The Hockey Hall of Fame is welcoming more Team Canada Olympians, inducting Paul Kariya, Danielle Goyette and Mark Recchi in its class of 2017.
The three hockey stars made waves in their professional careers as well as for their dynamic performances internationally for Team Canada.
Kariya is one of just a handful of players to have a point-per-game in his NHL career while playing for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Nashville Predators before finishing with the St. Louis Blues. His final tally was an astounding 989 points in 989 games. Kariya won the Lady Byng Trophy in both the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons.
His play was equally impressive when he wore the maple leaf. After winning gold at the 1993 World Juniors, he helped Canada win world championships gold in 1994 and silver in 1996.
Despite being the fourth overall pick in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Kariya deferred joining the Ducks to instead play with the national team. That included a trip to the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer where, as a 19-year-old, he helped Canada win the silver medal.
After being forced to miss Nagano 1998 because of injury, Kariya returned to the Olympic Games at Salt Lake City 2002 where he helped end Canada’s 50-year gold medal drought in men’s hockey. All told, Kariya recorded a staggering 102 points in 79 international games.
Goyette is the definition of a winner, claiming gold on a consistent basis with Team Canada. Along with back-to-back Olympic gold medals at Salt Lake City 2002 and Turin 2006, Goyette also captured eight world titles (1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007) while wearing the maple leaf.
At Nagano 1998, she scored Canada’s first ever goal in a women’s Olympic hockey tournament en route to the silver medal. She ended those Games with eight goals. As a sign of her great leadership and position as a role model, Goyette served as Canada’s Opening Ceremony flag bearer at Turin 2006.
When she retired in 2007, Goyette was fourth all-time in points scored at the women’s world championship with 68. She was also in the rare company of those who had scored more than 100 goals while playing for Canada’s National Women’s Team, notching 113 in 171 games. In 2013 she was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.
Recchi participated in the first Olympic hockey tournament to include NHL players, contributing to Canada’s fourth place finish at Nagano 1998. He also wore the maple leaf at three world championships, including 1997 when Canada won the gold medal.
Over the course of his 22-season NHL career, Recchi won three Stanley Cup titles with three different teams. When he retired in 2011, his 1652 regular season games were the fourth-most in NHL history at the time.
Also being inducted as players are Teemu Selanne and Dave Andreychuk alongside builders Jeremy Jacobs and Clare Drake.