Hockey

Fedorov Talks NHL Greats, Demidov’s Future, and Why There’s No Bad Blood With the Detroit Red Wings

Published: Apr 10, 2025, 10:30 AM
1 min read
Updated: Jul 24, 2025, 11:01 AM
Fact checked by:
Marco D'Amico
23 Apr 2001: Sergei Fedorov #91 of the Detroit Red Wings and Glen Murray #27 of the Los Angeles Kings

23 Apr 2001: Sergei Fedorov #91 of the Detroit Red Wings and Glen Murray #27 of the Los Angeles Kings (Photo by Donald Miralle/ALLSPORT)

Sergei Fedorov is one of the most respected names in hockey. A Hall of Famer, three-time Stanley Cup champion, and the first Russian player to win the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP, he was known for his speed, skill, and ability to play both offense and defense at the highest level. During his time with the Detroit Red Wings, Fedorov became a key part of one of the most dominant teams of the 1990s. Today, he continues to be involved in the game as a general manager in the KHL, where he helps develop the next generation of Russian hockey talent.

Fedorov shares his thoughts in an exclusive interview with RG on the current state of the NHL and the KHL, and reflects on how young stars like Ivan Demidov should approach the decision to move to North America.

Q: Who do you consider the greatest hockey players of all time? Can you name your top five?

Fedorov: In my opinion, Wayne Gretzky is number one. After him, I’d say Alex Ovechkin. Then Sidney Crosby. Number four is Jaromir Jagr. Number five… Well, that one’s open. There are many greats, but I’ll go with Pavel Datsyuk.

Q: What do you think about Demidov moving to Montreal? Is he ready for the NHL?

Fedorov: It’s a complicated question. I think it’s good for young players to become stars, take leadership roles here, and then head overseas more prepared—just like Kirill Kaprizov did. Of course, every situation is different. I feel bad when kids go to North America too early and get stuck in the AHL. Nobody teaches you how to play there, even in the NHL—they just expect results. You get thrown into games and that’s it. They come back less confident, maybe even worse off. Demidov is special, though. He sees the ice, controls the puck, skates with confidence. At his age, that’s very rare. I really like the way he plays.

Q: How do you assess the state of the Detroit Red Wings? They haven’t made the playoffs since 2016.

Fedorov: They seem stuck. They have a good coach, but no strong goalie tandem and not enough key players. It’s a young team without veterans, and that makes the rebuild even harder. I don’t see three or four strong, mobile defensemen there. Steve Yzerman is doing solid work through the draft, but it takes more than that. Their last right-shooting forward left for a bigger contract, and that didn’t help either.

Q: Were you surprised by how badly the Rangers fell this year?

Fedorov: Yes, it’s surprising. There’s no clear team strategy, no chemistry. Coaching is part of it, but so is the player group. It’s hard to say where the problem starts—manager, coach, or roster.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens are clearly moving in the right direction, working well with their young players. Demidov will fit well there.

Q: What’s your current relationship with the Red Wings? When were you last in Detroit?

Fedorov: I don’t really have any formal relationship with them right now. My mom visits my brother there sometimes—they live in northern Michigan. But I haven’t had time to visit them myself. Not because of any hard feelings—just busy. If they invited me, I’d come.

Q: How would 25-year-old Sergei Fedorov fit into today’s NHL?

Fedorov: I think I’d do great. The rules have changed—less physical play, more focus on speed and skill; that suits me. Back then, I skated well and had speed, so I think I could compete easily.

I once joked that if guys like McDavid and Draisaitl make $15 million, maybe I’d get $12 million in today’s market.

Q: Is there any current NHL player who reminds you of yourself?

Fedorov: Excellent question! Hard to say. In each team, there are players with different strengths. I was known for playing both offense and defense well. Maybe Sasha Barkov—he’s smart and solid at both ends, though I think I was faster. Patrice Bergeron is a good comparison too. but I was faster too. There aren’t many true two-way forwards like that today. That kind of player is rare now.

Fedorov: I pay attention to coaching—how teams are structured tactically, how they use their young players, how many minutes they give them, and on which lines. I’m interested in the overall approach, especially after my own coaching experience.

Q: The NHL will be back at the Olympics. Let’s say Team Russia is going too, with the same staff from four years ago—and Ovechkin is still part of the squad. How would you build around him now?

Fedorov: That’s no problem. Sasha just needs good linemates who can get him the puck. It’s basic, but it works. The other three lines need to have defined roles. That’s it. We’ll find the right guys, either from the KHL or overseas. The key is building chemistry quickly. It’s not about throwing together an all-star lineup—it’s about fit. Like when Ovechkin played with Nikolishin back in the day.

Head of News Department
Sergey Demidov is Head of News at RG.org and has covered global sports since 2007. His work spans the Olympics, FIFA World Cups, IOC events, and Stanley Cup Finals. A former sports department deputy chief editor at Gazeta.Ru and TASS News Agency, and current senior editor at NHL.com/ru, Sergey has interviewed stars like Alex Ovechkin and Jaromir Jagr, former WADA and FIFA presidents Craig Reedy and Sepp Blatter, and coaches like Fabio Capello. He specializes in hockey and publishes in English and Russian.
Interests:
NHL
EPL
FIFA
UCL
NFL
NBA
BWF
Hiking
Reading
Movies
Food

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Daria Tuboltseva
Daria Tuboltseva
Hockey Reporter

Daria Tuboltseva has worked as a sports journalist since 2014 and has specialized in hockey coverage since 2016. She’s reported from some of the world’s biggest sporting events, including the Olympic Games (Beijing 2022), the FIFA World Cup (2018), the IIHF World Championships (2016–2019, 2021), the IIHF World Junior Championship (2019), and every Gagarin Cup Final since 2017.

Her work has appeared in leading Russian sports outlets like Championat.com and Sport24, as well as on the official websites of the KHL and the Women’s Hockey League (WHL). Daria has conducted exclusive interviews with some of the sport’s most recognized names, including Alex Ovechkin, Jaromir Jagr, Kirill Kaprizov, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Igor Shesterkin.

Beyond her writing, Daria brings extensive on-camera experience. She hosted NHL Today on Yandex.Efir and has produced powerful long-form projects such as the documentary Lokomotiv Crash and the series Hockey Country, featuring stars like Ovechkin, Malkin, Bobrovsky, Vasilevskiy, and Panarin. Her work has taken her to NHL games across North America and international events like the NHL Global Series in Europe.

In addition to her media career, Daria is a certified integrative nutritionist with a focus on sports nutrition. She works one-on-one with KHL players, helping them optimize performance and recovery through tailored nutrition plans. Her ability to blend media expertise with athlete support gives her a unique presence in the professional hockey world.

Daria publishes in both English and Russian and is the creator of the Telegram channel Coolest Game on Earth, where she shares insights, interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories from the hockey world.

Based in: Saint Petersburg, Russia

Languages: English, Russian

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