The IIHF has announced their 2024 Hall of Fame class. Among the names inducted into this prestigious company is all-time NHL great Jaromir Jagr, long-time Edmonton Oiler Ryan Smyth, United States Olympian Natalie Darwitz, Hockey Canada executive Mel Davidson, Kenny Jonsson, Igor Liba, Petteri Nummelin, Jaroslav Pouzar, Desideriu Varga, Anatolii Brezvin, Al Michaels, along with the entire Czech Olympic team of 1998.
In an incredibly diverse class of hockey players, announcers, and executives there are members from Czech Republic, Slovakia, Canada, United States, Ukraine, Romania, Finland, and Sweden. Six of them have played in the NHL at one point in their careers. None of these people have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame yet but Jagr will unquestionably be inducted as soon as he’s eligible.
Jagr is the most famous of the 2024 class and represented his country 20 times from 1989 to 2015 in six different tournaments. He won two gold medals at the World Championships and an Olympic gold in 1998. This technically means Jagr was inducted twice to the IIHF Hall of Fame in the same year. He was inducted as an individual but also as a member of the 1998 Czech Olympic team.
Darwitz is one of two women inducted this year along with Mel Davidson, the Hockey Canada executie. Darwitz won three gold medals at the Women’s World Championships along with silver and bronze medals at the the 2002 and 2006 Olympic Games, respectively.
Smyth played over 1,000 games in the NHL and frequently represented Canada on the international stage. He won five gold medals for Team Canada over his career, one at the World Juniors, one at the Olympics, one at the World Cup of Hockey, and the other two at the World Championships. He scored 37 points in 79 career games for Canada.
Michaels is famous for making the “do you believe in miracles” call during the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” game between the Americans and Soviets.
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