Red Wings make a historic, long waited announcement and fans are loving it!

The day that Red Wings fans thought would never come has actually arrived.

The Detroit Red Wings announced today that they will retire Sergei Fedorov's #91 to the rafters of Little Caesar's Arena.

“We are honored to celebrate Sergei Fedorov and raise his #91 to its rightful place hanging in the rafters at Little Caesars Arena, among the all-time greats who have worn the Winged Wheel,” Red Wings CEO Chris Ilitch said in a press release. “His exceptional skill, relentless drive, and lasting impact playing a pivotal role bringing three Stanley Cup championships to Detroit make him the perfect embodiment of the qualities deserving of our franchise’s most prestigious honor. My parents Mike and Marian Ilitch had a special reverence for Sergei as one of the most dynamic and charismatic players of his era, and someone who made a tremendous impact on our organization. All of us at the Red Wings look forward to hosting Sergei and his family in January to pay tribute to his remarkable career.”

Fedorov was, of course, a huge part of the Red Wings' success in the 1990s and 2000's but when he signed a massive, front-loaded contract offer sheet with the Carolina Hurricanes in 1998, his relationship changed with then Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch. The Red Wings matched the offer and Fedorov remained with the team until he jumped ship to the Anaheim Ducks as a free agent in 2003 but the sentiment behind the scenes has always been that Fedorov would not be honored by the team.

Well... never say 'never', I suppose.

“I’m extremely grateful for this tremendous honor,” Fedorov said in the press release. “Thank you to everyone with the Red Wings organization, especially those who helped bring me to Detroit and gave me the chance to play for such a historic franchise. I was fortunate to be part of some unforgettable teams, and above all, I’m proud of the three Stanley Cup championships we won for our amazing fans in Hockeytown. The memories made along the way — with legendary teammates, coaches, and exceptional ownership — will stay with me forever. Lastly, I want to thank Chris Ilitch for the call yesterday to share the news about retiring my number. It’s a moment I’ll always cherish. I can’t wait to see everyone in January.”