Ex-Red Wing Igor Larionov makes Hockey Hall of Fame

Ex-Red Wing Igor Larionov makes Hockey Hall of Fame

FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES • June 17, 2008

TORONTO — Former Detroit Red Wings center Igor Larionov and ex-Edmonton Oilers star Glenn Anderson have been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.


Former linesman Ray Scapinello and builder Ed Chynoweth also made the Hall on Tuesday. The induction ceremony will be held on Nov. 10.

Larionov, who led Russia to four world championships and two Olympic gold medals, had 169 goals and 475 assists after moving to North America to join the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks in 1989 at the age of 29.

The Russian Player of the Year in 1988 centered his country’s top scoring line, with wingers Sergei Makarov and Vladimir Krutov. Larionov was a four-time Russian First-Team All-Star.

After stints in Switzerland and with the San Jose Sharks, Larionov joined the Detroit Red Wings in 1995, scoring 21 goals with 50 assists. He won Stanley Cup titles with Detroit in 1997 and 1998, and a third with the team in 2002 following a brief stay with the Florida Panthers.

My favorite Igor moment: The Red Wings and Hurricanes split the first two games of the 2002 Stanley Cup finals in Detroit. Game 3 shifted to Carolina. Carolina looked to take a series lead and get some real momentum going. The game went to 3OT and Larionov put the puck in the back of the net ending the game and devastating the Hurricanes and their fans. The Red Wings won the next two games and won the series 4 games to 1 after losing the first game.