It's not the more prestigious Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, but the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame has been around since 1973, honoring top American-born hockey players, coaches, and contributors.The Hall has been through some tough times, as its facility in Eveleth, Minn., was scheduled to close due to low attendance in 2006. The building remains open in Eveleth, and they are still actively inducting new members. The 2009 class features some famous NHL stars, an inventor, and a pioneering group of ladies who changed the face of the sport.
Three players who made their mark in the NHL are part of the Class of 2009. Two of them -- goalie Tom Barrasso and forward John LeClair -- have their names etched on the Stanley Cup. Barrasso was part of the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, and he leads all American-born players with 61 career playoff victories.
LeClair won the Cup in 1993 with Montreal, but may be more famous for his work in Philadelphia. While part of the well-known "Legion of Doom" line, LeClair amassed 50 goals in three straight seasons. He was the first American-born player to accomplish that.
The other NHL star who is part of this year's group is former Blackhawk Tony Amonte, who is perhaps best-known for scoring the game-winning goal during the 1996 World Cup of Hockey final against Canada, a game played in Montreal. In 15 NHL seasons, Amonte totaled 416 goals.
Also in the Class of 2009 is a gentleman who never played the sport, but made an incredible impact on the game nonetheless. Frank Zamboni's name should ring a bell, as that last name adorns ice-resurfacing machines all over the sport. Zamboni and his family developed the first machines of that kind, and eventually brought them to the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley. There have been over 8,500 Zambonis produced. Frank Zamboni will be inducted posthumously, as he died in 1988.
The last member of the class is not a single person. Instead, it's an entire team.
In 1998, the United States sent an elite group of women's hockey players to Nagano, Japan, for the Winter Olympics. This team, coached by Ben Smith, blew through its competition, outscoring opponents 36-8 and twice beating rival Canada. The second win over the Canadians came in the gold-medal game. This team was captained by 2008 U.S. Hockey Hall inductee Cammi Granato. It featured star players like Katie King, Jenny Potter, and Karyn Bye (pictured above).
This team didn't just win a gold medal. It paved the way for women's hockey to grow in this country. As more and more colleges pick up the sport, you see girls' hockey growing across the country. When it comes to pioneers in their sport, the 1998 U.S. Olympic team will always have a place on that list.
The Hall has not announced plans for induction ceremonies this year. Last year's ceremony was held in Denver, in conjunction with a Notre Dame-Denver men's college hockey game.
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