Playing Career
Vladimir Konstantinov, known also as "Vladdie" and "Vlad The Impaler" (for his vicious hits), was drafted 221st overall in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, after impressing a Red Wings scout at the 1987 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." Probably the most notable aspect of his hockey career was his aggressive style, specializing in getting opponents off their game. "For my game," he explained, "I don’t need to score the goal. I need someone to start thinking about me and forgetting about scoring goals." Konstantinov's aggressive style of play also earned him the nickname "Vladinator".
He was also part of the unit known as "The Russian Five," which consisted of him and fellow defensemen Viacheslav Fetisov, and forwards Igor Larionov, Sergei Fedorov, and Vyacheslav Kozlov.
Konstantinov was more than a pest, as some had taken to calling him; he was a skilled player. He earned the NHL Plus/Minus Award in 1995–96, with a plus/minus difference of plus-60. The +60 has been the highest rating a player has finished with in the past 20 seasons, since Wayne Gretzky finished with a +70 in the 1986–87 NHL season.
In 1996–97, Konstantinov helped his team to win the Stanley Cup against the Philadelphia Flyers. Flyers coach Terry Murray expected that his top line of center Eric Lindros, left winger John LeClair and right winger Mikael Renberg, known as the "Legion of Doom" for its scoring and toughness, would be facing Konstantinov. However Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman surprised the Flyers by instead opting for the finesse-oriented defense pairing of Nicklas Lidstrom and Larry Murphy to neutralize the Lindros line's forechecking.
Konstantinov was runner-up to Brian Leetch for the Norris Trophy, given to the league's best defenseman. This would turn out to be Konstantinov's final season.
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