Dominik Hasek broke a record; Brett Hull reached a milestone; Igor Larionov turned back the clock; and Steve Yzerman has been a portrait in courage.
But perhaps the Detroit Red Wings’ best player in the playoffs has been Sergei Fedorov.
“I think [Fedorov] has been a terrific playoff player for us because of the way the game is played in the playoffs,” Detroit coach Scotty Bowman said. “His all-around game is a big feature.”
Fedorov assisted on Brendan Shanahan’s goal Thursday to give him a team-leading five points in the final series and 19 in the playoffs. Yzerman, playing on his badly injured right knee, led the Wings with 22.
Fedorov had a wonderful opportunity to add to his total with a first-period breakaway Thursday but was denied by Carolina goalie Arturs Irbe.
Fedorov was a strong candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, which went to Nicklas Lidstrom. Fedorov won the Hart in 1994 as regular-season MVP and the Selke in ’94 and 1996 for best defensive forward.
Bowman said Fedorov’s play reminds him of the role Mark Messier had on the Edmonton Oilers or Bryan Trottier on the New York Islanders during their heydays in the 1980s.
“Those kind of centermen are counted on to get crucial plays going,” Bowman said.
Bowman has coached some special players in his years in Montreal, Pittsburgh and Detroit and said Fedorov reminds him of former Canadiens player and current Minnesota Wild coach Jacques Lemaire “because Lemaire was a complete player. Sergei is a little stronger.”
Tough spot: Jiri Slegr, who hadn’t played at all in the playoffs, took Jiri Fischer’s spot in the lineup and played alongside Chris Chelios on defense.
Starts at the top: Bowman said that the key to success in the NHL–aside from strong goaltending–is a commitment to winning by ownership.
Detroit owner Mike Ilitch spent about $65 million to try to win a Stanley Cup this season.
