Three CHL alumnus elected to Hockey Hall of Fame
Three CHL alumnus have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Ken Hitchcock, Pierre Turgeon and Mike Vernon were all announced as part of the 2023 class Wednesday.
Hitchcock spent six years behind the Kamloops Blazers’ bench from 1984-1990 where he amassed a 291-125-25 record and won two WHL championships (1986, 1990). He won the Brian Kilrea Award as CHL Coach of the Year in 1990 and is a two-time Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy winner as WHL Coach of the Year (1987, 1990).
In the NHL, Hitchcock won 849 games over stints with Dallas, Philadelphia, Columbus, St. Louis and Edmonton. He won the Stanley Cup in 1999 with the Stars and also collected three Olympic gold medals (2002, 2010, 2014) and won the Jack Adams Trophy as the NHL’s top coach in 2012.
Welcome to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Ken Hitchcock.#HHOF2023 | #HHOF pic.twitter.com/jOAWzmWsHB
— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) June 21, 2023
Turgeon played two seasons with the Granby Bisons from 1985-87 where he recorded a staggering 268 points (116 goals) in just 127 games. He won the Michel Bergeron Trophy in 1986 as the QMJHL’s offensive rookie of the year after a 114-point campaign and a year later collected the Mike Bossy Trophy as the QMJHL’s best professional prospect after he notched 154 points (69 goals).
The first overall pick in the 1987 NHL Draft by Buffalo, Turgeon played 1,294 games with Buffalo, New York Islanders, Montreal, St. Louis, Dallas and Colorado and recorded 1,327 points, the 34th most in NHL history. He never won a Stanley Cup but was a four-time NHL All-Star and won the Lady Byng Trophy in 1993.
Welcome to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Pierre Turgeon.#HHOF2023 | #HHOF pic.twitter.com/ILjBwON57m
— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) June 21, 2023
Vernon played three seasons in the WHL with the Calgary Wranglers from 1980-1983 where he won 84 games and is a two-time Four Broncos Trophy winner as WHL Player of the Year and Del Wilson Trophy as WHL Goaltender of the Year (1982, 1983).
He was also part of Portland’s Memorial Cup winning team in 1983 where he collected the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the tournament’s most outstanding goalie.
In the NHL, the Calgary native, who was a third round pick in 1981, won 385 games across 781 appearances with the Flames, Detroit, San Jose and Florida. He won a Stanley Cup in 1989 with Calgary and in 1997 with Detroit where he also collected the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP.
A five-time NHL All-Star, Vernon’s 385 wins are the 16th most in NHL history.
Welcome to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Mike Vernon.#HHOF2023 | #HHOF pic.twitter.com/kYMqNnTf4v
— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) June 21, 2023
Pierre Lacroix, who served as head coach of the QMJHL’s Laval National for 14 games in 1974 and won two Stanley Cup’s as general manager of the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and 2001, was also inducted alongside Tom Barrasso, Henrik Lundqvist and Caroline Ouellette.