Joe Sakic, Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu are among those being inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame, the IIHF announced Tuesday.
Sakic is no stranger to recognition like this. The Olympic gold medallist and two-time Stanley Cup champion was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Canada Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.
The current Colorado Avalanche general manager led Canada in scoring that tournament and famously scored the clinching goal in the gold medal game against the United States at Salt Lake 2002.
Selanne, who will undoubtedly join Sakic in the Hockey Hall of Fame one day, represented his native Finland at the Olympics six times, winning bronze in 1998, 2010, 2014 and silver in 2006. The 46-year-old was named Finnish ice hockey player of the year nine times throughout his remarkable career. Selanne currently ranks 11th on the NHL’s all-time list for most goals with 684 and 15th in points with 1,457.
Koivu, like Selanne, was a four-time Olympic medallist representing Finland. Koivu was regarded as one of the best leaders of his generation and was often the captain of the teams he played on. He helped lead his country to its first IIHF gold at the 1995 world championships.
Angela Ruggiero of the United States, Germany’s Uwe Krupp and Austria’s Dieter Kalt were also named to the 20th induction class.
Ruggiero was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. No hockey player, male or female, has represented Team USA in more games at international competitions than Ruggiero. She’s also a four-time Olympic medallist (gold in 1998, silver in 2002 and 2010 and bronze in 2006).
Krupp, known mostly for his Stanley Cup-winning goal with the Avalanche in 1996, is one of the best players to ever come out of Germany. He was the first German-born player to win the Cup, while Kalt is a pioneer of Austrian hockey on and off the ice.
The IIHF also announced Scotland’s Tony Hand is this year’s recipient of the “Bibi” Torriani Award, which honours outstanding careers by players from non-top hockey nations. France’s Patrick Francheterre is being given the Paul Loicq Award for outstanding contributions to the IIHF and international ice hockey.
