Who Is Vladimir Konstantinov?
Vladimir Nikolaevich Konstantinov, a former Russian-American professional ice hockey player who spent his total National Hockey League (NHL) job with the Detroit Red Wings, was born on March 19, 1967. He had previously played for the Soviet team CSKA Moscow. Six days after the Red Wings’ 1997 Stanley Cup victory, his career ended in a limousine accident. The Detroit Red Wings selected Konstantinov with the 221st overall pick in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft after he impressed a scout for the team at the 1987 World Junior Championships, where a fight broke out during the Soviet Union-Canada game. According to Scout Neil Smith, “He was the only Russian who fought back.”
Is Vladimir Konstantinov Still Alive?
During the incident, Konstantinov, Who was 30 years old, is still alive but is paralyzed. All-star and beloved by Red Wings supporters was Vladimir Konstantinov. In 1997, just a few days after the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, tragedy struck when Birmingham tree-climbing limo driver Richard Gnida passed out behind the wheel while high on marijuana.
Vladimir Konstantinov Accident
Night of limo crash is the accident that took place on June 13, 1997. On June 13, 1997, in Birmingham, Michigan, around 9:30 p.m., the limo carrying both players and a Red Wings masseuse went off Woodward Avenue and crashed into a tree. The driver, the three team members, and other patients were taken to Royal Oak’s Beaumont Hospital. Following the incident, which happened after a team golf outing and party, a number of Red Wings players and the team’s owner, Mike Ilitch, visited a hospital. Konstantinov, who was 30 at the time of the collision, would never play hockey again because of severe head injuries that required him to use a wheelchair. Sergei Mnatsakanov, the team masseuse, was paralyzed below the waist. With less severe wounds, Fetisov would rejoin the Red Wings.
Vladimir Konstantinov Wife and Daughter
Living in West Bloomfield, Michigan, is Konstantinov. His wife, Irina, and their daughter, Anastasia Konstantinova, now reside in Florida. Compared to most of his Russian contemporaries, Konstantinov played more aggressively, focusing on deterring opponents. “He clarified, “I don’t need to score the goal for my game. I want someone to stop caring about goals and start caring about me.” While he was known to his teammates as “Vladdie,” his aggressive playing style earned him the moniker “the Red Shark,” “Vladinator,” and “Vlad the Impaler” among the media and fans.
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