The Hockey Hall of Fame will be making a change to their board of directors relative to early 2025, the hall announced on Monday. Starting in October, 19-year veteran Mike Gartner will be assuming the role of Board Chair-elect from current Chair Lanny McDonald, officially taking the role of Board Chair when McDonald’s 10-year term is up in June 2025.
We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Mike Gartner as the next HHOF Chair of the Board, succeeding Lanny McDonald at the end of his tenure in June 2025.
Learn more 👉https://t.co/MoNCUVuk4o https://t.co/40CajQqj4x
— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) September 9, 2024
Primarily known for his time as a member of the Washington Capitals from 1979-1989, Gartner played for 19 seasons for five different teams, including a three-year stop with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1993-1996. He was known for his blazing speed and finished his career with 708 goals and 1335 points in 1432 career games. Gartner had previously served on the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee since 2019, assuming the role of selection chair for the past three years.
In a statement on the matter, McDonald said “I am thrilled to pass the torch to Mike whose stature as an Honoured Member will bring continuity and strong leadership during this transitional period for the Hockey Hall of Fame. His experience and perspective in the business of hockey and longtime service on the Selection Committee will be a tremendous asset to the Board.”
McDonald spent 16 seasons in the NHL including a seven-year tenure of his own with the Maple Leafs, finishing his career with an even 500 goals and 1006 points in 1111 games. He spent the back half of his career with the Calgary Flames along with a brief three-year stop with the Colorado Rockies in the middle. Gartner expressed his gratitude to McDonald in a statement, citing his gratitude for receiving the torch in a statement of his own.
“Lanny has been an incredible leader for everyone involved with the Hockey Hall of Fame over the past ten years,” said Gartner. “I look forward to continuing his excellent work carrying out the Hall’s mission of both honouring individuals who have brought special distinction to the game while preserving and telling the story of hockey’s rich history.”
An interesting note about Gartner – despite a long, storied career of over 19 years in the NHL, he doesn’t have any Cup wins or even a Cup final appearance in his career. He also doesn’t hold any NHL award or all-star team honours, making him one of the few players to have a Hall of Fame induction despite having none of said accolades. He’s in a similar boat to Dino Ciccarelli, although the latter did make two Cup finals in his career.
The Maple Leafs will host their annual Hockey Hall of Fame induction game on Friday, November 8 when they face off against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena. Among this year’s nominees are Shea Weber, Pavel Datsyuk, Jeremy Roenick, Krissy-Wendel-Pohl, and Natalie Darwitz in the players’ category along with Colin Campbell and David Poile in the builder’s category.
