The Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed its newest members on Monday night at a special induction ceremony in Toronto.
Chris Chelios, Geraldine Heaney, Scott Niedermayer and Brendan Shanahan have been inducted as players. The late Fred Shero was inducted from the builders category. Jay Greenberg and Harry Neale are also included in this year’s class as journalists.
Shanahan, along with Boston Bruins forward Cam Neely, was one of the elite power forwards of the 1990s, scoring 656 goals and winning three Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings. Niedermayer was a phenomenal two-way defenseman and one of the most decorated winners in league history. His resume includes four Stanley Cup titles, two Olympic gold medals, a Norris Trophy and a Conn Smythe Trophy. Chelios was also a winner, capturing three Stanley Cups and three Norris Trophies. He ranks fifth on the NHL’s all-time games played list.
Shero’s induction is many years overdue. He was one of the best coaches of his generation, and guided the Philadelphia Flyers to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 1973-74 and 1974-75. His son Ray, the current general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, gave a wonderful acceptance speech. Heaney is the third woman to be inducted in the HHOF, and was part of the 2002 Canadian team that won the gold medal in women’s ice hockey at Salt Lake City. Greenberg and Neale were inducted as the Elmer Ferguson Award and Foster Hewitt Award winners, respectively.
The 2014 class should include some memorable names as well. Rob Blake, Rod Brind’Amour and Eric Lindros highlight some of the players who have been eligible for induction for at least one year. Mike Modano, Dominik Hasek and Peter Forsberg are among the players who will be eligible for the first time in 2014.
Thumbnail photo via @BroadStBull
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