TORONTO - Make no mistake about it, the stars shone brightly in Toronto Monday night as four former NHL greats -- Viacheslav Fetisov, Mike Gartner, Dale Hawerchuk and Jari Kurri -- joined Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Craig Patrick as the latest inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
While Gartner and Hawerchuk went into the Hall mainly on their scoring prowess, as the two lethal lamp-lighters piled up a combined 1,226 goals and 2,744 points in their careers, Fetisov and Kurri went in as barrier-breakers as well as great hockey players.
Fetisov, who amassed 228 points in his NHL career, was the first superstar from the former Soviet Union to join the NHL, signing with the New Jersey Devils in 1989. Kurri also paved the way for his countrymen to be integral parts of NHL teams, compiling 1,398 points in his illustrious career, becoming the highest scoring European player in the history of the NHL.
"The Hockey Hall of Fame is proud to welcome Slava, Mike, Dale and Jari as honored members," said Jim Gregory, chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee. "Their contributions to the game of hockey are well documented and their election to the Hall of Fame is richly deserved."
Fetisov, who anchored the Soviet Union's dominant national team for nearly two decades, distinguished himself on the international stage, capturing 11 World Championship titles and two Olympic medals. The talented defenseman joined the Devils in 1989, then went on to capture two Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings (1997 & 1998) before retiring following the 1997-98 season.
2001 Hall of Fame Inductions
Editor's note: There's nothing more self-fulfilling to a hockey player than to be elected to the Hall of Fame. On Monday November 12, Four new members, Viacheslav Fetisov, Mike Gartner, Dale Hawerchuk and Jari Kurri, will be inducted into the Hall in the Player Category. Pittsburgh Penguin GM, Craig Patrick, will also enter the Hall, as he will be honored in the Builder Category. |
"This is unbelievable and the best day of my life," he said. "This is a wonderful recognition and as a player something I have worked for all my life."
Near the very top of Fetisov's list of people to call and thank was New Jersey Devils President and GM Lou Lamoriello, who gave the talented backliner the opportunity to play in the NHL.
"One of the first things I did was call Lou Lamoriello to share with him this great moment in my life," the current Devils assistant coach said. "I will never forget what he and Dr.(John) McMullen did for me. They fought for me to open the door for (Eastern) European players."
Speaking of European players, fellow-Hall of Famer Peter Stastny called Fetisov "the Bobby Orr of European defensemen," as the Russian backliner had the ability to turn defense into offense as quick as anyone who ever played the game.
When asked how he was able to develop this style of play as a youngster growing up in Russia, which had a strict hockey program, Fetisov had this to say: "As a kid nobody wants to play defense, everybody wants to score the goals. But our system was pretty much strict with two defenseman and three forwards. But as a kid I tried to find a way to score some goals, sneak through the back door or join the rush. I faced lots of criticism back then, but I stuck with my belief and kind of created a new system with offensive defenseman.
"Then when I came here at age 31 I had to change my style if I wanted to help my team,? Fetisov said. ?I was missing the scoring but I found it to be more fun to help stop the opposition to help the team win. That's key to help the team win games and then ultimately the Cup. It doesn't matter who scores the goals."
Even though the Russian native enjoyed his entire career in the NHL, he said that it was a major adjustment for him both on and off the ice when he came over from the Soviet Union in 1989.
"It was a tough time for me when I came here," Fetisov said. "I didn't understand what the Stanley Cup meant. Year after year, I realized it is the hardest trophy to win. It took me eight years to win it at age 39."
But through it all, Fetisov had fun.
"Hockey has always been fun. If it ever became a business for me I would have never played until I was 40-years-old," he said. "You get up every morning with your body in pain and I don't know if there's an amount you can be paid to endure that if you don't love the game. I found out that if you love this game and can stay healthy you can play as much as you want. But if you approach this as a business, it's probably going to be the toughest business you'll ever be in."
Speaking of tough, that's what most goaltenders thought Mike Gartner was when they had the task of trying to keep him off the score sheet. The highly talented forward not only credited the good Lord for giving him his natural-born abilities, but also his family who stood behind him his whole career.
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Gartner is grateful for his playing days in New York because it gave him a lot of media recognition and pressure to succeed on the ice.
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"I have a strong faith and I believe I was given a talent and ability and I think it's important for all of us to do the most that you can with what you were blessed with. I also had great family support throughout my hockey career," Gartner said. "My wife and my kids, they just made sure that when I went to the rink there was nothing else to think about and when you have a focus like that it's easy to get up for games.
"I had a responsibility to my teammates, a responsibility to the fans, who were paying their $10, $15, $35 and now $85 for their tickets to get in to the games and watch us play. So I felt a responsibility to do my best. I kept myself in good condition over the course of my career in the summer and just kind of took care of myself and above all I just loved playing the game."
Gartner established himself in the WHA with the Cincinnati Stingers before coming to the NHL. The scorer went on to play 19 seasons in the NHL for five different clubs -- the Washington Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Phoenix Coyotes -- notching 708 goals and 627 assists for 1,335 total points. During his stellar career Gartner set NHL records by registering an astonishing 15 consecutive (17 total) 30-plus goal seasons.
The Hall of Fame winger performed his magic on some of hockey's biggest stages in New York and Toronto, while also entertaining some of the NHL's smaller markets like Washington, Minnesota and Phoenix in his career.
"It was quite different," Gartner explained about the markets. "I did start out my career in Washington and I think for the first seven or eight years there was only one paper and one writer that was following our team. You never saw any TV cameras probably until the playoffs came around and so it was quite different. Then going from there to Minnesota for a year and then playing for the Rangers and having the media attention in New York was in my opinion was great because not only did I appreciate the recognition, but I appreciated the pressure that was put on me by the people and by the fans.
"They would let you know pretty much immediately whether they appreciated your effort or not. Then coming to Toronto was a dream come true in many ways, being a kid that grew up in the Toronto area watching the Leafs. And once again the fans in Toronto kept you honest and so did the media and you had to make sure that you played well the night before or you just didn't go out and buy bread the next day. And then in Phoenix the new experience of meeting a lot of new people and exposing a game to a community that did not have professional hockey at the NHL level before was also a great experience but a little bit different obviously than playing in New York or Toronto."
One bittersweet memory he has from his time spent in New York with the Rangers was being dealt at the trade deadline in 1994 and not having a chance to finish what he started with the team, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.
"Playing for the New York Rangers was a tremendous thrill for me because they were an Original Six team," he recalled. "I loved playing in New York. I loved playing in Madison Square Garden being a New York Ranger and that was certainly a highlight.
"In '94 right from the start of the season we had a really good feeling and we were first place overall,? Gartner recalled. ?We knew that if we came to play that there wasn't a team that was going to beat us that year and sure enough right at the trade deadline I got traded (to Toronto) and it was bittersweet watching my teammates carry around the Stanley Cup was obviously a tough pill to swallow. But at the same time coming to Toronto and playing for the Leafs was a great thrill and the years that I spent in Toronto have really afforded me opportunities here."
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Hawerchuk was the 23rd player to reach the 500-goal plateau in 1995-96 and the 31st player to record 1,000 points in 1990-91.
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Even though Hawerchuk played for the Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers during his career, the center clearly put himself on the map in his days with the Winnipeg Jets. In nine seasons with the club, the Jets' No. 1 pick in the 1981 Entry Draft shattered 17 club records, captured the Calder Trophy as NHL's top rookie, and became the youngest player in NHL history to record 100 points in a season. Before hanging up his skates following the 1996-97 season, the five-time All Star amassed 518 tallies and 891 assists.
"I really appreciate all the support people in Winnipeg gave me," Hawerchuk said. "Hopefully, today's the day people in Winnipeg will remember and be happy with. Because I know it's a day I'll never forget."
The former high-scoring forward was not only thankful to the city of Winnipeg for the support they gave him, but also the great game of hockey itself.
"I have nothing but thanks for everything the game has given to me," said Hawerchuk. "I was able to live my dream for 16 years and played to be the best that I could be and I am grateful to be recognized as one of the best players from my time."
The former Jet remembers his first training camp with Winnipeg like it was yesterday. He recalled feeling kind of lost the first few days, but once he settled down, there was no stopping him.
"My first week of train camp in Winnipeg I knew there was pressure anyway. Players always put pressure on themselves to get to the next level, but after about three days of training camp, I started to get a little worried that the pace was a little quick," Hawerchuk said. But, it took about a week or so and I kind of got used to it and I think things worked out great from there."
Another great memory Hawerchuk has is being part of the 1987 Canada Cup team that beat the Soviets.
"That was an incredible series," he said. "Three games of high intensity and top-caliber players. I was lucky enough to get an opportunity on the last faceoff. Mike Keenan sent me out on a hunch and I took off Mark Messier, who is probably one of the best centerman of all time. All I could think about is that I have to win this draw because it's in our end. The next thing I know, slip, slip, it's up the boards and it's in the net and we're going crazy in the corner and so is the rest of the country."
Kurri not only enters the Hall as the highest-scoring European-born player in NHL history, but also as the first Finnish player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
"It's a great honor since so few players are able to make it to this level," Kurri said. "To be the first Finnish player elected is especially gratifying. On a personal level this is probably the best achievement I have as a hockey player."
Before coming to the Edmonton Oilers, the high-scoring winger played three seasons in the Finnish Elite League and then reluctantly packed his bags and headed to Edmonton for the 1980-81season.
"My plan was to go over for one year and then come back to Finland and I ended up staying 17 years," Kurri said. "Back than we didn't know much about the NHL. I didn't think I was going to stay for more than a year. But I remained healthy and had a chance to play with great players and great teams, great organizations and I'm very lucky to be in the Hall of Fame. They all gave me a chance to do well."
Kurri did more than do well. In his 10 seasons with the Oilers, he not only had the chance to play alongside such NHL greats like Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, he also recorded four consecutive 50-plus goal seasons, five consecutive 100-point seasons, and won five Stanley Cup Championships.
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Jari Kurri will join former teammate Wayne Gretzky in the Hall of Fame today.
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"I had the chance to play with a great team and great players like Wayne (Gretzky), Mark (Messier), and on and on. A lot of good memories," said the eight-time NHL All-Star said.
He went on to also play for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Colorado Avalanche before retiring in 1998 with 601 goals and 797 assists. Not bad for someone who had no intentions of staying in the United States or the NHL for more than one year.
Patrick was inducted in recognition of his outstanding contributions to hockey. The Pens' current GM helped build the U.S. National and Olympic hockey programs. He was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal at Lake Placid, serving as assistant GM/assistant coach. Patrick, who joins his grandfather and father in the Hall of Fame, went on to coaching and management roles with the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, was named a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996. The day Patrick got the call from the Hall he was in total disbelief, wondering if it was a prank or if someone called the wrong house.
"I was shocked when I got the call," Patrick said. "I had no idea I was even being considered for this. I just could not believe it. Simply, I was in total disbelief. I asked the person that called, 'Are you kidding?' He said, 'No, you are in.'"
The person on the other end was Gregory, a good friend of Patrick's for so many years, so that made the call doubly special, even though he still didn't feel worthy of the honor. He felt very touched and humbled to be in such elite company.
"It's special. I can't tell you how amazed I am, how honored I am and how humbled I am by being in the (same) class of those people that are already in the Hall of fame as builders," Patrick said. "It's a true honor.
"To realize you are in the Hall of Fame is beyond your wildest dreams. When I look at my career I don't think it's a Hall of Fame career. I grew up in hockey since the day I was born really and I've watched all these great hockey people through the years and to be included in that group now is really overwhelming. It was a shock to me."
Since being hired by the Penguins in December 1989, Patrick has led the club to two Stanley Cups, five division championships and 11 straight playoff berths. Under, his leadership, Pittsburgh posted the second-best regular-season record in the NHL during the 1990s, trailing only the Detroit Red Wings. But even after being a part of all of this, the Pens' GM didn't expect for this to happen.
"To me this doesn't seem like an accomplishment; it just seems like a fortunate thing to happen. The other things you feel part of it, like you're accomplishing something. This is just like 'where did this come from? Who in heaven sent this down to me?' You just feel so lucky."
He joins his father, Lynn, and his grandfather, Lester, in becoming the first third-generation Hall of Famer. His great uncle, Frank, is also a member in the builders category as well.
The night also belonged to Calgary-based writer Eric Duhatschek who won the 2001 Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for distinguished hockey journalism and Mike Lange, long-time "Voice of the Penguins", received the 2001 Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for his outstanding work as an NHL broadcaster.
Duhatschek started covering the Calgary Flames in the late 1970s and worked for many years at the Calgary Herald. He left recently to join the Globe and Mail, where he is currently the paper's Internet NHL columnist.
Mike Lange has been the "Voice of the Penguins" on NHL broadcasts for 26 seasons. Currently broadcasting Penguin games on television for Fox SportsNet, Lange has delivered games to Pittsburgh fans via radio, television, and simulcast broadcasts. "Mike Lange has done a great deal for the game of hockey and for the community in Pittsburgh," said Chuck Kaiton, President of the NHL Broadcasters' Association. "Like most classic sportscasters, Mike has a distinctive style that his listeners cherish and that they identify with the sport they love. He is very deserving of this award."
