Viacheslav FETISOV

Vyacheslav Fetisov is considered the greatest defenseman ever produced by the Soviet Union ice hockey leviathan. He was considered “the Bobby Orr of the Soviet Union,” and no less an authority than Wayne Gretzky called him “the best I've ever played against.” Fetisov began his hockey career with CSKA Moskva in 1977 and played there until 1989. With CSKA Moskva Fetisov won twelve Soviet and European Champions Cup titles in a row (1978-89). Fetisov was also named MVP of the Soviet Championships in 1982 and 1986. In 1983 Fetisov was drafted by the New Jersey Devils of the NHL but few thought he would ever play for them. However, after glasnost and perestroika, Fetisov was able to join the Devils in 1989. Past his prime by then, he was a solid, but not spectacular, player in the NHL. He played 10 NHL seasons, retiring in 1998, six with the Devils, and his final four with the Detroit Red Wings. With Detroit he won the Stanley Cup in 1997 and 1998.

Internationally, besides his three Olympic medals, Fetisov was a World champion eight times (1978, 1981-83, 1986, 1989-90) and European champion nine times (1979, 1981-83, 1985-87, 1989, 1991). He also won silver (1987) and bronzes (1985, 1991) at the World Championships and two silvers (1978, 1990) at the European Championships. Fetisov was named as the best defenseman at the 1978, 1982, 1985-86 and 1989 World Championships. In 1981 Fetisov played on the winning Canada Cup team, taking silver at the 1987 Canada Cup. In 1996 Fetisov also played four games with the Russian national team, winning a bronze at the 1996 World Cup.

After retiring as a player, Fetisov became an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils from 1999-2002, winning the Stanley Cup in 2000. In 2002 Fetisov was the manager of the Russian Olympic ice hockey team. From 2002-08 Fetisov was the Minister of Sport in Russia and was later a member of the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia. In 2005 he was named chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency's Athlete Committee and in 2009 was named as President of CSKA Moskva. He is also the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Continental Hockey League. Fetisov was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001 and IIHF Hall of Fame in 2005.