Fedorov Discusses Defecting to the U.S.

[@bajikimran2304]

Federov speaks English as well as any Russian I've ever heard. You can tell when you listen to him that he is a smart person.

[@TheMwillis911]

Grew up him being my favorite player since his rookie year. I remember when he couldnt speak

[@Deetroiter]

He couldn’t always speak that well. I remember when he first got to Detroit, he was VERY broken English and would shy away from the camera. The team would put these Russian guys intentionally in front of local detroit news for multiple reasons. First, it helped their English and exposure to the fans. Secondly, there was still a lot of anti-Soviet sentiment and a lot of detroit fans were like “what?? Soviets on the wings??”…this exposure helped everyone to realize they were good for the team and they were good people. Many more reasons but that’s two were pretty big ones. Watch the documentary on the Russian five, it’s truly crazy the length the Wings team went to get these Soviet players out and to play for the wings.

[@Joe-xm3fm]

Ok

[@mattm3729]

Russians are quite intelligent

[@benjaminblakemitchner8365]

He was wonderful. I had a Russian best friend who had defected and we grew up together. Him and his family lived with my best friend at that time and he was a really sweet kid. He taught me a lot of things and changed my life forever. Then we met up again in our twenties and had the best bromance ever. I told him I loved him like my own brother. He accepted it and was happy with it. Then he moved away. I still miss him, but I consoled myself with Sergei and Alexei Kovalev watching all those great players on TV and playing guitar. Nothing will ever take those memories away.

[@kyuhahn477]

He sounds very intelligent. What a guy, what a player, and what a story.

[@jamiemartinez8674]

Sergi is the man! Great player and great man..

[@JoeLoro]

much respect for S.F. (even though, as a Hartford Whalers fan I despised him because, well, the Whalers sucked and he didn't -- but off the ice, mad respect for this man.

[@BurnellBrownIII]

I appreciate that he had the heart and kourage to kome to the U.S.. I love Sergei Fedorov, he is gloves down my all time favorite hokkey player & a top 5 athlete in life period.. The M.J. , Iron Mike , & Walter Payton of hokkey. Gretzki knows.

[@Deetroiter]

There was nobody skating like him with that ability and speed. It was truly something to see at the time. If you wanted to see fast and technical,you watched Federov

[@CanadianLoveKnot]

You would they'd mention the name Alex Mogilny.

[@lyakirevich]

He didn't defect to pursue his dream of playing hockey. He'd be playing hockey in Moscow where it is the most popular sport, unlike in US. He defected for freedom, better life and mainly for making money.

[@BurnellBrownIII]

Where would you dream of living and doing what you loved most if given the same choices?? I agree he defekted for a Better life and Better pay, But that is the dream isn't it?? To B free (ish) & get money & glory for doing what u love most anyways??

[@claudeyaz]

Russian hockey has a problem. Even today. The same team gets all the good players. They didnt hav a varied league like the NHL. And ofc the USA comforts

[@chizorama]

You should look into how Soviets treated tgeir athlete, 10 months out of the year with constant training, practice & playing. It was an insane regiment.

[@mattnivison8566]

That’s Lindsey czarniyak who used to be on ESPN! Nice!!!

[@mr.brenman2132]

A woke broad that teaches her interracial child to hate whites.

[@tripsaplenty1227]

3:15 Check out that sweet hockey hair.

[@SGBassplayer]

Dude dresses straight gangsta.

[@ИванИванов-э4л7п]

GoTroit! Feds#91 the best!

[@Darkwell0071]

Can’t believe the world was such that he needed to defect. Imagine if the world was like it is today and we could see him play more

[@kipblass2131]

The world is like it is today BECAUSE of people like him... and especially Mogilny

[@chizorama]

@@kipblass2131 Mogilny's story is straight out of a cold war spy novel.

[@frankjuster8726]

wasn't alexander krutov the first soviet player to defect?

[@free2breathe]

Alex Mogilny

[@thewonderingbuddhist6123]

I thought it was trefilov

[@avsroy]

His name was Vladimir Krutov and no, he wasn't the first.

[@Statsy10]

Alexander Mogilny was the first defector after the '89 World Chamionships. Fedorov was next. Vladimir Krutov didn't have to defect as the Soviet hockey system was desperately short on money and started selling their aging stars to the NHL. Mogilny and Fedorov knew they were being tabbed to be the top line replacements on the Soviet National team and as young stars would not be permitted to leave. After the defections, the Soviets just let anybody walk for the right price so other young stars like Pavel Bure didn't have to defect.

[@okpapereat]

wow its scary to be in soviet union

[@АлександрКороль-я5щ]

It wasn't scary . But politics were tough . And it was less individualism alouded

[@smithnwesson990]

Александр Король Dont down play it. Whete else do you get told if you step out of line youll be in Siberia. Roomates were 2 former Soviets from Tajikistan. Apparently Blue Jeans were all the rage over there in the late 80s

[@roccoanthony8930]

Александр Король brainwashed Russian detected lmao.

[@TheMezsargs]

mudaki

[@TheMezsargs]

pimpji