Current Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees (383)
Outside of the province of Ontario, how many people are aware of the city of Kingston? Let’s take that a step further. How many outside of Canada know about this place? We will wager that it isn’t a lot, and those that answer that they heard of it, probably are thinking of the version in Jamaica instead. Now had this city on the Northeastern corner of Lake Ontario remained the home of the Hockey Hall of Fame would it have developed a bit of an international flair or enhanced reputation? Maybe it would have been more of a staple of “Canadiana”, as Kingston is the home of the First Canadian Prime Minister, and the unofficial band of Canada, The Tragically Hip. Stands to reason that it would have been a great fit for the unofficial sport of Canada (it is actually lacrosse) and the official passion of the country.With the launch of the Baseball Hall of Fame, the sport of hockey looked to follow suit. Its biggest league, The National Hockey League had a core of seven teams (which was pared down to six in 1942, when the New York Americans suspended operations) was a healthy organization, and though it was only relevant in cold weather climates, it was a sport that already had a long history, and the coveted Stanley Cup; which was then (and still is) the most impressive trophy in the entire sporting world.
The biggest proponent of an institution recognizing hockey excellence was a Canadian named James T. Sutherland. Born in 1870 (in Kingston naturally), Sutherland played as much hockey as he could and was a member of the Athletic Club of Kingston which was part of what was believed to be the first organized league the sport had. He would later form the Kingston Frontenacs, who would participate in the Ontario Hockey Association and would eventually become the Leagues president. Captain Sutherland (a rank he would achieve serving for Canada in World War I) would create the Memorial Cup; a trophy honoring those who fought in the Great War and to be given to the top Junior team in Canada. Incidentally, this is still the same trophy given to the team that wins the post season tournament in the Juniors in Canada.
Once the National Hockey League and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association agreed to mutually put together a Hall, Sutherland (who had also served as the President of the CAHA) fought for Kingston to be its home. It was not just because he was a native of the city, but because he legitimately believed that Kingston was the rightful birth of modern hockey (which is near impossible to prove). Regardless of where hockey began, Kingston was to be pegged as its home.
Although construction had yet to begin on the facility, the first class was selected in 1945 which inducted nine players. It also had a “Builders” category which honored those who helped develop the game. As we look at those who are inducted to this institution, we will do so chronologically. Let’s take a ride on Hockey’s highway shall we?
The son of Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, W.A. Hewitt, Foster Hewitt was the first voice of Hockey for a generation of Canadians. Hewitt was the radio broadcaster for the Toronto Maple Leafs and his signature calls was the stuff of legends. On November 1, 1952, he broadcast the first nationally televised Hockey game which naturally was between Toronto and the Montreal Canadians. He would pass…
As the eldest of the Smith family of Hockey players from Ottawa, Alf Smith had a bit of a rough road to the Hall of Fame. Smith started his career in the 1890’s but was declared ineligible for amateur contests and did not play in what was likely his prime. He would however reclaim his eligibility and had his most famed years as the Player/Coach of…
The first Russian born player in the National Hockey League, Sweeney Schriner was a lot more than the answer to that trivia question. Schriner was only in “Mother Russia” for the first month in his life, and for all intensive purposes was like any other Canadian kid obsessed with Hockey. Schriner made an immediate impact in the pro ranks winning the Calder Trophy and leading the…
The son of Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Charles Adams, Weston Adams took over from his father as the President of the Boston Bruins in 1936 and oversaw the team’s two Stanley Cup wins in 1939 and 1941. Adams served his country in World War II, and his franchise’s fortunes were not the same without Adams at the helm. He would reclaim his spot as team…
A large and rugged defenseman, George McNamara bounced around many teams pounding down offensive threats in his end. McNamara helped the Toronto Blueshirts win the Stanley Cup in 1914 and had it not been for his participation in World War I, may have won more. With that said, and with all due respect to McNamara, his induction would not have been missed had it not occurred.
Ed Belfour’s first full season in the National Hockey League was a stellar one as he won the Calder, the Vezina, the William M. Jennings and was a First Team All Star. From that point on, Belfour was considered one of the top Goalies in professional hockey, and though he may not have had a season as good as first, he would have a lot…
The winner of the 1944 Hart Trophy (albeit in a depleted NHL due to World War II) Babe Pratt was a offensive minded defenceman who was as tough on the ice as he was jovial off of it. Pratt was part of two Stanley Cup winning teams (New York in 1940 and Toronto in 1945) and was always considered one of the team leaders regardless of…
The bottom line is this: The Hockey Hall of Fame could not remotely claim to be an International entity without the induction of Vladislav Tretiak. For years, Tretiak was the dominant force on the International Hockey scene and is considered one of the best Goalies of all time and was named by Sports Illustrated as their Goalie in 2000 when they named their all-time team.
A top forward in the WHA, Mark Howe (along with his father, Gordie) took the Houston Aeros to a pair of Avco Cup wins in the 1970’s. As he moved to New England, and later joined the NHL with the Whalers, Mark Howe emerged as one of the game’s top defenseman, who was a power play anchor and gifted two way player. It took him…
Frank Dilio served as the President of the Quebec Amateur Hockey Association for twenty years. During that tenure, he also was the Secretary of that organization for half of that time and was also the official scorer for the Quebec Senior Hockey League for a period of time. Dilio’s entire professional career was dedicated to growing the sport in the French Canadian province which made it…
Although many think of Mark Messier in reference to the 1994 New York Rangers team that brought the Stanley Cup back to Broadway after a length absence, it was Brian Leetch who was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner that year. Overall, Brian Leetch was considered one of the top two way Defenceman of the 1990’s and his strong play was rewarded by two Norris Trophies…
His physical style, checking ability and the letter “S” at the start of his last name made Babe Siebert the perfect complement to the scoring touch of Nels Stewart and the passing skills of Hooley Smith on the Montreal Maroons famed “S Line”. It was in Montreal where Siebert started his career and posted his best offensive statistics.
Blessed to have been a member of powerful Montreal Shamrocks teams, Fred Scanlan was a decent Left Winger for helped his team win the Stanley Cup in 1899 and 1900. Scanlan was a good contributor, but was far from the level of his other teammates (Harry Trihey & Arthur Farrell) and is likely in from being on a forward line with them.
A certifiable icon in the early days of Ottawa hockey, Harvey Pulford was not just a star defenseman for the Capital City, but was a legitimate athletic star in multiple sports. As hockey grew, Pulford became one of its first stars, and hands down, an important part of Ottawa sporting history. As such, Pulford was a star in early hockey and became a legitimate legend in…
Marcel Dionne may very well be the greatest NHL player to never have won a Stanley Cup. Actually, he never really came close, as he was never really on great teams. Because of this, Dionne may not have achieved the level of popularity he should have, but his peers knew what skill that the offensively gifted Centre had as he won the Ted Lindsay Award…
Valeri Kharlamov never played in the National Hockey League, but every NHL fan in the 1970’s knew who he was. Vladislav Tretiak may have received most of the attention in the Soviet Red Army, but it was the scoring prowess of Kharlamov that ran the engine. In addition to the passing and stickhandling fundamentals that were ingrained in the Russian players, Kharlamov was a flash…
A four time All Star Game selection, Dino Ciccarelli was an excellent goal scorer with the Minnesota North Stars who proved many scouts wrong as he went undrafted in 1979. Minnesota was not always a great team, but Dino gave fans hope and a reason to come to the games. He was a feisty (though occasionally controversial) player who would finish his career with an…
Bill Torrey brought the expansion New York Islanders to prominence far faster than anyone would have thought. The former GM of the Oakland Seals, found a real home on Long Island and methodically built a team from the draft and acquired young talent who would grow into a dynasty. It is not a misrepresentation to say that Torrey built the team from scratch. He was…
The son of Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, James E. Norris, James D. Norris assisted in the running of the Detroit Red Wings which his father owned. The younger Norris looked to strike out on his own, and along with Arthur Wirtz, purchased the struggling Chicago Black Hawks. Over time, he helped to make the team a viable franchise and in the early 60’s Chicago was…
A former backup NHL Goaltender (he played in 95 games), Emile Francis played in the minors before moving on to coaching. Francis would work his way to the New York Rangers system and eventually took over the helm for New York and coached that team to their best record in decades. He would also take over as the team’s General Manager and would follow suit with…