Henrik Lundqvist and Caroline Ouellette headline the Hockey Hall of Fame害羞草研究所檚 class of 2023.
Lundqvist, a former star goaltender for the New York Rangers, got the nod in his first year of eligibility.
Ouellette, who won four Olympic gold medals with Canada害羞草研究所檚 women害羞草研究所檚 team, will enter after being passed over last year.
Also set to be inducted in the player category are two other former NHLer netminders in Tom Barrasso and Mike Vernon, while Pierre Turgeon also goes in as part of a seven-member class elected Wednesday.
害羞草研究所淕rowing up as a kid, thinking about players in the Hall of Fame, it害羞草研究所檚 such a big inspiration to me, why I started playing hockey,害羞草研究所� Lundqvist said on a conference call with reporters and his fellow inductees. 害羞草研究所淓ven thinking about Tom and Mike, I remember having posters on the wall of both of you guys.
害羞草研究所淩eally look forward to meet you.害羞草研究所�
Former NHL head coach Ken Hitchcock and former agent/general manager Pierre Lacroix, who died in 2020, will go in as builders at the induction ceremony Nov. 13 in Toronto.
害羞草研究所淢y career started in minor hockey coaching kids and to reach this stage is almost overwhelming to me,害羞草研究所� Hitchcock said. 害羞草研究所淲hen the call came today 害羞草研究所� I was in complete shock and not really ready for it.
害羞草研究所淭his is an unbelievable honour for a guy who started out just coaching kids.害羞草研究所�
Lundqvist won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL害羞草研究所檚 top goalie in 2012, and ranks sixth in league history in wins (459), ninth in games played (887) and 17th in shutouts (64). The Swede害羞草研究所檚 459 victories are the most by a European netminder.
He backstopped the Rangers to the 2014 Stanley Cup final, and led New York to the Eastern Conference final in both 2012 and 2015.
Lundqvist also won Olympic gold with Sweden in 2006.
Ouellette is one of just three women害羞草研究所檚 hockey players 害羞草研究所� along with Hall of Famers and former Canadian teammates Hayley Wickenheiser and Jayna Hefford 害羞草研究所� to win four or more Olympic gold medals.
The Montreal product, who wasn害羞草研究所檛 able to join Wednesday害羞草研究所檚 conference call, helped Canada top the podium at the Games in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. Ouellette also won six world championships with the national team.
Eligible since 2006, Barrasso won both the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year and the Vezina in 1984. A two-time Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he won 369 career games 害羞草研究所� third all-time among American-born goaltenders.
Turgeon, who retired in 2007, put up 515 goals and 812 assists for 1,327 points over his 19 NHL seasons.
害羞草研究所淚t has been a great journey and a privilege to be a part of that journey,害羞草研究所� Turgeon said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 crazy. I played hockey for a living. It害羞草研究所檚 great. And I still play.
害羞草研究所淚 still go out there twice a week because I love the game so much.害羞草研究所�
Vernon won the Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989 and the Detroit Red Wings in 1997, capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP along with that second title.
害羞草研究所淭he game has meant a lot to me throughout my life,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 just flabbergasted.害羞草研究所�
Hitchcock ranks fourth on the NHL害羞草研究所檚 all-time coaching wins list with 849 and won the Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999.
Lacroix, who died at age 72, started his career as a player agent before taking over as GM of the Quebec Nordiques.
He moved with the franchise to Colorado, and won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1996 and 2001.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a little bittersweet,害羞草研究所� said Lacroix害羞草研究所檚 son, Eric. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 been gone for a couple years.害羞草研究所�
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