By Helene Elliott, Times Staff Writer

He will welcome Southern California's warmer climate, Sergei Fedorov acknowledged, and he's well aware of the area's many attractions.

But despite suggestions he left Detroit and signed with the Mighty Ducks because he wants to enjoy life in the fast lane, Fedorov said Thursday the chance to play a bigger role than he had played with the Red Wings was his main motivation in agreeing to a five-year deal potentially worth $40 million.

"Lifestyle was the least part," Fedorov said from his hometown of Pskov, Russia, near St. Petersburg. "I want to play for a contender, a good team, a good organization, and play really good hockey, the way I've been used once or twice as a Red Wing. People that accuse me of being selfish, that's totally out of line.

"You're never going to hear that L.A. doesn't have some features. But I'm a professional hockey player since I was 15. I know what the job requires. Playing in California, I think, will be easier on the body. You get out of a game and you're sweating and it will be nice to come out to warm weather. It will be nice not to have those couple of weeks of very cold weather."

Fedorov branded as unfair former teammate Darren McCarty's assertion he left the Red Wings because he wanted to "get out in L.A., which is more his speed." Fedorov said he never mentioned anything of the sort to McCarty, and also objected to being described as moody by former teammates and Detroit reporters.

"I was not very moody. I just do my job and answer [reporters'] questions," Fedorov said, his first comments since his deal was announced Saturday. "I think they never took the chance to get to know me. They say I didn't show up some nights, but how can you say every athlete plays the same all the time? It's not up to me. I get ready every game and I'm doing the same routine.

"For the month of January I didn't play [as many minutes of] hockey at all, until I spoke out, not to the coaches but to the papers. Afterward, they said I was moody. I said, 'What can you do on the bench?' Should I be happy on the bench? Sometimes you have to explain things

"It's not for me to judge how I play. I just know at the end of the game and the end of the season how I did. That's why our sport is so exciting — everyone has their opinions. Maybe people just weren't sure if they like me there."

Fedorov hasn't visited Anaheim since he signed. He long ago planned to spend this week in Pskov, which is celebrating its 1,100th anniversary, but plans to cut short his vacation short and return to the U.S. next week. "I'll do some packing and be ready to go," he said.

He has asked his agent, Pat Brisson, to find him a home "with a double garage, and hopefully with a view," convenient to the Pond and the Disney Ice practice rink. And he's steeling himself for a challenge he didn't often face in Detroit: Southern California traffic. Lots of it.

"Yeah, I know," he said, his voice taking on a tone of mock sadness. "I've heard about it."