United States Hockey Hall of Fame, Class of 2010
Centre Jeremy Roenick and defensemen Kevin and Derian Hatcher will be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame this October.
This would be only the second time ever that brothers have been inducted into the Hall of Fame in the same year, after Scott and Mark Fusco were inducted into the Hall of Fame together in 2002. The Hatcher brothers have more than a 1000 games each to their credit. Derian said that he received a call informing him that he had been inducted into the Hall of Fame but didn’t know at that time who else had been inducted. “Then I was talking to my brother, and he had mentioned that he was inducted, too,” Derian said, adding that he was quite excited. He said that getting inducted along with his brother was special for him.
It could be an odd induction this year, as there is plenty of history between at least two of the Honourees (not the brothers), and not all of it is good. All three were teammates on the 1998 U.S Olympic Hockey team, that’s the good part, but a year later Derian broke Roenick’s jaw in three places and cracked or broke 8 teeth.
Roenick did not hold a grudge against Derian, though. He said that Derian didn’t go after his jaw but that he just played a hard game. Roenick always played an aggressive game too. He is the only player in the league to have ever led his team in goals, assists and penalty minutes in at least two seasons. The nine-time NHL All-Star played over 1300 games in a career spanning two decades. Roenick has scored 1,216 points with 513 goals in the NHL. He is the third highest goal scorer out of America throughout the history of the league. His quick wit and loud mouth kept him the centre of one controversy or the other.
Defenseman Derian commands a legacy no less impressive. The 6’5”, 235 pounder has a natural ability to physically check opposing forwards. He had 251 assists and 80 goals in 1,045 games. In those games, he recorded 1,581 penalty minutes. He was drafted 8th overall in 1990 by the Minnesota Stars. Derian represented the U.S. side in the Olympics twice, in 1998 and 2006. He was the first American-born NHL player to lift the Stanley cup as captain.
Kevin Hatcher was only the 7th defenseman in NHL history to score over 30 goals in a season. He was part of the 1998 Olympic team and the 1996 Hockey World Cup. 1,157 NHL games over a span of 17 seasons gave Kevin the opportunity to score 227 goals, 450 assists and 1,392 penalty minutes. Kevin is a 5 time All-Star and was drafted 17th overall in the 1984 draft.
U.S.A Hockey president Ron DeGregorio said that these individuals represent the very best in the sport and their contributions have been truly extraordinary. “We look forward to their formal induction in Buffalo this October,” he said.
Also to be inducted this year alongside the Hatchers brothers and Roenick would be Art Berglund and University of Michigan physician, Dr. V. George Nagobads. Berglund’s career spans five decades. During that time, he served as an administrator for over 30 teams. He served as General Manager for 9 teams and has already been inducted to the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.
Dr. Nagobads was the team physician for the Badgers’ Hockey team for 3 decades. He was the chief medical officer for U.S.A Hockey. In his career, he served with 15 U.S national teams, 2 Canada Cup teams and a few national junior teams as well. In the NHL, he worked with the Minnesota North Stars and Fighting Saints of the World Hockey Association.
Formed in 1973, the U.S Hockey Hall of Fame has honoured 143 individuals to date. All 5 will be inducted in the Hall of Fame on the 21st of October.
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