BY HELENE ST. JAMES 
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER 

Slava Kozlov was in Moscow last month when a friend called to tell him he was a Red Wing no more. Just like that, the NHL career that Kozlov started in Detroit was over, and a new one was set to begin in Buffalo. 

In his first extensive interview since he was traded to the Sabres for six-time Vezina Trophy winner Dominik Hasek, Kozlov talked about his thoughts the day of the trade, about no longer having to play for coach Scotty Bowman, and about his future plans. 

Kozlov, 29, spent eight full seasons with the Wings -- and portions of two others -- largely overshadowed by Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov and Brendan Shanahan. Kozlov now is with a team that's younger and far less crowded by stars. 

"I hope I'm going to play a lot over there," Kozlov said. "I think I will get opportunity to play power play and penalty kill. I'm very happy now with the trade because Detroit ...I had eight years, fantastic time, two Stanley Cups, and I am very appreciative of what they did for me. I was a little bit shocked when I found out, but I realize it's a deal done and nothing I can do, so I accept." 

As for leaving behind Bowman, who wasn't above benching him, Kozlov kept his remarks brief. "I'm very respectful of Scotty," he said. "If you take a look at Detroit, there's Stevie, Sergei, Igor (Larionov), Shanny -- lots of good players. It takes a lot of power to put on bench Igor or Sergei or Shanny, that's why sometimes he punish me -- he has no choice. But I have two wonderful Stanley Cups with him." 
Kozlov will see his old teammates in the Wings' fourth game of the season, when they host the Sabres at Joe Louis Arena. Larionov has become an especially close friend, was a roommate on the road and a boyhood idol. But Buffalo has Alexei Zhitnik, also a good friend and a former teammate on the Russian national junior team. 

Kozlov was informed of the trade by a friend in Detroit who called after hearing the news on the radio. Ten minutes later, his agent called. Since returning from Russia, Kozlov has been to Buffalo twice and has found a place to live. For now, he said he plans to play out the remaining year on his contract, then sign the one-year qualifying offer he'll receive next summer. That will take him through to 2003, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. 

If his playing time increases in Buffalo, which is likely, Kozlov could fulfill his potential as a 30-plus goal-scorer. He's coming off two sub-par regular seasons, but retains his title as the Wings' leading playoff goal-scorer over the past eight seasons.

"I think I'm going to like Buffalo," he said. "It's a young team.... I'm not going to say we will win the playoffs, but I think we will make playoffs and go from there."