BY JASON LA CANFORA 
Free Press Sports Writer 
Coach Scotty Bowman loves options. 

He thrives on having interchangeable parts -- players who can man different positions, skate on various lines and produce at both ends of the ice. No doubt, the possibility of concocting another Russian Five intrigues Bowman. 

He assembled a unit of four Russians for the Red Wings debut of Dmitri Mironov last week. Mironov spent most of the game playing with defensive partner Slava Fetisov, joining Igor Larionov and Slava Kozlov, with Darren McCarty on right wing. 

"It's going to take some time for them to click," associate coach Dave Lewis said. "Darren was put in situations he's not used to. A couple of times we looked up and found him in a spot we're not accustomed to seeing him in." 

McCarty brings great size and strength to the unit, and can work the corners and in front of the net, opening space for dazzling skating and puck-handling displays by the rest. But McCarty plays a North American-style game. It's difficult to manufacture the understanding among the Russian teammates. 

Larionov did not play Sunday and is day-to-day with an elbow injury. Sergei Fedorov could be suspended for at least one more game for his hit from behind on Anaheim's Jason Marshall last week. But when both are back, look for all five Russians to spend at least a few shifts together. That should make teams wonder when they will see them again -- like in the playoffs, perhaps. 

Mironov is playing where Vladimir Konstantinov did last season. Konstantinov anchored the Russian Five. Mironov still is adjusting. 

"We still need more time to get together," Fetisov said. "When Vladdie was here, we didn't think. It was automatic anticipation." 
 

FEDOROV HEARING TODAY: Fedorov will have a hearing with the league today to determine whether his suspension will extend beyond the two games he has served. The NHL is taking a hard stance on checking from behind, and though Marshall was not injured in the incident, more time could be coming.