'Spittin' Chiclets' suggests Detroit Red Wings turn to former franchise icon to lead them

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Jack Sutherland
November 20, 2024 (9:08 PM)

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The Detroit Red Wings find themselves battling inconsistency this season, reminding fans of their brutal stretches from last season which included a seven-game losing streak in March.

Detroit's recent road trip saw them outshot by a wide margin, including two losses against the lottery-bound Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks.

Additionally, the Red Wings have at several points this season taken over a full period to really get going, something their opponents have been able to take advantage of.

Right now, head coach Derek Lalonde is facing immense scrutiny from fans and media.

While GM Steve Yzerman has given no indication of an imminent change, many feel that will soon be an option on the table if the Red Wings can't dig out of their current situation.

Popular hockey podcast "Spittin' Chiclets" recently discussed Detroit's outlook, and co-host Matt Murley raised eyebrows with his suggestion that the Red Wings consider hiring former franchise icon Sergei Fedorov if Lalonde were to be dismissed.

"I feel bad, I love that guy, Lalonde. A good guy. But they expect more from that team, and I think he's going to go.

I'm going to throw out a name that's probably going to shock you to be in the running - Sergei Fedorov.

Yzerman's old teammate who coached in the KHL for a long time, I could see him getting a look.

Fellow co-host Ryan Whitney seemed intrigued by the suggestion:

"Easily (would be) the biggest hire the Red Wings have had in, what, 20 years?"

A famed member of Detroit's legendary "Russian Five", Fedorov scored 400 goals wearing the Winged Wheel and played a pivotal role in their Stanley Cup-winning teams of 1997, 1998, and 2002.

However, his contract holdout following the 1997 Cup win and subsequent signing of a front-loaded offer sheet from the Carolina Hurricanes (then owned by Mike Ilitch's business rival Peter Karmanos) left a sour taste in fans' mouths.

Fedorov left the Red Wings for good in 2003, signing with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in a messy split.

Upon his return to Detroit with the Ducks at Joe Louis Arena in December of 2003, he was heavily booed by the fans who used to cheer him.

However, the relationship between the two sides has seemingly been patched up in recent years, as Fedorov participated in Detroit's alumni game ahead of the 2014 Winter Classic.

POLL
Which of Sergei Fedorov's accomplishments with the Red Wings was his best?
▢ 400 career goals with Detroit
▢ 1994 Hart Trophy
▢ Three Stanley Cup wins

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