The Russian Five legacy and 2026 Hall of Fame inductees
The Detroit Red Wings' Russian Five unit redefined NHL gameplay through puck control and spacing, leading to two Stanley Cups. Steve Yzerman joins Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille, and Brian Leetch in the 2026 Hockey Hall of Fame induction class.
The legacy of the Russian Five
On October 27, 1995, Detroit coach Scotty Bowman sent Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Slava Fetisov, and Vladimir Konstantinov onto the ice in Calgary to debut a five-man unit that would change the way the NHL played the game. The unit, nicknamed the Russian Five, blanked Calgary 3-0, as Kozlov and Larionov each scored while the group generated 15 of Detroit’s 25 shots on goal. Their style of puck control and spacing led to 62 wins in 1995-96 and two Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998. Fedorov, who scored 483 goals in 1,248 games, helped lead the team to three Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998, and 2002. He has 12 goals in 11 games after managing only five in his first 25. Fedorov became the first five-goal scorer in the NHL since Mario Lemieux scored five against St. Louis on March 26. Fedorov also recently scored twice in the third period to lead Detroit to a 5-4 overtime victory against Washington, where he took a pass from Konstantinov to score at 2:39 of overtime. Larionov, called "The Professor," joined Detroit in 1995 after defecting from the Soviet Union in 1989 and helped stabilize the second line. Fetisov, a former Red Army captain and two-time Olympic champion, played 546 games and contributed to the 1997 and 1998 championships. Kozlov, a winger drafted by Detroit in 1990, scored 853 points during 1,182 games. Konstantinov, who was drafted 221st overall in 1989, led the league in plus-minus in 1995-96 and recorded 175 points in 446 games before a car accident ended his career. You remember how their movement redefined Detroit’s reputation as "Hockeytown."
Hall of Fame Inductees
The Hockey Hall of Fame inducts Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille, and Brian Leetch on November 9, 2026. Lou Lamoriello joins them in the builder category. Yzerman played 22 seasons with Detroit and scored 1,755 points. He captained the Red Wings from 1986 to 2006 and won the 2002 Stanley Cup and a 2002 Olympic gold medal. He ranks sixth all-time in points. Hull, who scored 741 goals and received the Hart Trophy in 1991, ties Wayne Gretzky with 24 career playoff game-winning goals. Hull’s 741 goals trail only Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe. Hull’s father, Bobby, already resides in the Hall. Robitaille, who won the Calder Trophy in 1987, scored 668 goals and 1,394 points during 19 seasons with the Kings, Penguins, Rangers, and Red Wings. Leetch, who won the Conn Smythe after leading the Rangers to the 1994 Cup, won two Norris Trophies. Leetch received text messages from friends and family and pulled his car over to the side of the road for 15 minutes to process the news. Lamoriello has served as the Devils’ president since 1987 and coached the team in 2005-06 and 2007. New Jersey won three Stanley Cups under his leadership.
| Player | NHL Games | NHL Goals | NHL Assists | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergei Fedorov | 1,248 | 483 | 696 | 1,179 |
| Igor Larionov | 921 | 169 | 475 | 644 |
| Vyacheslav Kozlov | 1,182 | – | – | 853 |
| Vladimir Konstantinov | 446 | 47 | 128 | 175 |
NHL rulebook updates
The NHL sent all 32 teams a video regarding uniform enforcement for the 2026-27 season. The league’s enforcement of the jersey tuck penalty remains controversial. New players entering the league must also use neck protection per rule 9.8. While the league made minor tweaks for the 2025-26 season, the 2026-27 rulebook contains few changes. Does the league prioritize these minor visual rules over gameplay?
