Connect with us

Detroit, MI

‘Overwhelmed’ family man Sergei Fedorov relishing celebrating Detroit Red Wings history

Published

on

‘Overwhelmed’ family man Sergei Fedorov relishing celebrating Detroit Red Wings history


play

Sergei Fedorov, cutting a trim, fit figure that makes him look like he could still suit up and play, tried to explain what it’s like for him to be in Detroit this weekend as part of a Red Wings celebration of franchise history.

“It’s tough, to be honest with you,” he said. “As soon as I landed, a lot of thoughts came, a lot of memories came, and it’s still overwhelming.

Advertisement

“I’m trying to control myself, but it’s great to see you guys. I follow Red Wings from Moscow from time to time.”

Fedorov, the dynamic, extraordinary talent the Wings plucked from the fourth round of the 1989 NHL draft, back when the Iron Curtain still hung like a figurative wall around the Soviet Union, was at Little Caesars Arena on Friday, Nov. 7, as part of the team’s centennial celebration fan fest. It was his second visit to the Wings’ new home; he spent his playing years, from 1990 to 2003, at Joe Louis Arena, where he played a crucial role in the Wings winning the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998 and 2002.

He’ll be back again on Jan. 12, when the Wings retire his No. 91. Fedorov called it a tremendous honor.

“Thoughts are very simple,” he said. “I got lucky to play with the greatest players in the game, coaches, staff. And I cannot thank enough ownership that gave me a chance to send a plane to Portland, Oregon, to get me. Mr. Ilitch’s family did a great job. I’m glad we won. Finally, we won.”

Advertisement

Fedorov sat next to fellow 1989 draftee Nicklas Lidström in an interview with reporters Friday evening. The Wings asked the budding superstar defenseman from Sweden to stay home from the draft so as not to tip off any teams, enabling them to grab him in the third round.

When the Wings drafted Fedorov at No. 74, there were snickers from competing teams because he might never be able to come to the NHL. But taking a page worthy of a John Le Carré novel, the Wings got their man during an exhibition game in Portland in the lead-up to the Goodwill Games. A hotel key was slipped under a door. A team employee collected Fedorov’s belongings while he was at the game. Another employee waiting in the lobby, a signal for Fedorov to follow him to a taxi that idled nearby (the driver had been tipped $100 to not ask questions). Mike Ilitch’s private plane, ready for takeoff.

Advertisement

Fedorov made his NHL debut that fall and it didn’t take long to show why the Wings chanced a pick on him. In 1993-94 he became the first Russian to win the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. Three years later, he hoisted the Cup.

“Sergei had a tremendous career,” Lidström said. “When I came to the Wings, I think he came the year before I came, Sergei was already a star when I joined the team. A couple of years later, he was a superstar in the NHL. Hart Trophy winner, Stanley Cup winner. He won everything, so it’s well-deserved to see his jersey go up in the rafters, too.”

The Wings retired Lidström’s No. 5 soon after he retired in 2012. Fedorov’s departure as a free agent in 2003 caused a rift that didn’t heal until he (together with Lidström) was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.

Now, it’s the memories that matter – from the disappointment of the playoffs in the early to mid 1990s to relief – that linger.

Advertisement

“We had a few disappointing seasons, but we never thought we cannot have done it,” Fedorov said. “The fans drove us, supported us, win or lose, bad or good. It was an amazing platform for us to continue this hard working process until eventually to get that precious trophy to the city, to the state, to the fans.

“Those parades, over one million people. I think it was a sea of people. It was a tremendous honor to be on that stage and speak to all those people who really want us to succeed. And really thank God we did it. This kind of winning attitude, winning manner helped one another.”

Fedorov, 55, returned to Russia in 2009 having played 1,248 NHL games. After playing in the KHL, he turned to coaching CSKA Moscow, last doing so in 2023-24. Fedorov still resides in Moscow with his wife and two children, and after a lifetime of being on the road and answering the grueling demands of professional hockey, he’s enjoying a low profile.

” I want to stay with the family and grow together with my kids and be around,” Fedorov said.

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her books: “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of Hockeytown,” and “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.

Advertisement



Source link

Detroit, MI

Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know

Published

on

Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know


play

Mourning continued and no suspects were in custody a week after the fatal shooting of Detroit restaurateur and nightlife figure Mikey “Mike B” Brown at the end of February.

Brown was the beloved figure behind the “Sloppy” brand of restaurants, and remembrances have been rolling in online since his death.

Advertisement

Here’s what to know:

Shooting outside cocktail bar

“Mike B” Brown, 51, and two others were shot about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 28 in the area of 15789 Schaefer, police previously said.

The two others were found in front of the location, and Brown was found across the street, police said.

Police have asked those with information on the shooting to come forward.

There were no suspects in custody and no further updates in the case as of Monday, March 9, according to a statement from the Detroit Police Department.

Advertisement

Updates on the conditions of the two other individuals shot were also not provided.

Who was Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

Brown was a husband, a father of five and a restaurateur.

He opened Sloppy Chops Restaurant, a steakhouse, in 2020 on West McNichols off the Lodge Freeway and later opened a seafood restaurant called Sloppy Crab, which was renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. Brown previously had two clubs, as well.

Advertisement

His downtown dining spot served as an answer to questions on offerings for Black diners in the city’s renaissance. His other “Sloppy” location showcased successful reach beyond downtown and into the city’s neighborhoods. Brown was also a cultural figure in not only the world of dining, but in the nightlife, the Free Press reported.

When are funeral services for Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

A family hour was set for 9 a.m. March 13 and a funeral was set for 10 a.m. March 13, both at Triumph Church –North Campus at 15600 J.L. Hudson Drive in Southfield.

What’s been the fallout since Mike ‘Mike B’ Brown’s death?

Outside of the community hurt, there’s also been calls for a crackdown on establishments that stay open into early morning hours in residential areas, ClickOnDetroit reports.

How to report tips on Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown’s shooting

Those with information tied to the triple shooting can contact the Detroit Police Department’s homicide unit at 313-596-2260 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or DetroitRewards.tv.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Detroit, MI

Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills

Published

on

Detroit Lions need backup QB as Kyle Allen to sign with Bills


play

The Detroit Lions will need to find a new backup quarterback. Kyle Allen, the 30-year-old ninth-year veteran, will reportedly sign with the Buffalo Bills for two years and $4.1 millions, according to ESPN, reuniting him with his former coordinator Joe Brady.

Allen, who came to the Motor City a year ago after inking a one-year deal, appeared in just three games and attempted two passes this past season as starter Jared Goff logged 98.5% of the team’s offensive snaps at quarterback.

Advertisement

Allen’s greatest contribution came in the preseason, when he forced the organization to give up on its experiment with Hendon Hooker.

In the competition for the No. 2 job, Allen outperformed Hooker and made the former 2023 third-round pick expendable by bringing his stunted development into sharp relief. While Hooker struggled to move the offense when he was in command, Allen thrived in his four auditions, spearheading one productive drive after another for the Lions. He completed 79.5% of his attempts, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. All the while, he exhibited a good understanding of the Lions’ timing-based passing game, giving management the confidence he could – if needed – relieve Goff in a pinch.

“I feel very comfortable with him,” Campbell said last August.

Advertisement

But as it turned out, the Lions were never forced to call upon Allen. Goff, who hasn’t missed a start since Week 17 of the 2021 season, remained reliably present.

The Lions hope Goff’s iron-man streak will continue.

But if it for some reason ends, Allen is no longer there to replace him.

Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Detroit, MI

Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning

Published

on

Detroit water main break snarls travel on East Jefferson Monday morning


Vehicles travel through water collected near water main break in Detroit. 

A water main break in Detroit is causing headaches for drivers and sending water into the streets of one of the city’s east side neighborhoods.

The break involves a 42-inch pipeline at East Jefferson and Burns Drive.

Advertisement

The breakage happened on Sunday, leaving only one lane open for each direction of travel.

Local perspective:

Advertisement

A day after the breakage, water was still gathering on the road of Jefferson Avenue.

Video captured of the scene Monday morning showed vehicles driving through ponds of water. Construction equipment were on site along with traffic cones.

The backstory:

Advertisement

This isn’t the only major disruption to water services in the region.

This weekend, a catastrophic breakage at 14 Mile near Drake impacted several Oakland County communities and thousands of residents.

Advertisement

Novi and Walled Lake were among those hardest hit by the breakage, which included dramatic scenes of waves of water washing down the road, submerging vehicles.

The Source: FOX 2’s Charlie Langton and previous reporting were cited for this story. 

InfrastructureDetroitInstastories
Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending