Former women's forwards Darwitz, Wendell-Pohl, executives Poile, Campbell also selected
© Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images / Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images
Pavel Datsyuk and Shea Weber were two of seven individuals who were elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Tuesday.
Datsyuk, a former forward, and Weber, a former defenseman, were each elected in their first year of eligibility.
Candidates had to receive at least 75 percent of the vote from the selection committee to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. A maximum of four retired male players, two retired female players, two builders or one builder and one retired official may be inducted in a single year.
Three other players were inducted: former forward Jeremy Roenick, and former United States women's national team forwards Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl.
In the Builder Category, former general manager David Poile and current NHL senior executive vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell were elected.
Datsyuk is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Detroit Red Wings (2002, 2008). He won the Selke Trophy as the League's best defensive forward three straight seasons from 2007-10 and the Lady Byng Trophy as the player who exhibited sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability four straight seasons from 2006-09. He had 918 points (314 goals, 604 assists) and was plus-249 in 953 regular-season games and had 113 points (42 goals, 71 assists) and was plus-34 in 157 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Internationally, Datsyuk, a Russian, won gold at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and at the 2012 IIHF World Championship, and bronze at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. In Russia's Kontinental Hockey League, Datsyuk won the Gagarin Cup, the League's championship, with SKA St. Petersburgh in 2016-17. He was also a two-time KHL all-star (2012-13, 2016-17).
"I have been lucky in my hockey life to this point," Datsyuk said. "I would like to thank all of the people who have helped me along my way."
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Weber played from 2005-21 with the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens and had 589 points (224 goals, 365 assists) in 1,038 games and averaged 24:03 of ice time per game in his career. He also had 42 points (18 goals, 24 assists) in 97 playoff games, averaging 25:20 of ice time. Weber was a first-team NHL All-Star in 2010-11 and 2011-12, and a second-team All-Star in 2013-14 and 2014-15. He won a gold medal with Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and the 2014 Sochi Olympics. He also won gold at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, 2007 World Championship and 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Roenick had 1,216 points (513 goals, 703 assists) in 1,363 regular-season games for the Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks and 122 points (53 goals, 69 assists) in 154 playoff games. He won a silver medal with the United States at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and the 1991 Canada Cup.
"I'm so happy, I can't thank everyone who was behind this honor enough," Roenick said. "I'm at a loss for words and I'm never at a loss for words. Getting over this last hockey hurdle means so much to me."
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Darwitz played for the United States at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympic Games, winning two silver medals and a bronze medal. She also represented her country in eight world championships, winning three gold medals, five silver medals and being named Best Forward in 2008. Darwitz also led the University of Minnesota to a national championship in 2005, scoring the winning goal.
Wendell-Pohl played for the United States from 1999-2007, scoring 106 goals in 147 games. She won a silver medal at the 2002 Olympics and a bronze at the 2006 Olympics, where she was captain. Wendell-Pohl also splayed in six IIHF World Championships, including 2005 where she was MVP in the United States' first ever gold medal win. She also won silver five times.
Poile was a general manager for 40 years, starting in 1982 with the Washington Capitals and holding that role for 15 seasons before he was hired to build the Nashville Predators from scratch. Poile, who passed the torch to Barry Trotz at the 2023 NHL Draft, is the only person who has been a GM for at least 3,000 regular-season games (3,075); next is Lou Lamoriello with 2,838. He also became the first GM to 1,500 wins (1,533); next is Lamoriello with 1,444. His teams made the playoffs in 29 of his 38 seasons as a GM.
"I'm happy for my family and for the life I have been able to live through hockey," Poile said. "Thanks to the Selection Committee for this tremendous honor."
Campbell, who has spent the past 25 seasons with the NHL in hockey operations, officiating and central scouting, won the Stanley Cup as an associate coach with the New York Rangers in 1994.
“I often say that everything we do at the League begins with the game. And, since 1998, the game has been Colin’s responsibility," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "He was at the center of the summits with players, coaches and executives that “opened up” the game in 2005. And, he has been central to the crafting of every rule change and technological innovation since -- including, perhaps most notably, modernizing and centralizing video review for both in-game rulings and supplementary discipline -- all of which have focused on promoting offense, speed and skill while maintaining the game’s physicality. Those changes have transformed hockey at every level around the world
“I consider myself fortunate to have had Colin by my side over the last 26 years and am proud to call him one of my closest friends. In my time in the game, no one has better defined the term “builder,” and no one more richly deserves the call to the Hockey Hall of Fame.”
The Class of 2024 is scheduled to be inducted on Nov. 11 in Toronto.
