IIHF Hall of Fame facts for kids
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| Established | 1997 |
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| Location | Hockey Hall of Fame 30 Yonge Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Inductees | 165 players 66 builders 7 referees 7 Torriani Awards 245 total |
The IIHF Hall of Fame is a special place that honors the best people in international ice hockey. It's run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The Hall of Fame started in 1997.
Since 1998, you can find it inside the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada. Before 1997, the IIHF had its exhibits in Kingston, Ontario. Each year, new members are added to the Hall of Fame. This happens during the Ice Hockey World Championships. As of 2023, 245 people have been honored.
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About the IIHF Hall of Fame
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) was created in 1908. It started with five countries in Europe. Today, the IIHF has 76 member countries. It helps organize big hockey events. These include ice hockey at the Olympic Games and the Ice Hockey World Championships.
Over the years, the IIHF collected many cool hockey items. But they only showed them in temporary displays. In 1991, the IIHF made a deal with Kingston, Ontario. They loaned their items to the Original Hockey Hall of Fame there. This was from 1992 to 1997. The plan was to build a permanent museum. Kingston City Council even helped with money for this.
The temporary IIHF exhibits were near the Kingston Memorial Centre. But the partnership ended in 1997. The IIHF left because a new museum wasn't built quickly enough in Kingston.
How the Hall of Fame Started
The IIHF decided to create its own Hall of Fame in 1996. This idea was approved in 1997. The goal was to honor great international hockey players. It also honors "builders" (people who helped grow the sport) and referees.
Two important people, Walter Bush and Kimmo Leinonen, helped make this happen. The IIHF wanted to celebrate those who made hockey better in their countries. They also wanted to honor those who helped hockey around the world.
The first people were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997. This ceremony took place in Helsinki, Finland. Paul Loicq, a long-time IIHF president, was one of the first 31 members. Later, the IIHF moved its exhibits to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. This happened on July 29, 1998.
The IIHF also gives out two other awards. The Paul Loicq Award started in 1998. It honors people who help develop hockey. In 2015, the Torriani Award was created. This award is for great players from countries that are not top hockey nations. Both awards are given out with the Hall of Fame inductions.
What You Can See There
The IIHF Hall of Fame is in a part of the Hockey Hall of Fame called the "World of Hockey Zone." This area is very large, about 6,000 square feet. It has a special wall that lists every person in the IIHF Hall of Fame. It shows their country and the year they were inducted.
You can see many cool items from different countries. There are hockey jerseys from national teams. The "World of Hockey Zone" also celebrates members of the Triple Gold Club. These are players who have won an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and the Stanley Cup.
You can also see items from famous hockey moments. These include the "Miracle on Ice" from the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. There are also displays about the 1972 Summit Series. You can learn about men's and women's Ice Hockey World Championships. Plus, there are items from European hockey leagues and other big tournaments.
The exhibits also show trophies from IIHF events. You can see Olympic gold medals for men's and women's hockey. There are also trophies from the men's and women's World Championships. You can see the IIHF World U20 Championship (World Juniors) trophy too.
Who Gets Inducted
List of members of the IIHF Hall of Fame People are chosen for the IIHF Hall of Fame in a special way. National hockey groups, IIHF leaders, and an elections committee suggest candidates. As of 2023, there are 245 members in total. This includes 165 players, 67 "builders," and 7 referees. Also, 7 people have received the Torriani Award.
In 2008, Geraldine Heaney, Angela James, and Cammi Granato made history. They were the first three women to be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.
In December 2022, Sandra Dombrowski was announced. She became the first female referee to be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.
