BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
TORONTO, CANADA – During the world-wide pandemic, the NHL brought some sunshine to the hockey world in naming their 2020 Hall-Of-Fame class which included Ken Holland, who was inducted in the Builder’s category, and players Jarome Iginla, Doug Wilson, Marian Hossa, and Kim St. Pierre.
Holland was the General Manager of the three-time Stanley Cup Champion, Detroit Red Wings. Holland played one game with the Hartford Whalers as well as time with the AHL’s Binghamton Whalers.
“There are a lot of other people that helped along the way. I just get to go up and make the announcement.”
Few have demonstrated the ability to “build” teams like Holland, who is a fitting choice as the lone representative in the Builder category this season. Holland, 64, has been at the helm of an NHL team consecutively since 1997. Prior to that, he served as the Detroit Red Wings’ Director of Scouting for seven years.
Holland’s knack for finding talent led the Red Wings to four Stanley Cups, including three times as their General Manager (1998, 2002, 2008) and one as their Assistant General Manager (1997). During his time in Detroit, before being hired by the Edmonton Oilers last year, the Red Wings won more regular season and playoff games than any team in hockey.
As a player, Doug Wilson was a spectacular member of the Chicago Blackhawks’ blueline. He captured the Norris Trophy in 1981-82 as the league’s top defenseman and finished in the top five in voting three other times.
Wilson, now 62, has very impressive numbers in his career registering 827 points in 1,024 NHL regular-season games, including nine campaigns of 50 or more points.
Wilson had a 39-goal season, which ranks seventh-highest by a defenseman in league history. The other six are owned by just two elite players, Bobby Orr, and Paul Coffey.
Wilson was a member of the original San Jose Sharks as a result of the 1991 Expansion Draft. Wilson presently is the second longest-tenured General Manager in the NHL, having taken charge of the Sharks in 2003.
“I was completely surprised,” said Wilson in his 13th year of eligibility. “I was very fortunate to play with a lot of great people and some great players. My brother, who was the best big brother (Murray) you could ever have, won all those Cups in Montreal (three and won a Calder Cup on Nova Scotia).”
In his career, Kevin Lowe’s name became synonymous with winning.
In 1994, Lowe’s reputation was the impetus for the New York Rangers trading for him to help them erase their Stanley Cup drought. He stayed for four years on Broadway but eventually returned to Edmonton where he would end his career and go on to spend many years there as an Oilers’ executive.
A Lachute, Quebec native, Lowe played for the QMJHL Quebec Remparts leading to his being drafted 21st overall in the first round of what many consider to be one of the best NHL Drafts ever, in 1979.
Lowe’s offensive numbers and individual accolades were not eye-popping because he was known for being a defensive-minded defenseman.
Lowe raised the Stanley Cup six times in his career, with five of those as part of the Oilers’ juggernaut led by Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier, and Glenn Anderson.
Lowe is one of seven other defensemen in league history to have won six or more Cups, six of whom are now in the Hall-Of-Fame. The lone exception is Montreal Canadiens defenseman, Jean-Guy Talbot, 81, who played in over 1,000 NHL games and coached the Rangers for one season in 1977-78.
Lowe, now 61, skated in a combined 1,468 regular season and Stanley Cup playoff contests. His contributions, while not as the marquee attraction, led to his teams recording 801 wins. “I think that perhaps I represent the next level of guys who helped to win championships,” He said. “I appreciate that my contributions to the teams I played on are being recognized in this way.”
In juniors, he was the only English speaking player on his team.
Lanny McDonald, the Director of the Hockey Hall of Fame, played against Lowe in those memorable, “Battles of Alberta” in the 1980s.
“They were like a wolf pack, but Kevin, as a player, missed the playoffs just once and the six cups? It’s great to call him as a friend and welcome him to the Hall of Fame.”
Lowe was reflective and self-deprecating, “Where I fit in? I came in when Paul Coffey came off the ice after 1:50 of the powerplay. I handled the 10 seconds pretty well. I had to find a place on a team like that. So, like any player, I found my role. My family, that I grew up in, we never accepted losing.”
Jarome Iginla, was simply, was the heartbeat of the Calgary Flames for 16 years.
In 1,554 games, Iginla registered 1,304 points and won the Ted Lindsay Award in 2001-02 as the league’s Most Outstanding Player, as voted by his peers. The two-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada – who scored the Golden Goal in 2010 and twice in the gold-medal game in 2002 in Salt Lake City.
He had his name etched on the Lester B. Pearson Award, King Clancy Memorial Trophy, Mark Messier Leadership Award, and twice on the Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy. There was not likely much of a debate by the 18 member Hall of Fame committee who voted virtually for the first time as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
The unassuming Iginla will take his rightful place among hockey’s greats.
Iginla becomes the fourth Black inductee into the Hall of Fame. The others include Grant Fuhr and Angela James, who were inducted for their play, and Willie O’Ree, who broke the NHL’s color barrier, who was chosen for his contributions to the sport.
“Iggy” stickhandled around the issue with the same deftness and finesse he showed on the ice. “Growing up, I loved playing hockey. I didn’t view myself as a black hockey player, but I was also aware that I was.”
Iginla’s grandfather played a major role in his development. “He took me to my first practice and they had no jerseys left in the box. So he went out and brought a jersey for me. I’m out flopping on the ice. It was a Flames jersey without the crest, so it turned out alright. He never said I had a bad game. He always said, “Good job.” He was a big Oilers fan. We would sit down on Saturday, get our special popcorn, and watched the games. He helped me with my shot in shooting better too.”
Iginla’s Flames’ best of 525 and 1,095 points are both tops in franchise history. His 83 game-winners often lifted the roof off the Saddledome came as a result of his work with his grandfather.
McDonald recounted a story of Iginila’s off-ice character. “When I was in management with Calgary, we were in Hartford or Carolina. Jarome was always the last guy out to the bus. There were kids over on the outside of the fence and most of the players all went onto the team bus, and Jarome came out — he’s the last one — and I was standing there signing a couple of autographs and Jarome walks right by and goes onto the bus and I thought, ‘Damn, I was kind of hoping he’d come over and sign a few.’ “Well, he went on the team bus, and he told every teammate, ‘Get off the bus, and sign autographs for the kids for a few minutes, and then we’ll leave.’ That told me a whole lot about Jarome, what kind of a person he is, and what he stands for. How he played the game. How good he was with the press. How good he was with the fans. How good he was both on and off the ice. Yeah, that’s why he is a Hall-of-Famer, and I was so proud to be able to make that call today.”
Marian Hossa joins the Hall-Of-Fame as one of only two players in the league history to be elected while still under contract. Hossa, now 41, stepped away from the game prior to the 2017-18 season as a result of a progressive skin disorder.
Hossa was part of three Stanley Cup-winning teams with the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored 1,134 points (525 goals, 609 assists) in 1,309 games from 1997-98 to 2016-17. His career included eight campaigns with the Blackhawks, seven with the Ottawa Senators, three with the Atlanta Thrashers, and one each with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.
“This honor means so much to me,” Hossa said after the late afternoon announcement. “I would like to thank everyone who voted for me. I have learned so much about life through the game of hockey and am very appreciative of this recognition.”
Hossa, a Slovakian, owns all of his country’s scoring records and is the only player to skate in three straight Stanley Cup Finals with three different teams (Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago).
For Hossa, it took until the third opportunity to lift Lord Stanley’s above his head, in Chicago in 2010. He helped the Blackhawks to two more championships in 2013 and 2015. His 525 career goals rank 35th all-time, making him a fine first-ballot selection.
Kim St. Pierre, was best known as part of Team Canada’s women’s team where she patrolled the nets for more than a decade, from 1998 through 2011. She shares the record with Charline Labonte for most Olympic gold medals by a goaltender with three.
St. Pierre holds the distinction of being undefeated (8-0-0) with a staggering 0.78 goals-against-average in Olympic competition.
From Chateauguay, in Southern Quebec, St. Pierre, now 41, was in net when Canada won the Olympic gold for the first time, which simultaneously snapped an eight-game losing streak against their arch-rival United States. She also holds the World Championship records for most medals (five gold, four silver), shutouts (13), and longest shutout sequence (430:09), which spanned four tournaments.
“Hockey has always been my passion and this is a very special honor,” St. Pierre said. “When I was growing up, it was only boys, and when that changed, my dream was able to come (true).”
St-Pierre is the eighth women’s player named to the Hall of Fame and the first female goalie.
She quickly pointed to her idols as her inspiration.
“I was such a fan of Patrick Roy in Montreal. That’s what got me interested in becoming a goalie, and my parents (Andre and Louise) gave me so much support. My two brothers were always outside playing hockey, and I was a figure skater at first,“ said St. Pierre, who added some levity to the announcement. “I really loved the equipment even though the color was bad. I have to thank all my goalie partners. We pushed each other very hard to be the best. I hope to thank Patrick and Manon (Rheaume) they were my two idols.”
St. Pierre’s father, Andre, was drafted in the 1970 NHL Draft by the Rangers in the 4th round (53rd overall).
The Hall Fame inductions are still slated for Monday, November 16th in Toronto, and the weekend of activities is November 13-15 depending on the pandemic situation.
By mid-August, a decision will be made when or if the ceremony will be held.
