Alberta Hall of Fame opens its arms
Alberta shrine opens its doors to Fuhr, Vernon, MacLean and other legends
A pair of former elite NHL goaltenders were once again in the spotlight as the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame held its annual induction gala in Canmore.
Grant Fuhr and Mike Vernon battled each other as the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames fought tooth and nail for Alberta and NHL hockey supremacy during the 1980s. On Sunday, the goaltenders would star again as part of the 2018 Hall of Fame induction class.
Fuhr, a native of Spruce Grove, backstopped the Oilers to five Stanley Cups between 1984 and 1990, was an NHL all-star five times and earned the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender in the 1987-88 season.
The Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender acknowledged those from his early days who made it possible for him to earn fame and fortune in the NHL.
“I want to thank the Spruce Grove minor hockey association, the parents and volunteers, who without them we would never have gotten a chance to play hockey,” said Fuhr.
He also thanked Glen Sather, then head coach of the Oilers, for “taking a chance on a kid that might have been a little rough around the edges.”
Subsequent to the Oilers’ heyday, Fuhr had stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres, L.A. Kings, St. Louis Blues before finishing his career with the Flames in 1999-2000.
Vernon called Fuhr “the best goaltender of our generation.”
He wasn’t too shabby himself, coming out of the Calgary minor and junior hockey systems to help bring the Stanley Cup to Calgary in 1989. He earned an NHL championship with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997.
A five-time all-star, Vernon also saw service with the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers before returning to Calgary for two more seasons, 2000-02. His goaltending coach for the Flames those final two seasons was none other than Fuhr.
“You don’t have a career as long as I had without a lot of people to support you,” said Vernon in his remarks. He listed just about everyone who mentored him from his mother, who coached him in the “diaper league” in the South Calgary Community Association, to the many coaches he had at the NHL level.
“I would also like to thank all the players on all the teams I played for, for without them I would not be here,” Vernon added, paying special tribute to his first pro goaltending coach, Hall of Famer Glenn Hall.
Inducted with the two goalies was legendary HNIC broadcaster Ron MacLean, who began his broadcasting career in Red Deer and has become symbolic for millions of Canadians on television each Saturday night and also with showcasing grassroots hockey across Canada through Rogers Hometown Hockey each Sunday.
“It’s a nice moment that your story — because we love stories — is preserved,” said MacLean. “There is always a bit of sheepishness, because broadcasters are a whole different kettle.
“You feel gratitude. There are so many people here this evening who had influences on my career,” said MacLean, who remains as the host of HNIC, starting in 1987, and Rogers Hometown Hockey.
The fourth individual inductee on this night was Wally Kozak, longtime amateur coach, mentor and curriculum developer for Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada, who was also instrumental in making the women’s game a source of national pride.
Included in this year’s class were the Canada Winter Games 1999 men’s gold medallists and the 1991 women’s gold medallists,
That 1991 women’s team included future Team Canada star Hayley Wickenheiser, who was just 12 years old, six years younger than most of the other competitors. It was also the first time female hockey was featured as part of the Canada Games.
The 1999 men’s team included former Bow Valley (Canmore) Eagles goaltender Dan Blackburn, who would go on to play with the Kootenay Ice of the WHL and was a first-round (10th overall) pick of the New York Rangers in the 2001 NHL entry draft. Other future NHLers on that team included Scott Hartnell, Jay Bouwmeester, Jared Aulin, Brennan Evans, Ben Ondrus and Nathan Smith.
MacLean spoke on the relevance of sports Hall of Fames, especially when it comes to amateur sports. “We kind of get the selfie with the NHL, but the game is far more layered and deep. The roots of it go all the way back to minor hockey.”
MacLean said preserving those stories might well be the most important function of a Hall of Fame. It can inspire and create a new generation of athletes, coaches, mentors and maybe even broadcasters.