Brett Hull recently explained why Sergei Fedorov was moved to defense during his prime with the Detroit Red Wings. Hull said the decision to move him surprisingly did not come from innovation or praise. Instead, it came from frustration.
Fedorov, whose No. 91 jersey was recently retired by Detroit, was known for his versatility on the ice. That said, then-head coach Scotty Bowman had a strict approach and expected his players to follow it. Bowman was demanding of his players and very particular of how he wanted them to play.
Hull recalled that Bowman shifted Fedorov to the blue line because after growing tired of him in certain offensive situations. While the move may have initially been a puzzling decision, considering the roster Detroit had, Fedorov excelled as a defenseman.
“Nobody knows the Fedorov deal when all of the sudden Fedorov was a defenseman,” Hull said during his Ice Guardians Podcast. “[Bowman] was so tired of him playing terrible up front, he said, ‘Just screw it, I’m going to play him on defense and he’ll think I’m just playing him back there because he’s so great.'”
Hull added that Fedorov could have earned more recognition had he stayed on defense longer.
“[Federov] was [that great]. They said that Fedorov would have won the Norris trophy if he played the whole year back there.”
Sergei Fedorov Received Recognition for His Defensive Game
Although Sergei Fedorov did not play as defenseman long enough to earn Norris trophy consideration, his defensive did not go unnoticed.
Fedorov won the Frank J. Selke trophy in 1994 and 1996. Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association vote on the award at the end of each NHL regular season. They vote on the forward who they believe best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.
Winning the Selke trophy twice highlighted Fedorov’s versatility and his importance to the Red Wings’ success.
Hull Shares Hilarious Exchange He Had with Fedorov as Red Wings Teammates
Hull also shared a hilarious story from his time as Fedorov’s Red Wings teammate. He praised the Russian star for not only being an incredible talent on the ice, but also his kindness off the ice.
Hull recalled Fedorov trying to bond with his veteran teammates, including Hull and Chris Chelios. Hull said that Fedorov had a racing simulator and asked if they would be interested in playing.
Although Hull appreciated the gesture, he and Chelios were not interested in video games. That difference led to a hilarious exchange between the Red Wings teammates.
“I don’t know if there’s a nicer person than Sergei [Fedorov],” Hull said. “He used to come to [Chelios] and I and go, ‘Hey, you guys wanna come play Formula 1 after practice?’ And me and Chelly would go, ‘No, do you wanna come have a burger and a couple of beers?'”
He added:
“[Fedorov] goes, ‘No. I’m going home and playing Formula 1.’ He had a simulator in his house,” Hull said. “I’m like, I wouldn’t want to go that fast in a simulator, let alone in real life.”
Brett Hull Explains the Real Reason Sergei Fedorov Moved to Defense