The Hockey Hall of Fame announced its 2020 class of inductees on Wednesday.
Five players were named to this year’s class: Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre and Doug Wilson. They are joined by longtime NHL executive Ken Holland, in the builder category.
“The Hockey Hall of Fame is proud to welcome these hockey legends as Honoured Members,” Lanny McDonald, Chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame, announced in a press release. “Their contributions to the game of hockey are well documented and their election to the Hockey Hall of Fame is richly deserved.”
This is Iginla’s first year of eligibility. During his two decades in the NHL, he revolutionized the power forward position and defined what it meant to be a leader. Calgary’s former captain spent 15 years with the Flames, leading the club in scoring in 11 of them while also playing a physical game. The Alberta native also represented Canada on the international stage, twice winning gold at the Olympic Games (2002 and 2010).
Hossa began his career in Ottawa in 1997 and ended it in Chicago 20 years and 1,309 games later after helping the dominant Blackhawks reach dynasty status with three Stanley Cup victories (2010, 2013, 2015).
A native of Chateauguay, Que., St-Pierre is a trailblazer in the women’s game. She’s best known for backstopping Team Canada to three Olympic Gold medals while posting other-worldly numbers — her career goals-against average with Canada’s national team is 1.17, with a 0.939 save percentage.
Before joining the Oilers’ front office, Lowe was a first-round pick by the organization in 1979. In 13 years with the club, the defenceman helped Edmonton claim five Stanley Cups and, upon being traded to the New York Rangers, he won himself a sixth.
Wilson, now the general manager of the San Jose Sharks, played 14 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks where he was a dominant defenceman and talented offensive driver, leading the club’s rearguards in points for 10 straight seasons.
Holland, the lone builder of this year’s class of inductees, is best known for his team-building talents in Detroit. In 22 years as general manager of the Red Wings, he ushered the club into an era of dominance that saw them win more games than any other franchise during that span and claim three Stanley Cup championships. Holland is now the GM of the Edmonton Oilers, having taking over the front office there in May 2019.
The newest class was determined by a panel of 18 voters, which met virtually earlier this week to elect the Class of 2020 using a secure online ballot.
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