a member of the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia’s parliament, representing Primorsky Krai. He also founded and chairs the KHL’s board of directors and leads the WADA Athletes Committee. Fetisov served as president of HC CSKA Moscow in the KHL and was a key member of the bidding committee that successfully presented Sochi’s 2014 Winter Olympics proposal to the IOC in 2007.

Since October 2016, Fetisov has been a Deputy in the State Duma and First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism, and Youth Affairs. He is also a member of the Supreme Council of the United Russia party.

Fetisov began his playing career with CSKA Moscow’s junior team at age sixteen. He joined the senior team in the Soviet Championship League in 1978–79, recording 29 points in 29 games as a rookie. In his fourth season, he scored 41 points in 46 games and was named USSR Player of the Year in 1982. He won the award again in 1985–86 after a 34-point season.

Fetisov wanted to play in the NHL and asked Soviet officials for permission, but defections were strongly discouraged. He recalled the Soviet Minister of Defence, Marshal Dmitry Yazov, giving him an ultimatum: apologize or be sent to Siberia. At age 31, with the help of the Soviet Union’s glasnost policy, he led a group of eight Soviet players into the NHL. Soviet officials allowed players to go as long as they continued to play for the national team, but 99% of their NHL salaries went to the Soviet government—a practice Fetisov later compared to using players as slaves for profit.

The Montreal Canadiens drafted him in 1978, but he couldn’t play in North America then. He was re-entered into the 1983 draft and selected by the New Jersey Devils. He debuted with the Devils in 1989–90, scoring eight goals and 42 points—both NHL career highs. He played in New Jersey until April 1995, when he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings. He immediately produced 14 points in 14 games to finish the season and helped the Red Wings reach the 1995 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to his former team, the Devils. The next season, he matched his career high with 42 points. He was named to his first NHL All-Star Game in 1997, then won back-to-back Stanley Cups with Detroit in 1997 and 1998 before retiring. After the 1997 championship, he brought the Stanley Cup to Moscow—the first time the trophy appeared in Russia.

Nearly eleven years after retiring, at age 51, Fetisov came out of retirement for a single game on 11 December 2009, playing for CSKA Moscow. Head coach Sergei Nemchinov called on him, as club president, to replace an injured defenceman. CSKA lost 3–2 to SKA St. Petersburg.

Internationally, Fetisov is one of the most decorated players. As a junior, he won Top Defenceman honors at the European Junior Championships in 1975–76 and helped the Soviet Union win two consecutive gold medals at that tournament.