Vladimir Konstantinov
|
|
Vladimir Konstantinov (born March 19 1967 in Murmansk, Russia) is a former professional hockey player. His career was tragically ended by a car accident in 1997.
Playing Career
"Vladdie" was drafted 221st overall in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, after impressing a Red Wings scout at the World Junior Championships, where a brawl broke out in the Russia-Canada game. Scout Neil Smith remembers, "He was the only one of the Russians who fought back." [1] (http://www.detroitredwings.com/history/wol/wol-vladimirkonstantinov.jsp) Throughout his career he exhibited this aggressive style, specialising in getting opponents off their game. However, Konstantinov's career is not remembered so much for what happened in it as for how it ended.
Konstantinov was involved in one of the most tragic accidents in hockey history which ended his playing career and left him wheelchair-bound and suffering from brain damage. The Red Wings had hired limousines to take the team home after a night celebrating their Stanley Cup triumph on June 13, 1997. Konstantinov's limousine hit a tree and he remained in critical condition before finally pulling through. Also in the car were
It was thus an intensely emotional scene one year later as the Red Wings successfully retained the Stanley Cup. Konstantinov was wheeled onto the ice, surrounded by his teammates, to celebrate the win. Throughout the playoffs the Red Wings' catchphrase was the single word, "Believe", and the emotional charge Konstantinov's tragedy gave the team likely inspired them to retain the trophy.
Achievements
- NHL All-Rookie team - 1992
- NHL Second All-Star Team - 1996
- Alka-Seltzer Plus/Minus Award - 1996
Career Statistics
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1984-85 | CSKA Moscow | Russian | 40 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | |||||||
| 1985-86 | CSKA Moscow | Russian | 26 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 12 | |||||||
| 1986-87 | CSKA Moscow | Russian | 35 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 19 | |||||||
| 1987-88 | CSKA Moscow | Russian | 50 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 32 | |||||||
| 1988-89 | CSKA Moscow | Russian | 37 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 20 | |||||||
| 1989-90 | CSKA Moscow | Russian | 47 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 44 | |||||||
| 1990-91 | CSKA Moscow | Russian | 45 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 42 | |||||||
| 1991-92 | Detroit | NHL | 79 | 8 | 25 | 33 | 172 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | ||
| 1992-93 | Detroit | NHL | 82 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 137 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 1993-94 | Detroit | NHL | 80 | 12 | 21 | 33 | 138 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1994-95 | Detroit | NHL | 47 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 101 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 | ||
| 1995-96 | Detroit | NHL | 81 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 139 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 28 | ||
| 1996-97 | Detroit | NHL | 77 | 5 | 33 | 38 | 151 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 29 | ||
| NHL Totals | 446 | 47 | 127 | 174 | 838 | 82 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 107 | ||||