By BOB JORDAN
PRESS STAFF WRITER

04 Apr 1995, Tue Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey)

THE ENDING of Vlacheslav Fetisov's tenure with the New Jersey Devils was not nearly as ceremonious as its beginning.

Fetisov was traded by the Devils yesterday to the Detroit Red Wings for a third-round pick in the June entry draft (#78-David Gosselin). This simple transaction contrasted with the July 1989 press conference, complete with flashing camera lights and competing television news crews, that hailed Fetisov's arrival from the Soviet Union.

Nonetheless, the trade is important to Fetisov. He turns 37 this month, so the move to the loaded Red Wings certainly does not hurt his chances of adding a Stanley Cup title to his numerous international honors.

“The Red Wings are a good team. They play good hockey,” Fetisov said from his home in West Orange, shortly before taking a flight to Detroit. “I think I can help them.”

The Devils, who will attempt to build on a three-game winning streak tonight when they meet the Tampa Bay Lightning at Meadowlands Arena (7:30 p.m., SportsChannel), have concluded that they have the players needed for a playoff run. Now they've done something about players they don't need. The trading deadline is 3 p.m. Friday.

Fetisov was known as the world's greatest defenseman during a 13-year career with the Central Red Army team. He played on two teams that won Olympic gold medals and many winning teams in the World Championships.

A free agent last summer, Fetisov re-signed with the Devils after the lockout ended but saw precious little ice time under coach Jacques Lemaire. He played in Saturday's victory over the Montreal Canadiens, just his fourth game of the season.

“I like the trade because it gives me a chance to play,” Fetisov said. “I don't know why I didn't play the last few weeks. I hurt my leg right away but I was 100 percent the last two to three weeks.”

When Lemaire questioned Fetisov's fitness shortly after he signed, Fetisov declared he would refuse any request by the team that he go to Albany of the American League for conditioning.

Perhaps taken aback by that sharp reaction, the Devils never formally asked Fetisov to go to Albany. Lemaire and Fetisov had a less-than-cordial relationship from that point.

The Red Wings asked about Fetisov after veteran defenseman Mark Howe suffered a separated shoulder over the weekend.

“He's a solid player with plenty of experience,” Wings' coach Scotty Bowman said. “He gives us needed depth on defense heading into the playoffs.”

In Detroit, Fetisov will find plenty of familiar faces, including an old roommate with the Devils, Doug Brown, and countrymen Sergei Fedorov, Vyacheslav Kozlov and Vladimir Konstantinov.

“Fedorov is one of the best in the world,” Fetisov said, “and Konstantinov has been my defense partner in various international games.”