It might seem a little laughable now, but there was a time when all Russian players were considered soft. Vladimir Konstantinov may have been part of the 1980s Soviet Red Army team, but he was a man who seemed to be bred for the NHL, as he was anything but “soft.” Konstantinov had an instant impact on the pros with the Red Wings. He was literally a pest who made it exceptionally difficult for opponents to score. This was reflected by his high plus/minus tallies. Konstantinov’s last season saw him as the Norris Trophy runner-up and hoist the Stanley Cup. Less than a week after that triumph, Konstantinov was in a horrible limousine accident that put him in a coma and literally put him in the fight of his life. Needless to say, Vladimir never played again, though if he had, it can be argued that he might be a much stronger candidate for induction than he is now.