The enduring friendship between Christian Fischer, the new Detroit Red Wings forward, and Shayne Gostisbehere, the defenseman, traces its origins back to 2021 when Gostisbehere was traded to the Arizona Coyotes from the Philadelphia Flyers during the mid-summer.
Fischer, who spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career with Arizona, recalled, ‘When (Gostisbehere) got traded to us in Arizona, somebody on Philly that I knew sent me his number.’
He continued, ‘He lived with me for his first seven days as a Coyote. I won’t comment on the first night he got traded to us, but he chose to sleep on the couch instead of a bed that night.’
When asked about their initial living arrangement, Gostisbehere smiled and said, ‘Yes, I did sleep on the couch a little bit,’ referring to his days with the Flyers from 2014 to 2021. ‘Then I moved to a room. He set me up nice though. No complaints. I didn’t even know him, and he let me stay with him before the season started. Probably have been inseparable ever since.’
The duo played 105 games together in Arizona from 2021 to 2023 until Gostisbehere was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023. However, the Red Wings brought Fischer and Gostisbehere back together in the off-season, signing both to one-year deals on July 1.
Fischer expressed his surprise, saying, ‘Honestly, we both didn’t know we were going to sign here. We signed on the same day. I got a text from his wife saying, ‘We’re going to Detroit too.’ So that worked out well. It’s always nice to have another year with Shayne. I’m not going to complain.’
For Gostisbehere, having a familiar face in a new organization has been invaluable. He noted, ‘I’ve gone to two new teams before and haven’t known anyone, so I’ve had that experience. But it’s definitely been nice to have an experience, coming in like this, where you’re pretty familiar with someone.’
Even navigating the Little Caesars Arena has been a shared adventure for the close friends. Fischer shared, ‘When I eventually drove (Gostisbehere) to the rink the first day he was here, he was like, ‘Thank God you were with me. I would have had no idea.’ He continued, ‘There’s two elevators and a parking garage.
Then you don’t really know where to warm up or where to stretch. Just stuff like that goes a long way when you have a buddy with you, so you don’t look like an idiot when you’re out of place.’
Their chemistry is already evident in the Red Wings’ dressing room, and according to Fischer, that’s because hockey bonds are built over time. Fischer remarked, ‘The way you bond with other players, that doesn’t just go away.’ He added, ‘If you’re with a guy, even for one season, anytime you see him on an opposing team or walk into him on a road game, you’re going to stop and say hi to him even if you don’t play with him. Coming here, I am familiar with the guys.’
Fischer and Gostisbehere bring distinct skill sets to the Red Wings’ lineup. Gostisbehere is a 5-foot-11, 183-pound defenseman known for his offensive style, while Fischer, a 6-foot-2, 212-pound winger, is not afraid to get physical.
Gostisbehere praised Fischer’s contributions, saying, ‘Fisch is going to do all the little things that go unnoticed. He’s a glue guy too. He’s got a lot of energy and brings a lot of positivity to the team.’
Fischer, in turn, lauded Gostisbehere as a versatile defenseman, saying, ‘(Gostisbehere) has a good balance. He thinks the game so highly, has a crazy high IQ. Obviously skilled enough to make those plays. I won’t put a number on it, but he’s one of the best defensemen who are walking the blue line in the NHL.'”
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