We were graced with some of the greatest players in hockey history in Detroit, but perhaps the smartest of them all was the mild-mannered Russian nicknamed, “The Professor”.
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The Detroit Red Wings acquired forward Igor Larionov from the San Jose Sharks on this date in 1995 in exchange for Ray Sheppard, and what a trade it was! He was an integral part of three Stanley Cup winning squads, a member of the famous “Russian 5”, and was later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
However, he’ll most be remembered for finally allowing Red Wings fans everywhere to go to sleep! He scored the game-winning tally in Game 3 of the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals after over 114 grueling minutes of hockey, giving Detroit a 2-1 series lead en route to their 10th championship.
