The Hockey Hall of Fame has introduced its class of 2024 on Tuesday, and seven individuals will be inducted on Nov. 11. Five players will be immortalized, and two executives will enter the Hall as builders.
In the player category, Jeremy Roenick, Pavel Datsyuk, Shea Weber, Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl all made the cut. David Poile and Colin Campbell received the nod in the builder category.
Roenick, who had been eligible for more than a decade, finally gets the long-awaited Hall of Fame call. Roenick spent 20 years in the NHL with five different NHL franchises, and he posted 513 goals and 703 goals in 1,363 career games. Roenick still ranks fourth in goals and fifth in points among all American-born players in NHL history.
Datsyuk, nicknamed the “Magic Man,” was one of the best two-way forwards in his era. In his 14 NHL seasons, all with the Detroit Red Wings, Datsyuk received Selke Trophy votes in 10 different years. He won the award three times in a row from 2008-10. Offensively, Datsyuk was known for his elite puck-handling skills and finished with 314 goals and 604 assists in 953 career games.
Datsyuk is also a two-time Stanley Cup champion, and he tallied 23 points in 22 games when Detroit won it all in 2008.
Weber split his career between the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens, and he was one of the most feared defensemen in the league. Not only did Weber bring an imposing physical presence to the defensive zone, but his slapshot made opponents think twice about stepping in front of it. In 16 years, Weber racked up 224 goals and 365 assists, was a three-time Norris Trophy finalist and led the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020.
Darwitz is a highly-decorated player at both the collegiate and international levels. She led Minnesota to a national championship in 2005 when she scored the game-winning goal against Harvard. As a member of Team USA, Darwitz won a pair of silver medals and a bronze medal at the Olympics. She also finished her career with three gold medals and five silver medals at the World Championships.
Another former Golden Gopher, Wendell-Pohl was a prolific offensive player on the international stage. In her 147 games with Team USA, Wendell-Pohl notched 106 goals. She earned a silver medal and a bronze medal at the Olympics, and she had some phenomenal performances at the World Championships. In 2005, she led Team USA to the gold medal while winning tournament MVP.
Between his stints with the Washington Capitals and Predators, Poile is the winningest general manager in NHL history with 1,533 regular season victories. Until he retired last year, Poile was the only general manager in Predators history, and the franchise made its only Stanley Cup Final appearance under him in 2017.
Campbell impacted the game of hockey at nearly every level. He spent parts of 11 seasons in the NHL as a player before starting a career behind the bench. Campbell won a Stanley Cup as an assistant coach with the New York Rangers in 1994, and he spent the next four seasons as the team’s head coach. Campbell has now spent 25 years as an Executive Vice President for the NHL.
The Hockey Hall of Fame has announced its newest class of inductees for 2024, and it includes three legendary players who have left an indelible mark on the sport of hockey: Pavel Datsyuk, Shea Weber, and Jeremy Roenick.
Pavel Datsyuk, known as “The Magic Man,” is a Russian center who played the majority of his career with the Detroit Red Wings. Datsyuk was known for his incredible stickhandling skills, defensive prowess, and ability to score clutch goals. He won two Stanley Cups with the Red Wings and was a four-time winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward. Datsyuk also represented Russia in multiple international competitions, including the Olympics, where he won a gold medal in 2018.
Shea Weber, a Canadian defenseman, was a stalwart on the blue line for the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens during his career. Weber was known for his booming slap shot, physical play, and leadership on and off the ice. He was a seven-time All-Star and won two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada. Weber’s presence on the ice was always felt by opponents, as he was a dominant force in both ends of the rink.
Jeremy Roenick, an American center, was a dynamic player who spent time with several teams during his career, including the Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, and Philadelphia Flyers. Roenick was known for his scoring touch, physical play, and fiery personality. He scored over 500 goals in his career and was a nine-time All-Star. Roenick’s passion for the game endeared him to fans and made him a fan favorite wherever he played.
The induction of Datsyuk, Weber, and Roenick into the Hockey Hall of Fame is a well-deserved honor for three players who have made lasting contributions to the sport. Their skill, dedication, and passion for the game have left a lasting legacy that will be remembered for generations to come. Congratulations to Pavel Datsyuk, Shea Weber, and Jeremy Roenick on this prestigious achievement.
