Wickenheiser headlines 2019 Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
The Hockey Hall of Fame announced its six 2019 inductees Tuesday, headlined by Hayley Wickenheiser, perhaps the greatest female player of all time.
Forwards Guy Carbonneau and Vaclav Nedomansky plus defenseman Sergei Zubov will also enter the Hall.
In the builders category, executive Jim Rutherford and college coaching legend Jerry York represent this year's inductees.
Wickenheiser is one of the most decorated women's players ever, having captured seven gold medals for Canada at the Women's World Championship. She's also a five-time Olympic medalist and won four consecutive gold medals from 2002-14. Wickenheiser is the Canadian women's team's all-time leader in goals, assists, and points over 276 career games.
Carbonneau tallied 663 points in 1,318 NHL contests and captured the Selke Trophy as the league's top defensive forward in 1988, 1989, and 1992. The former Montreal Canadiens captain won Stanley Cups with the Habs in 1986 and 1993, and one more with the Dallas Stars in 1999.
Zubov is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, once with the New York Rangers in 1994 and again with the Dallas Stars in 1999. The blue-liner finished his career with 771 points in 1,068 career games with the Rangers, Stars, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He remains the Stars' all-time points leader among defensemen.
Nedomansky recorded 277 points in 420 NHL games split between the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers. Before joining the NHL in 1978, Nedomansky was a member of Czechoslovakia's national team and competed in the Olympics twice.
As a general manager, Jim Rutherford helped build champions in multiple cities. Rutherford served as president and GM of the Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers from 1994-2015, and the franchise won its first and only Stanley Cup in 2006.
Rutherford joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016. Under his guidance, the Penguins became the first team to capture back-to-back Cups in the salary-cap era, winning in 2016 and 2017. Rutherford also received the NHL General Manager of the Year Award in 2016.
York is one of college hockey's most decorated coaches and has served as head coach of the men's team at Boston College since 1994. He's won five NCAA championships, his first with Bowling Green in 1984 and the rest with the Eagles (2001, 2008, 2010, and 2012).