Will The Red Wings Retire Vladimir Konstantinov's Number 16?

VanIslander

A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Sep 4, 2004
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I still think Black Jack Stewart’s number should be retired.
After Marcel Pronovost's #3.

It's amazing that the only Detroit dman honored has been Lidstrom.

Forward Ullman is much more deserving than Konstantinov.

Zetterberg's #40 will be retired.
 

scott clam

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Sep 12, 2018
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If anyone would let that happen it would be Yzerman.

We're all still waiting for them to retire #91 though....
 
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GMR

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No. And they shouldn't.

He didn't play for the franchise long enough. When he did play, he was a good defenseman, but we're not talking Bobby Orr here. Even Lidstrom wouldn't have his number retired after only 6 seasons. His number was taken out of circulation because of what happened to him. That was a classy move by the franchise, and if they never made it, nobody would criticize them. The other numbers in the rafters are guys who played a long time with the franchise and had a more lasting impact.

I don't know if Ullman will ever have his number retired. He should.

I'm pretty confident now that Fedorov, Zetterberg, and Datsyuk will eventually have their numbers up there. Only a matter of time.
 
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quoipourquoi

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Jan 26, 2009
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I think they should. To me, taking a number out of circulation and retiring a number are essentially the same thing, with the only difference being that you get to throw a party. I’d love to glance up and see a big #16 every now and then.
 

JackSlater

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Apr 27, 2010
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If I had to bet, I'd lean toward it eventually happening. A feel good story and a chance to sell some tickets. As this would go beyond just playing career and ability I'd probably be in favour of it as well.
 

GMR

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I think they should. To me, taking a number out of circulation and retiring a number are essentially the same thing, with the only difference being that you get to throw a party. I’d love to glance up and see a big #16 every now and then.
You don't think his number would look out of place in the rafters? The other numbers are Hall of Famers who played a long time for the franchise.
 

The Zetterberg Era

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I think they should. To me, taking a number out of circulation and retiring a number are essentially the same thing, with the only difference being that you get to throw a party. I’d love to glance up and see a big #16 every now and then.

Detroit's retired numbers are a very exclusive club though. Currently outside of Sawchuk who had the all-time wins mark at the time of his retirement every single member in the rafters has the following. They all served as Captain of the team, won at least three cups and are in the HHOF. Getting your number retired in Detroit is a different deal, it might be one of the most exclusive things in all of sports and I like that about it.

While I have all the time in the world to talk about it being disgraceful that they took down Aurie. I don't really have a problem with how seriously they take this to get the honor. For the record the Ilitch family also takes this pretty seriously with the Tigers, for years they allowed Trammell's number to stay in circulation despite a lot of heat locally to stop it, so taking #16 out of circulation publicly isn't a small step. Tramms was retired after being inducted by the veterans committee. But being in the HHOF is a big requirement for them, it also was what they were saying when they took down Aurie's number before they stopped talking on it entirely.

The Pistons just for another example retire everybody, even bench guys off their championship teams and I don't really like that...

But Osgood, Shanahan and others like Ullman would be retired in a lot of cities.

Honestly and I love Vladdy but he doesn't even have the best case for the best D-man missing in franchise history not to have the honor. That would really belong to Ebbie Goodfellow.

I think Fedorov probably deserves the honor, even he would be by far the weakest Red Wings resume up in the rafters. They have said Zetterberg will get the honor a few times publicly, we will see, I don't think anybody should go up before Fedorov and that would include Konstantinov. It was sad it ended the way it did for sure, but there is a lot of tradition in Detroit, getting your jersey retired is really joining the elite of the elite and I hope they keep it that way even if the Ilitch's sell the team.

Keep in mind the for those that like to criticize the Ilitch family, only Howe and Aurie were retired when he bought the team. I remember going to all the big 50's guys retirements in the early 90s, because of the problems they had on their exit with the Norris family. They have set a very big standard that is in line with the historic nature of the organization. They used to even put in their programs that they didn't honor the league decision to take #99 out of circulation for them with a note within the program. That was really to play to the older crowd that disliked league wide retirement of Gretzky and thought you could have done the same for Howe. Is what it is, but there is a lot of thought into this in Detroit and they haven't nor do I think they are going to retire Konstantinov. Honestly I would prefer the put #16 on a really special talent at this point and put it back in circulation.
 
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Voight

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Feb 8, 2012
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Fedorov's should be retired first. Maybe now that Illitch Sr is gone his kids/wife might be open to it.

Let by gones be by gones, its been like 20 years and he was a huge part of the franchise for over a decade.
 
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scott clam

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Sep 12, 2018
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Detroit's retired numbers are a very exclusive club though. Currently outside of Sawchuk who had the all-time wins mark at the time of his retirement every single member in the rafters has the following. They all served as Captain of the team, won at least three cups and are in the HHOF. Getting your number retired in Detroit is a different deal, it might be one of the most exclusive things in all of sports and I like that about it.

While I have all the time in the world to talk about it being disgraceful that they took down Aurie. I don't really have a problem with how seriously they take this to get the honor. For the record the Ilitch family also takes this pretty seriously with the Tigers, for years they allowed Trammell's number to stay in circulation despite a lot of heat locally to stop it, so taking #16 out of circulation publicly isn't a small step. Tramms was retired after being inducted by the veterans committee. But being in the HHOF is a big requirement for them, it also was what they were saying when they took down Aurie's number before they stopped talking on it entirely.

The Pistons just for another example retire everybody, even bench guys off their championship teams and I don't really like that...

But Osgood, Shanahan and others like Ullman would be retired in a lot of cities.

Honestly and I love Vladdy but he doesn't even have the best case for the best D-man missing in franchise history not to have the honor. That would really belong to Ebbie Goodfellow.

I think Fedorov probably deserves the honor, even he would be by far the weakest Red Wings resume up in the rafters. They have said Zetterberg will get the honor a few times publicly, we will see, I don't think anybody should go up before Fedorov and that would include Konstantinov. It was sad it ended the way it did for sure, but there is a lot of tradition in Detroit, getting your jersey retired is really joining the elite of the elite and I hope they keep it that way even if the Ilitch's sell the team.

Keep in mind the for those that like to criticize the Ilitch family, only Howe and Aurie were retired when he bought the team. I remember going to all the big 50's guys retirements in the early 90s, because of the problems they had on their exit with the Norris family. They have set a very big standard that is in line with the historic nature of the organization. They used to even put in their programs that they didn't honor the league decision to take #99 out of circulation for them with a note within the program. That was really to play to the older crowd that disliked league wide retirement of Gretzky and thought you could have done the same for Howe. Is what it is, but there is a lot of thought into this in Detroit and they haven't nor do I think they are going to retire Konstantinov. Honestly I would prefer the put #16 on a really special talent at this point and put it back in circulation.
That is true, I can't think of a single franchise as hard to get your # retired save for maybe the yankees.
 

ShelbyZ

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Apr 8, 2015
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I doubt it ever goes to the rafters, but for all intents and purposes his #16 is in the unofficially retired/out of circulation category along with:

#6 - First number "retired" by the Red Wings way back in 1938. For some odd reason the Ilitch's have refused to recognize it. Hasn't been worn since a family member of Aurie's wore it in 58-59
#30 - Since Chris Osgood retired, it's only been worn in the 2016 training camp, by a goalie contracted to the Griffins that was tabbed to play in the ECHL
#33 - Has never been worn even in training camp since Kris Draper retired

Likely in the same category:

#13 - Has never been worn even in training camp since Datsyuk retired from the NHL
#40 - I doubt anyone will be wearing #40 ever again

Others that are possible, but harder to gauge since they're higher and not as commonly worn:

#91 - Has never been worn even in training camp since Fedorov signed with the Ducks
#96 - Has never been worn even in training camp since Holmstrom retired

I also wouldn't be surprised to see the same with #55 for Kronwall and possibly #93 for Franzen
 
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The Zetterberg Era

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Montreal Canadiens? You have to be a Hall of Famer and have won a Stanley Cup to get a banner...

Would repeat what I put above, outside of Sawchuk and I realize Durnan, somewhat more recently Luongo and other goalies have worn it but it is understandably rare, all of the Wings currently in the rafters also wore the C at some point in their tenure in Detroit. All have at least three Stanley Cups and all are in the HHOF. But the captain angle is interesting in terms of something that 7 out of 8 (only the goalie missing) have served as captain of the team.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
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I doubt it ever goes to the rafters, but for all intents and purposes his #16 is in the unofficially retired/out of circulation category along with:

#6 - First number "retired" by the Red Wings way back in 1938. For some odd reason the Ilitch's have refused to recognize it. Hasn't been worn since a family member of Aurie's wore it in 58-59
#30 - Since Chris Osgood retired, it's only been worn in the 2016 training camp, by a goalie contracted to the Griffins that was tabbed to play in the ECHL
#33 - Has never been worn even in training camp since Kris Draper retired

Likely in the same category:

#13 - Has never been worn even in training camp since Datsyuk retired from the NHL
#40 - I doubt anyone will be wearing #40 ever again

Others that are possible, but harder to gauge since they're higher and not as commonly worn:

#91 - Has never been worn even in training camp since Fedorov signed with the Ducks
#96 - Has never been worn even in training camp since Holmstrom retired

I also wouldn't be surprised to see the same with #55 for Kronwall and possibly #93 for Franzen

Again before the Wings stopped talking on it entirely both Ilitch and later Devellano commented on the fact that Larry Aurie was not a HHOF as the reason they didn't display his jersey. Mike Ilitch has had a similar mantra with the Tigers waiting for years to induct Alan Trammell because of his lack of Hall of Fame induction.

Which basically tells you what will happen with some of these numbers. Osgood is likely retired in a lot of organizations and I think actually would have a most fan-bases really arguing his HHOF candidacy, his strange dynamic with Detroit fans I think really harms his case. Odd to think of a guy that won 300+ games and cups along with deep runs not really enjoying that benefit from his own fan-base but it is the case. I mean he is very borderline but you will actually find almost more anti-HHOF people in the Detroit fan-base than outside of it which has fascinated me.

I think Fedorov is really the only talent that stacks up all the way to the group that is up. I don't think they are protecting some of the numbers you listed. I think they are careful about who is going to get it, like how 14 went to Nyquist.

I like Draper, Holmstrom and Kronwall as much as anyone, but their numbers shouldn't be out of circulation. I would agree with holding them for a special kind of talent if you want, but I would think those get reissued. For instance if we get lucky enough to land Byfield, I am reissuing 55 in a heartbeat.
 

vikash1987

Registered User
Mar 7, 2004
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New York
If another #16 comes along and refuses the Red Wings’ request for him to change numbers, there will be a huge backlash from fans and from the media, from which he probably would never recover. But I don’t see that ever happening. Hockey players are (typically) very respectful when it comes to the history of Original Six teams, and very sensitive when it comes to stories such as Vladdy’s.
 
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ShelbyZ

Registered User
Apr 8, 2015
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If another #16 comes along and refuses the Red Wings’ request for him to change numbers, there will be a huge backlash from fans and from the media, from which he probably would never recover. But I don’t see that ever happening. Hockey players are (typically) very respectful when it comes to the history of Original Six teams, and very sensitive when it comes to stories such as Vladdy’s.

This.

If Brett Hull wasn't able to use it, then it's going to take a real special player to get them to put it back into circulation, especially while Steve Yzerman is in charge.
 

ChiTownPhilly

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Feb 23, 2010
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I think Fedorov probably deserves the honor, even he would be by far the weakest Red Wings resume up in the rafters.
Surprised there wasn't push-back against this assertion yet. Still- I'll play.

Delvecchio isn't the easiest of comparisons- we're talking about someone who played 22+ years. (The first and last seasons were so abbreviated as to scarcely count... still, 2-plus decades is a mammoth career.) Guess it would be unfair to use the 'c' word (compiler) for Delvecchio as if he were an Andreychuk-- but that doesn't change the fact that his career value is accumulation. If someone actually does prefer "a cycle of Cathay" to "50 years of Europe," Delvecchio's your guy.

The simpler comparison is Sid Abel. Sid Abel did eke onto our HoH all-time list in position 100- and I think he's worthy... but let's look side-by-side. Sid Abel had a 12 year Detroit career- Fedorov had a 12+ year Detroit career. [Again, partial credit for the 97-98 year- but let's not forget how that campaign ended, either.] Both players were part of three Stanley Cup winners. Playoffs? Sid Abel once led in a Stanley Cup team in playoff goals- but his competition included Gordie Howe. Fedorov did that thing too, and his competition included Yzerman. No Gordie Howe, granted-- but still a player of formidable historical significance, as well.

I certainly recognize that Fedorov divides opinions. I won't even argue strenuously with anyone who prefers Abel. However, to say that that Fedorov would have "by far" the weakest Detroit résumé if his number were retired is an assertion that doesn't pass the glance-test.

Fedorov's 91 should be the next number retired by the Detroit Organization. Any decision not to go in that direction would be on account of non-Hockey considerations...
 

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