Fedorov’s New Wings

Sergei Fedorov, the talented and occasionally moody center from Pskov, Russia, will bring his considerable abilities to Anaheim after agreeing to terms with the Mighty Ducks on Saturday.

Fedorov, who will turn 34 in December, spent the last 13 seasons with Detroit, where he won three Stanley Cups. He signed a five-year deal that is worth $40 million, with the third and fourth years being Fedorov’s option.

The Ducks swept the Red Wings in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and Fedorov certainly noticed the improvement in the organization.

“I felt this team was going in the right direction,” Fedorov said. “They were more mobile, more confident. We faced them in the playoffs and that told me I was right about them. I’m excited to be a part of the Ducks. This is a young and skilled team.”

The Ducks are certainly more skilled now.

With Fedorov in the fold and the signing of forward Vaclav Prospal last week, the Ducks are able to claim a successful off-season, which started on a disastrous note. They allowed team captain Paul Kariya to leave as an unrestricted free agent and were surprised when he signed with Colorado.

General Manager Bryan Murray then pursued and landed this year’s blue-chip free agent.

The Ducks now have a possible top line of Fedorov, a 400-goal scorer, Prospal, who is coming off his best season, and Petr Sykora, who led the Ducks with 34 goals last season. Fedorov and Prospal give the Ducks more size up front as well.

Fedorov, considered one of the top players in the NHL, had 36 goals and 83 points for the Red Wings last season, his highest totals since the 1995-96 season. While he was ineffective during Detroit’s loss to the Ducks in the playoffs, he was still the top free agent this summer.

That playoff run and Murray’s relationship with Fedorov gave the Ducks a chance to land him. Murray was the Red Wings’ general manager from 1990 to ’94 and coach of the team from 1990 to ’93. He signed Fedorov, who was a fourth-round draft pick in 1989.

“Well, obviously this is tremendous to bring a guy like this to our club,” Duck defenseman Keith Carney said. “He comes from a great organization and knows what it takes to win.”

What Fedorov brings to the Ducks are skills as a two-way center. He is a creative playmaker, with the ability to score. Yet, his skills as a defender are equal to his offensive abilities. He won the Hart Trophy, given to the league’s MVP, in 1994 and the Selke Trophy, given to the league’s best defensive forward, in 1994 and 1996.

“Sergei is a great assist guy and one of the most entertaining guys in the league,” Murray said. “He is one of the top five or six players. I had to make a pitch. At the end of the day, we saw an opportunity.”

Fedorov, whose effort has been questioned at times, rejected two offers from the Red Wings before becoming a free agent, both of which would have paid him $10 million a season. There were reports that there was friction between Fedorov and other Red Wing players, which Fedorov denied.

“I don’t think there is any question that Sergei Fedorov will fit here,” Murray said. “He comes to practice and works hard.”

The Ducks and Red Wings were the only teams Fedorov considered in the last week.

“We want Sergei to come here and be the top dog,” Coach Mike Babcock said.

Which is a role Fedorov said he is looking to fill.

“Being in Anaheim with a skilled team and great goalie, playing a role I think I’m going to be playing, I’m thrilled,” Fedorov said.

The Ducks are as well.

“I am as excited as can be,” Babcock said. “I can’t even begin to explain how I feel about having an impact player like Sergei. With him and [center Steve] Rucchin, we’re as good as any team [at center] and better than most.

” ... The other thing is the Stanley Cup hangover. When you change your team as much as we have, the excitement will really help the hangover.”

That hangover could have been a lot worse had the Ducks not landed Fedorov.

They were left with a large chunk of money to spend after gambling with Kariya. Murray allowed Kariya to become an unrestricted free agent by not giving him a qualifying offer that matched his $10-million salary.

Murray’s plan was to re-sign Kariya for less money and then snag free agent Teemu Selanne. But both signed with Colorado, which has won two Stanley Cups and reached the Western Conference finals four other times in the last eight seasons.

So Murray was left with Plan B and intensified his pursuit of Fedorov and signed Prospal, 28, who had a career-high 79 points with Tampa Bay last season.

Murray said he has had talks to bring back right wing Steve Thomas, an unrestricted free agent who was a key to the Ducks’ playoff run. Murray is also working on contracts for Sykora and goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, both of whom are restricted free agents.

“I think we’ll have a little more ability to score points,” Murray said. “Until we start playing games, it’s hard to say.

“Sergei likes to have the puck a lot and is a creative guy. That is the opposite of Paul, who flew up ice and got off big shots. Sergei likes to have the puck and that will allow a couple of our young guys to get exposure. At the end of the day, are we a better team? In July we’re a better team.”

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Town of Stars

*--* Four future Hall of Famers have joined Southland teams in the past week: SERGEI FEDOROV -- DUCKS * NHL most valuable player in 1994; helped Detroit win the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998 and 2002 KARL MALONE -- LAKERS * Second-leading scorer in NBA history has two MVP trophies and two Olympic gold medals GARY PAYTON -- LAKERS * Seven-time NBA All-Star with Seattle; named all-defensive first team eight consecutive years RICKEY HENDERSON -- DODGERS * The most prolific leadoff man in baseball history; all-time leader in runs scored, stolen bases and walks

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*--* Lining Them Up A look at the lines from the 2002-03 season in which the Ducks made the Stanley Cup finals and the possible lines to begin the 2003-04 season: AT THE END OF LAST SEASON CENTER: Adam Oates WINGS: Paul Kariya, Petr Sykora * Group vanished in Cup finals. Kariya re-emerged with Teemu Selanne in Colorado; Oates was put out to pasture CENTER: Steve Rucchin WINGS: Rob Niedermayer, Mike Leclerc * The type of big, nasty line a successful team needs. Ducks hope to link them again CENTER: Samuel Pahlsson WINGS: Stanislav Chistov, Steve Thomas * Ducks are talking to unrestricted free agent Thomas about returning next season CENTER: Jason Krog WINGS: Marc Chouinard, Dan Bylsma * Chouinard was not given qualifying offer, so another grinder is needed POSSIBLE LINES NEXT SEASON CENTER: Sergei Fedorov WINGS: Stanislav Chistov, Petr Sykora * Cheesy meet your boyhood idol. Joffrey Lupul or Vaclav Prospal could also fill spot CENTER: Steve Rucchin WINGS: Rob Niedermayer, Mike Leclerc * Leclerc’s recovery from off-season knee surgery is the only question CENTER: Vaclav Prospal WINGS: Joffrey Lupul, Alexei Smirnov * Key ingredient, center Andy McDonald, is slow to recover from concussion CENTER: Jason Krog WINGS: Cam Severson, Dan Bylsma * Severson as the team’s enforcer? Quick, what’s Kevin Sawyer’s cell phone number again? -- Chris Foster

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*--* Russian Revolution Sergei Fedorov was at the forefront of Russians entering the league in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. How he ranks among his countrymen: GAMES PLAYED Alexander Mogilny 919 Sergei Fedorov 908 Igor Larionov 872 Sergei Zubov 779 Alexei Kovalev 771 GOALS Alexander Mogilny 453 Pavel Bure 437 Sergei Fedorov 400 Alexei Kovalev 278 Alexei Yashin 276 ASSISTS Sergei Fedorov 554 Alexander Mogilny 524 Igor Larionov 465 Sergei Zubov 449 Alexei Zhamnov 436 POINTS Alexander Mogilny 977 Sergei Fedorov 954 Pavel Bure 779 Alexei Zhamnov 673 Alexei Kovalev 635

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