- Viacheslav Fetisov
Infobox Ice Hockey Player
image_size= 175px
played_for = NHL
New Jersey Devils Detroit Red Wings
RSL
Traktor Chelyabinsk
CSKA Moscow
position = Defence
shot = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 1
weight_lb = 215
nationality = Russia
birth_date = birth date and age|mf=yes|1958|4|20
birth_place = Moscow,USSR
draft = 145th overall
draft_year = 1983
draft_team =New Jersey Devils
career_start = 1977
career_end = 1998
halloffame = 2001Viacheslav (Slava) Alexandrovich Fetisov (Russian: Вячеслав (Слава) Александрович Фетисов, "Vjačeslav (Slava) Aleksandrovič Fetisov"; born April 20, 1958, in Moscow,
Soviet Union now Russia) is the current Minister of Sport in Russia, chair of the WADA Athletes Committee, [cite web |url = http://www.wada-ama.org/en/dynamic.ch2?pageCategory.id=291 |title = Athlete Committee |author = World Anti-Doping Agency |accessdate= 2008-04-04] and a formerice hockey defenseman, considered one of the best defensemen of all time, a long-time captain for the Soviet Union national team. He was voted one of six players to theInternational Ice Hockey Federation 's (IIHF) Team of the Century in a poll conducted by a group of 56 experts from 16 countries, receiving the most votes out of all players. [ [http://www.iihf.com/channels/iihf-world-championship/news/news-singleview-world-championship/article/iihf-centennial-all-star-team.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=552&cHash=3a26b76f60 IIHF Centennial All-Star Team ] ]With
Igor Larionov , he was instrumental in breaking the barrier that stopped Soviet players from joining the NHL. Fetisov was elected to theHockey Hall of Fame in 2001.On the international stage, Fetisov is one of the most decorated players ever, winning two golds (1984, 1988) and one silver (1980) in the Olympics, and seven golds (1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1990), one silver (1987), and two bronzes (1985, 1991) in the World Championships. At the 2002 Olympics, he was head coach of the Russian national team, winning the bronze.
On the club level, Fetisov played for CSKA Moscow (1975-89),
New Jersey Devils (1989-95) andDetroit Red Wings (1995-98). He won twoStanley Cup s with Detroit (1997, 1998). After retiring as a player, Fetisov became an assistant coach with New Jersey (1999-2002), winning the Stanley Cup in 2000. In his heyday, many referred to Fetisov as the RussianBobby Orr .Fetisov was awarded
Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1984) [cite book|title=Panorama of the 1984 Sports Year|year=1985|pages=p. 37|publisher=Physical Culture and Sports publisher|location=Moscow|language=Russian]On March 29, 2005, Fetisov joined the
World Anti-Doping Agency 's Athlete Committee as its inaugural chairman. [cite web |url = http://www.wada-ama.org/en/newsarticle.ch2?articleId=3115103 |title = WADA Appoints Members to New Athlete Committee |author = World Anti-Doping Agency | date = March 29, 2005 |accessdate= 2008-04-04]The June 13, 1997, crash
Following a private party on June 13, 1997, celebrating the Red Wings’ Stanley Cup triumph, Fetisov, along with teammate
Vladimir Konstantinov and team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov, hired a limousine to drive them home. The driver, Richard Gnida, whose license was suspended at the time for drunk driving, lost control of the limousine and hit a tree on the median of Woodward Avenue, just outside the Detroit city limits. Konstantinov spent several weeks in a coma before finally pulling through. He also suffered from serious head injuries and paralysis, while Fetisov escaped with relatively minor injuries and was able to play the following season. Mnatsakanov sustained heavy head injuries and also spent some time in a coma. He has had a considerably more difficult recovery than Konstantinov. The driver was charged with and convicted of driving with a suspended license.Career stats
ee also
8806 Fetisov , amain-belt asteroid named in honour of Fetisov.References
External links
* [http://www.chidlovski.net/1954/54_player_info.asp?p_id=f006 Fetisov at Hockey CCCP International]
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