List of members of the Hockey Hall of Fame facts for kids

The Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is a special place that celebrates the history of ice hockey. It's like a museum and a hall of fame all in one! It started in 1943 and is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This is where the greatest hockey players, coaches, and others who helped the game grow are honored.

To get into the Hockey Hall of Fame, a person must be chosen by a group of 18 people. This group includes Hall of Fame members and people from the media. Each person on the committee can suggest one person for each group every year. A candidate needs at least 75% of the votes (or at least ten votes) to be chosen.

Each year, a maximum of four male players, two female players, and two people from the "builders" and "on-ice officials" groups can be chosen. Players and officials must have been retired for at least three years to be nominated. Builders can still be active in hockey. The special ceremony where new members are welcomed happens at the Hall of Fame building. It has been shown on TV since 1994.

The Hockey Hall of Fame also honors sports writers and broadcasters. They receive special awards like the "Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award" for writers and the "Foster Hewitt Memorial Award" for broadcasters. These awards celebrate their great work in sharing hockey stories with the world. However, these media honorees are not considered full members of the Hall of Fame. As of 2023, there are 299 players (including ten women), 115 builders, and 16 on-ice officials in the Hall of Fame.

Honored Members of the Hall

Players: Hockey's Greatest Stars

The player category has been part of the Hall of Fame since it began. The very first nine players were welcomed in 1945. To become a Hall of Fame player, you must have been retired for at least three years. Then, the 18-person selection committee needs to nominate you.

Sometimes, the waiting period was skipped for truly amazing players. Ten players, like Maurice Richard and Wayne Gretzky, were inducted right after they retired. After Wayne Gretzky retired, the Hall decided that the waiting period would only be skipped in very special situations.

Since 2012, up to four players can be inducted each year. However, in 1963, a record 23 players were inducted! This happened because the Hall wanted to honor many players from before the NHL era. Most of the players in the Hall of Fame, 232 of them, were born in Canada. Sixteen players were born in Europe. The Toronto Maple Leafs team has the most players in the Hall, with 60. Many defencemen (77) are in the Hall, more than any other position. Only 36 goaltenders have been inducted.

In 1988, a "veteran player category" was created. This was to help players who might have been overlooked get into the Hall. Eleven players were inducted into this group. But in 2000, this category was removed. Those players are now simply part of the main player category.

Georges Vezina, inducted in 1945.

Cyclone Taylor, inducted in 1947.

Newsy Lalonde, inducted in 1950.

Nels Stewart, inducted in 1952.

Maurice Richard, inducted in 1961.

Syl Apps, inducted in 1961.

Didier Pitre, inducted in 1963.

Bobby Clarke, inducted in 1987.

Darryl Sittler, inducted in 1989.

Larry Robinson, inducted in 1995.

Borje Salming, inducted in 1996.

Mario Lemieux, inducted in 1997.

Bryan Trottier, inducted in 1997.

Michel Goulet, inducted in 1998.

Wayne Gretzky, inducted in 1999.

Paul Coffey, inducted in 2004.

Patrick Roy, inducted in 2006.

Mark Messier, inducted in 2007.

Glenn Anderson, inducted in 2008.

Igor Larionov, inducted in 2008.

Brian Leetch, inducted in 2009.

• This means the three-year waiting period was skipped for a player who was very famous.

Source: 1945–2003: Honoured Members: Hockey Hall of Fame and newspapers.

Builders: Growing the Game

Lord Stanley, inducted in 1945.

H. Montagu Allan, inducted in 1945.

Frank Patrick, inducted in 1950.

Clarence Campbell, inducted in 1966.

Punch Imlach, inducted in 1984.

Father David Bauer, inducted in 1989.

Scotty Bowman, inducted in 1991.

Glen Sather, inducted in 1997.

The "builder" category has been around since the Hall of Fame started. The first builders were inducted in 1945. A builder is someone who has helped hockey grow and become better. They are people who have "built" the game forward. So far, 102 builders have been inducted.

To be chosen as a builder, a person can still be working in hockey or be retired. They must be nominated by the 18-person selection committee. Since 2007, up to two builders can be inducted in one year.

On-Ice Officials: Keeping the Game Fair

Ray Scapinello, inducted in 2008.

The category for on-ice officials started in 1961. Since then, sixteen officials have been inducted. These are the referees and linesmen who make sure the game is played fairly.

To be inducted as an official, they must have been retired for at least three years. They also need to be nominated by the 18-person selection committee. Since 2007, only one on-ice official can be inducted each year.