Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame | Shea Weber “doesn’t believe it yet”

Back when he was on skates, Shea Weber wasn’t exactly the type to let his emotions go. But when he learned he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Tuesday, his shell cracked a little.

The former Canadian defender is in fact part of a cohort of seven new sports immortals. Alongside him are Pavel Datsyuk and Jeremy Roenick, as well as American players Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl.

Colin Campbell, NHL vice-president of hockey operations from 1998 to 2011, and David Poile, the winningest general manager in the history of the circuit, were admitted as builders.

“I’m still lost for words. I am in shock. I don’t believe it yet,” said the former number 6 in a conference call, shortly after the unveiling of this 2024 vintage.

Weber also received this honor in his first year of eligibility. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, a player must have been inactive for three years and receive 75% of the votes among the 18-member selection committee. A maximum of four male players, two female players and two builders can be inducted each year.

“Difficult” years

In 1,038 NHL games with the Nashville Predators and the Canadiens, Weber scored 224 goals and collected 365 assists. He never won the Stanley Cup, but won two gold medals at the Olympics and another at the World Championship.

Already plagued by injuries in previous seasons, Weber played his last game in 2020-21, when the Canadiens lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.

“I had a great career. I wish it was longer. Mentally, I feel like I can still compete. But physically, I have nothing more to offer,” he summarized, admitting that “the last few years have been difficult” for him.

Weber ultimately said he was honored to be inducted into the Hall at the same time as David Poile, the GM who drafted him in Nashville in 2003. “I always told him he only made one bad transaction during his career! “, he said, referring to this little, not at all controversial, exchange involving PK Subban…

Strong emotions for Roenick

Unlike Weber, Jeremy Roenick has never been shy about displaying his moods in public. So it stood to reason that he would do the same on the day he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, right?

The American, who collected 1,216 points in 1,363 games in the NHL, explained that after receiving the call from the Temple, he started crying tears. He was shaking and sweating profusely.

“I was in the drive-thru at Starbucks to buy a coffee, and I couldn’t give the clerk the money. The guy was looking at me while my eyes were in the water,” said the talkative Roenick, who had been eligible for the Temple since 2012.

“Over the last four months, I’ve had to examine my life and my work,” he said. I had to struggle with some mental health issues. There were things that didn’t make me happy. Sometimes you need to change things about yourself. […] I had to look in the mirror and tell myself that I had to be better. »

Pavel Datsyuk, also eligible for the Hall for the first time, played 14 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he won two Stanley Cups. He received the Frank Selke Trophy three times, awarded to the best defensive forward in the NHL.

Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl, both natives of Minnesota, have represented the United States in various competitions on the international stage, notably at the Olympic Games.

The new members of the Hall of Fame will be officially inducted on November 11.