Red Wings

[chemiclord]

No problem with the Wings not making the playoffs after the run they've had. Had no problems with not making a trade at the deadline for a team that was going nowhere.

I would ask Holland what his plan for the next 3 years is though. Does he think this aging core has another run in them? If so, what support does it need? If not, what is the exit strategy? Because a slow death of this current team does not interest me at all.

[Malto Marko]

Really? The past 20 odd years isn't good enough for a mulligan?

No.

One of the reasons the Wings have been so good is because they have a what have you done for me lately attitude.

He is no different.

He pretty much stood pat and decided the talent he has can persevere.

He did get a double whammy with his top two defensmen leaving at the same time but, there should have been adequate replacements.

Let him retire and bring on the Stevie Era.

[Tom]

The Wings are doing better than the Lightning.

[Tony G]

Vladimir Konstantinov: 'The quality of his life has tremendously improved'






10:15 AM, April 19, 2013 |
22 Comments

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Former Detroit Red Wings player Vladimir Konstantinov is escorted to a federal court building in Detroit on April 29, 2008. / Andre Jackson / DFP


By Ken Abramczyk

Observer & Eccentric

• Filed Under

• Sports
• Detroit Red Wings
• Woodward Avenue
• Detroit Medical Center
• Steve Yzerman

Related Links

• Stars, not Blue Jackets, are biggest threat to Red Wings' playoff streak
• Red Wings might break apart Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk against Canucks (video)
• Red Wings' missteps vs. Flames set back playoff hopes

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Every hockey fan in Detroit remembers the euphoria that engulfed the Motor City when the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1997, the team's first in 42 years.
After ending such a long championship drought, hundreds of thousands of fans celebrated at a parade celebrating the victory.
Days later, that euphoria sank and turned to despair and prayers after hockey fans learned that Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergei Mnatsakanov and Slava Fetisov suffered injuries in an accident on June 13 when the driver of a rented limousine drove onto a median of Woodward Avenue and struck a tree.
Konstantinov and Mnatsakanov suffered serious injuries. Konstantinov was in a coma and suffered brain injuries. Mnatsakanov was paralyzed from the waist down.
Konstantinov eventually began therapy with Polly Swingle, who was employed at the time at Detroit Medical Center. Konstantinov's recovery was slow.
His efforts to recover inspired his teammates in their pursuit of a second consecutive Stanley Cup in 1998. Detroit hockey fans remember that emotional moment seeing Steve Yzerman handing Konstantinov the Stanley Cup, and Konstantinov carrying it while in a wheelchair as his teammates pushed him around the ice.
Swingle remembers that, and while she isn't directly working with Konstantinov right now, she owns and runs a facility where Konstantinov still works on his recovery.
Konstantinov can walk on his own

Today, Konstantinov exercises at least three days and sometimes five days a week at the Recovery Project in Livonia. He walks with a walker, but also can walk on his own.

Konstantinov works closely with trainer Matt Drake at the Recovery Project and private nurse Pam Demanuel. Swingle is president and CEO of the Recovery Project.

“He, at first, stayed in his wheelchair, and had difficulty standing and walking,” Swingle said. “Now he has a walker. Using the walker, he is able to stand by himself.” Konstantinov can perform “activities of daily living,” namely brushing his teeth, among other things.

For an hour, he exercises to improve his endurance and follows with therapy.

“Probably within the last two years, Matt has got him to walk more without his walker, and he has learned to go up and down the stairs safely.” Swingle said. “Matt has him do more sports-related exercising, like standing on uneven surfaces, and working from a kneeling position and doing core exercises.

“He's reconditioning muscle to maintain and improve flexibility and work his cardiovascular system, and also retraining his brain with these movements.”

Swingle said Drake will challenge Konstantinov with harder exercises. “Vladdie has been exercising and training since he was 10 years old,” Swingle said. “We had to develop an exercise program for the kind of athlete he was used to being.”

Konstantinov has developed a level of acceptance for what has happened, Swingle said. “He enjoys watching hockey,” Swingle said. He attends occasional games and visits with players. He enjoys going to restaurants with family and friends. “He knows what is going on,” Swingle said. “He definitely keeps up.”

“The quality of his life has tremendously improved. He can walk by himself.”
Recovery Project result of a vision

Swingle founded the Recovery Project with Charlie Parkhill in 2003. Parkhill had suffered a spinal cord injury that left him motionless from the neck down. Swingle worked to assist Parkhill.

They had a vision to provide more therapy to patients through the Recovery Project. Every patient has at least 60 minutes of one-on-one with a therapist and works out with state-of-the-art equipment.

“Charlie designed it with the open windows, to brighten the individual experiences here,” Swingle said. It allowed patients to see the outside world and not be enclosed in a room, Swingle said. Family members also are involved in the recovery and sit nearby during the exercises, Swingle said.

Konstantinov has completed his exercises that day, and Drake is massaging him when Swingle, a reporter and photographer walk up to him. Swingle asked him how he is doing. “Good,” said Konstantinov.

He said he is doing much better as he continues therapy. He smiles and jokes with Swingle that he wants to play Uno. “I'm doing good,” he said.

She asked him whose fault it is if the Wings lose, Konstantinov, a defenseman, jokes that it's the forwards who are to blame, then he smiles again at his joke.

His mood is pleasant. It's been a difficult road, Swingle said, but Konstantinov still works on staying in shape and recovering to the best of his ability.

He shakes the visitors' hands as he gets up to leave. “Where are you guys going?” Swingle asked. “Lunch,” Konstantinov said, as he and his caretaker walk out of the building.

Contact: kabramcz@hometownlife.com, (313) 222-2591, @KenAbramcz

[Tony G]

Vladimir Konstantinov: 'The quality of his life has tremendously improved'

10:15 AM, April 19, 2013


Former Detroit Red Wings player Vladimir Konstantinov is escorted to a federal court building in Detroit on April 29, 2008. / Andre Jackson / DFP


By Ken Abramczyk

Every hockey fan in Detroit remembers the euphoria that engulfed the Motor City when the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1997, the team's first in 42 years.
After ending such a long championship drought, hundreds of thousands of fans celebrated at a parade celebrating the victory.
Days later, that euphoria sank and turned to despair and prayers after hockey fans learned that Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergei Mnatsakanov and Slava Fetisov suffered injuries in an accident on June 13 when the driver of a rented limousine drove onto a median of Woodward Avenue and struck a tree.
Konstantinov and Mnatsakanov suffered serious injuries. Konstantinov was in a coma and suffered brain injuries. Mnatsakanov was paralyzed from the waist down.
Konstantinov eventually began therapy with Polly Swingle, who was employed at the time at Detroit Medical Center. Konstantinov's recovery was slow.
His efforts to recover inspired his teammates in their pursuit of a second consecutive Stanley Cup in 1998. Detroit hockey fans remember that emotional moment seeing Steve Yzerman handing Konstantinov the Stanley Cup, and Konstantinov carrying it while in a wheelchair as his teammates pushed him around the ice.
Swingle remembers that, and while she isn't directly working with Konstantinov right now, she owns and runs a facility where Konstantinov still works on his recovery.
Konstantinov can walk on his own

Today, Konstantinov exercises at least three days and sometimes five days a week at the Recovery Project in Livonia. He walks with a walker, but also can walk on his own.

Konstantinov works closely with trainer Matt Drake at the Recovery Project and private nurse Pam Demanuel. Swingle is president and CEO of the Recovery Project.

“He, at first, stayed in his wheelchair, and had difficulty standing and walking,” Swingle said. “Now he has a walker. Using the walker, he is able to stand by himself.” Konstantinov can perform “activities of daily living,” namely brushing his teeth, among other things.

For an hour, he exercises to improve his endurance and follows with therapy.

“Probably within the last two years, Matt has got him to walk more without his walker, and he has learned to go up and down the stairs safely.” Swingle said. “Matt has him do more sports-related exercising, like standing on uneven surfaces, and working from a kneeling position and doing core exercises.

“He's reconditioning muscle to maintain and improve flexibility and work his cardiovascular system, and also retraining his brain with these movements.”

Swingle said Drake will challenge Konstantinov with harder exercises. “Vladdie has been exercising and training since he was 10 years old,” Swingle said. “We had to develop an exercise program for the kind of athlete he was used to being.”

Konstantinov has developed a level of acceptance for what has happened, Swingle said. “He enjoys watching hockey,” Swingle said. He attends occasional games and visits with players. He enjoys going to restaurants with family and friends. “He knows what is going on,” Swingle said. “He definitely keeps up.”

“The quality of his life has tremendously improved. He can walk by himself.”
Recovery Project result of a vision

Swingle founded the Recovery Project with Charlie Parkhill in 2003. Parkhill had suffered a spinal cord injury that left him motionless from the neck down. Swingle worked to assist Parkhill.

They had a vision to provide more therapy to patients through the Recovery Project. Every patient has at least 60 minutes of one-on-one with a therapist and works out with state-of-the-art equipment.

“Charlie designed it with the open windows, to brighten the individual experiences here,” Swingle said. It allowed patients to see the outside world and not be enclosed in a room, Swingle said. Family members also are involved in the recovery and sit nearby during the exercises, Swingle said.

Konstantinov has completed his exercises that day, and Drake is massaging him when Swingle, a reporter and photographer walk up to him. Swingle asked him how he is doing. “Good,” said Konstantinov.

He said he is doing much better as he continues therapy. He smiles and jokes with Swingle that he wants to play Uno. “I'm doing good,” he said.

She asked him whose fault it is if the Wings lose, Konstantinov, a defenseman, jokes that it's the forwards who are to blame, then he smiles again at his joke.

His mood is pleasant. It's been a difficult road, Swingle said, but Konstantinov still works on staying in shape and recovering to the best of his ability.

He shakes the visitors' hands as he gets up to leave. “Where are you guys going?” Swingle asked. “Lunch,” Konstantinov said, as he and his caretaker walk out of the building.

Contact: kabramcz@hometownlife.com, (313) 222-2591, @KenAbramcz

[chemiclord]

Good news to hear. His career was cut so short, I'm glad that his life after is improving.

[Malto Marko]

I am surprised he is still in the Metro area.

[chemiclord]

I suspect because the state of medical care here stateside (especially since he no doubt either can pay for it/has it paid for) is a wee bit better than what he would find in Russia.

[FVD]

Good for Vladdie. Hope he continues to improve.

[lions&tigers&wings...yea]

The best thing is his mind has gotten so much better since the accident, he still has a sense of humor and jokes which to me is the greatest sign of someone getting better.

Would have challenged Nik for a majority of his Norris trophies if his career wasn't cut short, every time I watch this video I can't help but remember back to 97 and bawl like the kid I was back then.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB7ZgGzAGq0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB7ZgGzAGq0[/ame]

[DanO]

Great video.

Good to hear Vladdie is coming along.

[Malto Marko]

I suspect because the state of medical care here stateside (especially since he no doubt either can pay for it/has it paid for) is a wee bit better than what he would find in Russia.

I am guessing insurance is paying his long term rehab. I concur that the medical care here is probably better and am guessing the insurance would not pay for care back in Russia but, he can get just as good care in sunny California or another State that has a warmer climate.

Maybe the climate around here reminds him of home, or maybe he has developed a strong emotional bond with the people here.

I know the people here have reached out to him and given as much support as a public body possibly can and he is still given standing O's when he shows up to any kind of venue.

[Tony G]

I am guessing insurance is paying his long term rehab. I concur that the medical care here is probably better and am guessing the insurance would not pay for care back in Russia but, he can get just as good care in sunny California or another State that has a warmer climate.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Mike Illitch is still picking up the tab or at least making sure he doesn't want for anything either.

[Malto Marko]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Mike Illitch is still picking up the tab or at least making sure he doesn't want for anything either.

I am guessing between the insurance having to cover all his medical and the settlement he got from suing the Limo co, Mr. Illitch does not need to contribute financially.

[froot loops]

stayed alive in the playoff hunt