It’s here! This weekend the Hockey Hall of Fame honors the cream of the crop with the induction of the Class of 2014, and with this year’s group, we have a true international flavor, mimicking the great powers of the winter’s greatest game.
Starting in the Czech Republic, we have the man who we feel is the headliner of this year’s class in Dominik Hasek. In the NHL, Hasek won two Hart Trophies, made six First Team All Star Teams, and won six Vezina Trophies while making the Buffalo Sabres a relevant team. He took Buffalo to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999, when the team from Western New York was eliminated by a controversial goal by Brett Hull who had his skate in the crease. Hasek would be traded to Detroit and though he was no longer the top Goalie statistically in the NHL, he was now with a loaded Red Wings team and helped them win two Stanley Cups.
Those accomplishments are incredible, but whenever anybody asks Dominik Hasek was his greatest accomplishment on the ice was, he always answers backstopping the Czech Republic to the Gold Medal in the 1998 Olympics. At that point, it was the greatest sporting achievement for the young country, and Hasek, who had a 0.98 Goals Against Average, with the Czechs was an instant legend in Prague.
The continent of Europe is represented a second time via Sweden. Like Hasek, Peter Forsberg enters on the first ballot, and he was widely regarded for his physical and intelligent style of play. In the NHL, Forsberg had 855 Points which may not seem like a lot in comparison to the career leaders, but when you look at the fact that he did this over 708 Games making him 8th all time in Points per Game, his stats are presented in a far better light.
Forsberg would stock up his trophy case, winning the Calder Trophy win the Quebec Nordiques (in the final year there), earned three First Team NHL All Star selections, and the Art Ross and Hart Trophy in the 2002-03 seasons, and with Colorado, would be a vital part of two Stanley Cup Championships in 1996 and 2001. Internationally, he kept his higher than a Point per Game average with his native Sweden and he earned two Olympic Gold Medals and two World Championship Golds.
From the United States, former Dallas Star, Mike Modano enters the Hockey Hall of Fame. Modano is also entering on the first year of eligibility, and he played all but his final season of professional hockey with the Stars. His career saw him reach 1,374 Points, participate in seven All Star Games and lead Dallas to the Stanley Cup in 1999. Modano retired as the man with the most Points and Goals scored by an American.
Unlike Hasek and Forsberg, Modano does not own an Olympic Gold Medal, but in 1996, he was a major part of the United States win in the World Cup of Hockey, a tournament as star studded as any Olympic tournament.
The fourth and final player elected this year is Canadian Rob Blake who was a member of the Gold Medal winning team in 2002. Blake played professionally with the Los Angeles Kings, the Colorado Avalanche and the San Jose Sharks and would win the Cup with the Avalanche in 2001. Blake would win the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top Defenceman in 1998 and was a three time First Team NHL All Star. He would have 777 career points in the NHL.
Former Head Coach, Pat Burns is posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Burns, who passed away due to cancer in 2010, was part of a large online campaign to get him inducted before he died. Burns would win the Stanley Cup in 2003 with New Jersey and had a Coaching record of 501-353-151.
Former Referee Bill McCreary rounds out the 2014 Hockey Hall of Fame Class.
The Hockey Hall of Fame will be broadcast on TSN2 tonight. Congratulations again to this year’s class!
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