Russian did it all in Detroit and was first-ballot hall of famer.
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The Detroit Red Wings are finally retiring Sergei Fedorov’s number.
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The Russian’s No. 91 will be retired at Little Caesars Arena on Jan. 12, 2026 before a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Red Wings announced Tuesday.
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The move comes long after Fedorov played his last game for the club or in the NHL. He spent 13 seasons with the Wings after coming over from the then Soviet Union in 1990, a year after he was drafted shortly after Alexander Mogilny’s defection.
“We are honored to celebrate Sergei Fedorov and raise his #91 to its rightful place hanging in the rafters at Little Caesars Arena, among the all-time greats who have worn the Winged Wheel,” Red Wings governor and chief executive officer Chris Ilitch said Tuesday in a release.
“His exceptional skill, relentless drive, and lasting impact playing a pivotal role bringing three Stanley Cup championships to Detroit make him the perfect embodiment of the qualities deserving of our franchise’s most prestigious honor. My parents, Mike and Marian Ilitch had a special reverence for Sergei as one of the most dynamic and charismatic players of his era, and someone who made a tremendous impact on our organization. All of us at the Red Wings look forward to hosting Sergei and his family in January to pay tribute to his remarkable career.”
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Fedorov ranks fourth on the team’s all-time goals list and sixth in points. He’s also in the Top 10 in many other categories and only he and Steve Yzerman had multiple 100-point seasons as a Red Wing.
“I’m extremely grateful for this tremendous honor,” Fedorov said. “Thank you to everyone with the Red Wings organization, especially those who helped bring me to Detroit and gave me the chance to play for such a historic franchise. I was fortunate to be part of some unforgettable teams, and above all, I’m proud of the three Stanley Cup championships we won for our amazing fans in Hockeytown. The memories made along the way – with legendary teammates, coaches, and exceptional ownership – will stay with me forever. Lastly, I want to thank Chris Ilitch for the call yesterday to share the news about retiring my number. It’s a moment I’ll always cherish. I can’t wait to see everyone in January.”
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Amongst Russian players, only Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin have notched more NHL goals and points than Fedorov and he was the first European-trained player to win the Hart Memorial Trophy and is still the only player to win the Hart and Frank J. Selke Trophy as best defensive forward in the same season (he also won the Ted Lindsay Award voted on by players that year too).
The jersey retirement likely took this long because of Fedorov’s messy exit from Detroit to Anaheim following a contract dispute.
The 2015 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee will become the ninth Red Wing with a retired number, joining Sid Abel (No. 12), Alex Delvecchio (No. 10), Gordie Howe (No. 9), Red Kelly (No. 4), Nicklas Lidstrom (No. 5), Ted Lindsay (No. 7), Terry Sawchuk (No. 1) and Yzerman (No. 19).
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