Chelios, Niedermayer, Shanahan join Hockey Hall of Fame
published : 12 Nov 2013 at 13:49
writer: AFP
Chris Chelios, Scott Niedermayer and Brendan Shanahan were among five inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame at ceremonies.
(From L) Chris Chelios, Geraldine Heaney, Brendan Shanahan, Jim Gregory, Pat Quinn, Scott Niedermayer and Ray Shero take part in the ceremonial faceoff between Darry Sittler and Lanny McDonald, in Toronto, Canada, on November 10, 2013
Fred Shero, coach of back-to-back Stanley Cup winners in 1974 and 1975 with Philadelphia known as the "Broad Street Bullies," and Canadian women's player Geraldine Heaney were also enshrined.
Chelios was a three-time Stanley Cup champion and triple winner of the Norris Trophy as the National Hockey League's best defenseman in a career that spanned 26 seasons with Montreal, Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta.
The four-time Olympian played 1,651 games, fifth all-time among defensemen and the most among American-born players, scoring 185 goals before retiring at age 48 in 2010.
"I owe everything in my life to my family, friends and this great game of hockey," Chelios said on Monday.
Niedermayer won three Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils and another with Anaheim during an 18-year career from 1992-2010. The two-time Olympic gold medal winner for Canada scored 172 goals in 1,263 games.
Shanahan ranks 13th all-time in goals scored with 656 in 1,524 games and won Stanley Cup titles with Detroit in 1997, 1998 and 2002, also helping Canada to 2002 Olympic gold.
"I think about you guys a lot and I'll never forget what we were able to accomplish," Shanahan said of his time with Detroit.
Shero went 390-225-119 in regular season contests and was the first Jack Adams Award as the league's top coach in 1974.
Heaney helped Canada to an Olympic silver medal at the 1998 Nagano Winter Games and gold at Salt Lake City in 2002.
