The Hockey Hall of Fame is set to induct the class of 2022 this weekend, officially recognizing a group of six important figures for their careers and contributions to hockey.
This year’s class is made up of a collection of incredible talents, featuring Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Roberto Luongo, Daniel Alfredsson, and Riikka Sallinen as the player inductees, while Herbert Carnegie is set to earn a nod as a builder.
Friday marks the beginning of the Induction Weekend celebrations with the Hockey Hall of Fame game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins. On Saturday, the Sedin twins, Luongo and Alfredsson will take questions from fans at the annual inductee fan forum while Sunday features the Hall of Fame Classic. Monday is the main event with the induction ceremony, which begins at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TSN 4 and 5 and the NHL Network.
Here’s more on each of the inductees in the class of 2022.
Daniel and Henrik Sedin
One of the best brother duos to ever play the game, Daniel and Henrik played their entire careers together with the Vancouver Canucks, with both breaking the 1,000-point barrier while earning Art Ross Trophies, respectively. The pair also won the 2006 Olympic gold medal together while playing for Team Sweden, the last time the national team managed to take home the elusive title.
Roberto Luongo
Luongo, a former teammate of the Sedins during their time in Vancouver, never took home any major hardware himself throughout his career but remained as one of the best goalies of his generation. All in all, Luongo’s 489 wins put him fourth all-time in NHL history, with Luongo also capturing gold medals in two Olympics, two World Championships and a World Cup, among other awards. Based on statistics, it’s hard to argue against Luongo.
Daniel Alfredsson
After being passed over for many years and eventually spurring a spirited social media campaign promoting his candidacy, Ottawa Senators franchise legend Daniel Alfredsson has finally made the cut and will enter Hall this weekend. In 1,246 career games, Alfredsson racked up 444 goals and 713 assists for 1,157 points, winning the Calder Trophy, the Mark Messier Leadership Award, and the King Clancy Award for his troubles.
Riikka Sallinen
Riikka Sallinen is an undoubtedly deserving nominee who is one of the most decorated players in the history of women’s international ice hockey. Sallinen won three European Championship gold medals throughout her career, along with one silver and six bronze medals at the World Championship, and another three bronze medals at the Olympic Winter Games. In 81 games at the international level, Sallinen racked up an incredible 63 goals and 59 assists for 123 points, establishing herself as a dominant force. Sallinen works in healthcare and is unable to attend the induction, according to Kelly Masse of the HHOF.
Herb Carnegie
Herb Carnegie rounds out this year’s class and could not be a more deserving choice for this prestigious honor. Considered the first Black hockey star, Carnegie is viewed by most as the best Black player to never play in the NHL, while his fight against racism and bigotry helped pave the way for children of color to have a place in the game, too. This posthumous induction is just the latest in a long list of distinctions that Carnegie has been given, as he was awarded both the Ontario and Canadian Medal of Honor, as well as being inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.
Needless to say, it’s a particularly legendary class this year.
