For the first time ever, the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto opened its doors to female players, according to a report by The Associated Press. Canada's Angela James and the United States' Cammi Granato were the first two women to receive their Hall of Fame rings.
Former NHL star Dino Ciccarelli, Red Wings senior vice president Jim Devellano and Calgary Flames founder Daryl "Doc" Seaman were also inducted in Monday's ceremony.
The Hall of Fame established an entirely new set of criteria for women, allowing James and Granato to become the first women to grace the mecca of hockey greats.
"I think it's a historic night and I think it's great for hockey at all levels," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. "Both Angela and Cammi are inspirational, they're pioneers once again. What they've done in the game to this point has been terrific and I think they're great role models for other girls and women looking to devote themselves to this game."
Granato is regarded as one of the best — if not the best — U.S. women's ice hockey players of all time. She has played for every world championship event for the United States from 1990 to 2005, winning gold with the U.S. women's team in the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan. She now serves as a rink side reporter for the NHL on NBC and was the color commentator for women's ice hockey during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Right alongside Granato is James, who is considered the first superstar of modern women's ice hockey. Representing Canada on an international level, James played in 20 world championship games, scoring 22 goals and adding 12 assists. She also dominated in the Central Ontario Women's Hockey League in the late 1970's and early 1980's.
Granato says the induction will really help further the presence of women in the game. Even now, women are still defending their position in the hockey world.
"It just comes with the territory because we're used to doing that, we're used to defending ourselves," Granato said Monday. "We just have to keep repeating ourselves over and over. But this helps, I tell you, being here. Having this committee and this Hall accept us really helps."
Both James and Granato were among the first female inductees (along with Geraldine Heaney) into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.
