Yzerman Named to Hall of Fame

Long-time Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman headlines the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2009, it was announced Tuesday.

Jim Gregory, co-chairman of the board for the Hockey Hall of Fame, made the announcement on a conference call.

Yzerman will be joined by two former teammates, Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille, as well as former New York Rangers defenseman Brian Leetch.

“It is a tremendous honour to receive this news,” Yzerman said. “I want to thank the Selection Committee for recognizing my contributions – I truly had chills down my spine when I got the news.”

Yzerman was drafted fourth overall in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft by Detroit and spent his entire 22-season career with the Red Wings. He was named team captain as a 21-year-old, at the time the youngest captain in NHL history and the longest-serving captain by the time of his retirement.

Hull joined the Red Wings in during the summer of 2001 and was with the team for their 2002 Stanley Cup Championship, his second time claiming the trophy. He broke into the league with the Calgary Flames before making a name for himself with the St. Louis Blues. He moved on to the Dallas Stars, winning the Cup there before coming to Detroit and ending his career with a short stint for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Robitaille also joined the Red Wings in their eventful summer of 2001, part of a trifecta of future Hall-of-Famers to come to Detroit that also included Dominik Hasek. Robitaille won his only career Stanley Cup that year in a career that included three stints with the Los Angeles Kings, a season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and two years with the Rangers.

Leetch spent nearly his entire career with the Rangers, claiming the Stanley Cup in 1994 with them and remaining with the team until he was moved to Toronto at the 2004 trade deadline. He played one season with the Boston Bruins to close out his career.

This year’s induction ceremony will be November 9.