O’ Sergei, How I Missed Thee
Posted: April 9, 2008 by Gene
Category: Player Posts
Dear Mr. Fedorov,
You probably have no memory of me, but you broke my heart in ‘03 when you left me for Anaheim. I was crushed. My boyhood hero had moved on to greener pastures. You see, it was you in 1994 that got me into the game of hockey. You we’re unstoppable that season, you scored a 120 points with ease and took home a shopping cart of awards, including the Hart trophy. You had me hook, line, and sinker after that season. Even as your scoring production dropped off in the ensuing years, watching you develop into one of the best two players in the game was just as exciting.
Can you remember all the good times we had together? The games versus the Aves? The Russian Five? The three Presidents Trophy, including the 95-96 season with a NHL record 62 wins? And most of all, the three Stanley Cups Championships? Oh the good times we had together. But I guess it wasn’t good enough for you, because you left me in 2003.
Since you left, there have been a couple of Russian players I’ve tried to adopt to fill your void. But none could give me the same feelings I had when I watched you play growing up. After you left, Pavel Datsyuk emerged as Detroit’s new star Russian center, he had same the vision and knowledge of the game as you, but he didn’t have the grace in which you played. After my move to DC and the adoption of the Capitals as my team, a once in a generation player by the name of Alexander Ovechkin exploded on to the scene. He was young, fast, and electrifying to watch. Yet, the void in my heart didn’t feel completely filled.
Then on Feb 26th, the feelings all came back to me like the bad Celine Dion song. You were back on my hockey team once again, but things were different. You seemed much older than I had remembered. The years had not been kind to you during our breakup. Your days with Anaheim and Columbus were nothing like the Detroit ones. No playoff appearances and career lows in both points and +/-. I guess our break up was just as hard for you as it was for me.
When I first heard you were coming back, I had my reservations. I really didn’t think it could same as the good old days like in Detroit. And I was right, it was even better than before. Since joining the team, the Capitals have gone 15-3 and clinched the Southeast Division Championship in dramatic fashion. Not only have you scored 11 points in 18 games, you’ve become a great leader for the younger players on the team.
So Sergei, I guess what I’m trying to say is, my hockey world is complete once more with you here in DC. Let’s not dwell on our rocky break up years, but try to create new memories like our days in Detroit.
-Gene T.
P.S. I’d like to remind you that you are 4-0 against Philadelphia in the playoffs. Let’s make it 8-0.
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Finally! A Caps blogger is actually writing at WashingtonCapitalsBlog.com! Nice post Gene…can’t wait to read more as the Caps run deep into the playoffs.
Oren
- AO is the man…MVP baby!