The 2022 Hockey Hall of Fame class was named earlier this week. Hall of Fame inductees include both of the Sedin twins (Daniel and Henrik), their former teammate Roberto Luongo, and Daniel Alfredsson. Also making the Hall was Finish women hockey legend Riikka Sallinen. Finally, Herb Carnegie, one of the best hockey players never to play in the NHL, was named as a builder.
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Daniel and Henrik Sedin
Making the Hall in their first seasons of eligibility were three former Vancouver Canucks’ players – the Sedin twins Henrik and Daniel, who spent their entire careers in Vancouver and continue to work with the organization to this day.
In the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, the Canucks were able to make the kind of trades needed to select both of the brothers together (second and third overall). It turned out very well. Both brothers were able to spend their entire 17-year careers in Vancouver.
Daniel was the better goal scorer, scoring 393 goals to be the Canucks’ franchise leader. He also came in second in total points (to his brother) with 1,041 points. Brother Henrik leads the Canucks all-time with 1,070 points. In the 2010-11 season, Daniel earned the Art Ross Trophy as well as the Ted Lindsay Award.
Henrik was the Canucks’ captain starting in 2010 until 2018, and is the Canucks’ franchise leader with 1,070 points. He also is the franchise leader in games played (1,330). Henrik won the Art Ross and the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s MVP in 2009-10.
Roberto Luongo
The third former-Canuck was goalie Roberto Luongo. Luongo was drafted fourth overall by the New York Islanders in 1997 but was traded to the Florida Panthers. After five years with the Panthers, he came to Vancouver and played there for eight seasons. He returned to Florida to play with the Panthers during the last six years of his career.
Luongo registered a 489-392-124 record, with a 2.52 goals-against average, and a .919 save percentage. He played 19 seasons and was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy three times in his career. In 2010 and 2014, he helped Canada win gold at the Winter Olympics.
Daniel Alfredsson
Joining them will be another great Swedish player Daniel Alfredsson. Alfredsson had a great career with the Ottawa Senators before playing a final season with the Detroit Red Wings. The Senators chose Alfredsson in the sixth round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. During his time in Ottawa, he scored 426 goals and 682 assists (for 1,108 points) in 1,178 career games.
Alfredsson was named the NHL’s top rookie in 1995-96, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy. He’s been eligible for election into the Hall of Fame since 2017.
Riikka Sallinen
Fleshing out the international contingent for the Hall of Fame was Finnish women’s hockey legend Riikka Sallinen. Sallinen played 16 seasons with the Finish national team. During her career, she played 81 games for Team Finland and scored 63 goals, and added 59 assists (for 122 points) in those games.
Herb Carnegie
Earning the Hall of Fame as a builder was Herb Carnegie. Carnegie was a great Black Hockey player from Toronto who never was able to play in the NHL because of the racism of the day. As a result, he played most of his professional hockey career in the Quebec Senior Hockey League. He was considered to be one of the best hockey players who never played in the NHL.
In the face of adversity and discrimination, Carnegie founded the Future Aces Hockey School and the Future Aces Foundation. He also created the Future Aces Creed, which inspires people to live up to their full potential. He was named to the Order of Canada in 2003 and died in 2012 at the age of 92.
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