From Controversy to Celebration: Fedorov’s Jersey to Hang in Detroit

The former NHL superstar said in a statement, “I’m extremely grateful for this tremendous honor.” He added, “Thank you to everyone with the Red Wings organization, especially those who helped bring me to Detroit…”

Fedorov’s impact in Detroit is undeniable. With the team from 1990 – 2003, Fedorov had 954 points (400 goals, 554 assists) in 908 games. He collected three Stanley Cups, won the Hart Trophy in 1994 as the NHL’s most valuable player, and was one of the greatest Red Wings in history. Yet his exit in 2003 — and the contentious 1998 offer sheet saga with the Hurricanes — left lingering bitterness between the forward and team ownership.

The Red Wings matched the offer sheet, and he remained part of their Cup runs in 1998 and 2002, but the strain of that dispute lasted a long time.

He moved on and played seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Washington Capitals, before heading to the KHL to finish out his on-ice career.

For years, it seemed like the two sides would never get back on the same page and let the past be the past. Fans on social media reacted with comments like, “About time” and “Finally”. Yet another wrote, “Way way overdue.”

The overall sense is that it took the Red Wings far too long to let the past controversy stay in the past. “We are honored to celebrate Sergei Fedorov and raise his #91 to its rightful place hanging in the rafters at Little Caesars Arena, among the all-time greats who have worn the Winged Wheel,” Ilitch said in a press release. 

Red Wings Doing Right by Fedorov

With the Red Wings set to celebrate their centennial season, the timing feels like a conscious choice to bridge history with healing. CEO Chris Ilitch called Fedorov “the perfect embodiment” of a Red Wings great, while Fedorov himself expressed gratitude for the honor, saying the call from Ilitch was a moment he would “always cherish.”

For fans, the retirement ceremony is more than a nod to past championships. It’s a recognition that Detroit’s dynasty of the ’90s and early 2000s was something they can finally celebrate by including a huge piece of what made that team so successful.