Tonight was a special night as the Hockey Hall of Fame inducted a star-studded Class of 2009 into the record books. Forwards Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille and defenceman Brian Leetch were inducted as Honoured Members on Monday in the players category, while New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello was enshrined as a builder.

Yzerman, Hull and Robitaille accounted for 2,101 goals over the course of their careers. They all won a Stanley Cup together, too, in Detroit in 2002. And Leetch was certainly no slouch, helping lift the Rangers to their own Cup in 1994.

There’s really no questioning any of these selections for the Hall of Fame, as each has left an indelible mark on the game of hockey.

Yzerman helped transform the Red Wings franchise into a modern juggernaut, joining the team as Detroit’s fourth overall selection in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft and never looking back. After scoring 87 points in his rookie campaign, Stevie Y spent his entire 22-year career with the Wings. During his tenure, the Red Wings won three Stanley Cups, with Yzerman winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1998.

Brett Hull ranks third on the all-time list with 741 goals over his 19-year career. He first got his break with the Calgary Flames in the 1986 playoffs and has since been known as one of the league’s most potent offensive threats. Hull was one of the most consistent players in the league, usually good for over 30 goals a season. He laid out three consecutive 70-goal seasons with the St. Louis Blues and won Stanley Cups with Dallas and Detroit.

“Lucky” Luc Robitaille retired as the highest scoring player at his position in league history, ranking 10th on the all-time list with 668 goals. Not drafted until the ninth round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Robitaille won the Calder Trophy in his debut season with the Los Angeles Kings and followed that up with seven straight seasons of 44 goals or more. His career best season came in the 1992-1993 season where he posted a total of 63 goals.

Brian Leetch was drafted ninth overall by the New York Rangers in the 1986 Entry Draft and would go on to become one of the club’s most popular players in its storied history. He enjoyed his career best season in 1991-1992 when he potted 100 points and won the first of two Norris trophies for his career. Leetch also won the Conn Smythe Trophy with the Rangers after helping them end a 54-year Stanley Cup drought in ‘94.

As for Lou Lamoriello, his contributions to the game of hockey over 40 years go without saying. He is one of the icons of organization, setting up the New Jersey Devils for three Stanley Cup victories during his time with the club and making an impact at the professional and collegiate levels of hockey.

It’s hard to argue with this list of inductees for 2009, as each has made an impact and impression on the game that will be felt for countless generations.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

It surprised few hockey fans when Mats Sundin announced his retirement. After a career spanning 18 years, the 38-year-old Swede made it official and hung up the skates.

He leaves a pretty solid career in his wake, what with a whole pile of accolades in Swedish hockey and a pretty decent run on the Toronto Maple Leafs as the club’s captain. Sundin is also one of the highest-scoring European players to ever lace the skates, notching 564 career goals alongside 785 assists.

Sundin is, without question, one of the most popular hockey players in Sweden. But his failure to deliver a Stanley Cup to the starving hockey market of Toronto coupled with a lackluster final season in Vancouver might tarnish his overall legacy in the hearts and minds of some fans.

Sure, one could argue that he won gold for his team at the 2006 Turin Olympics and that he was a captain on the men’s national team in Sweden. With three world championships under his belt and the honour of being the first European to be selected with the top pick at the NHL Entry Draft, Sundin certainly has racked up some milestones.

The real question for hockey fans now is whether or not the big Swede deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

Obviously one of the key blemishes in Sundin’s career would be a lack of a Stanley Cup, but that didn’t get in the way of Dale Hawerchuk, who found his way into the HoF in 2001. And let’s keep in mind, too, that Sundin has scored more career goals that Hawerchuk (518).

Sundin is tied for 20th all-time in goals, 25th all-time in assists, and has spent his 18 seasons on Canadian teams. Does such a legacy make him a Hall of Famer or is his career too filled with shortcomings and blemishes to make the final cut?

Posted by Jordan Richardson.

The NHL added four new members to the Hall of Fame, selecting Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch, and Luc Robitaille for the 2009 class. The induction ceremony will take place on November 9 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Also, Lou Lamoriello was named to the Hall of Fame as a builder.

According to the CBC, “there were five forwards in their first year of eligibility who combined for more than 3,200 regular-season goals in their illustrious careers: Yzerman, Hull, Robitaille, Dave Andreychuk and Alexander Mogilny.”

It’s great to see Yzerman get into the Hall. He’s always been one of my favourite players and continues to be the epitome of class as the next stages of his career unfold. No other player was more revered in Hockeytown, with the exception of Gordie Howe, than Stevie Y. Drafted by Detroit in 1983, Yzerman ranks sixth in NHL scoring with an impressive total of 682 goals, 1,063 assists and 1,745 points through 22 seasons with the Red Wings.

The Golden Brett also more than deserves his spot this year. With 741 career goals, behind only Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801), Hull was a dynamic forward with a deadly scoring touch. He once scored 86 goals in a National Hockey League season, a feat bested only by Gretzky’s 92 goal season. Hull will always be remembered for his incredible release and ability to one-time a sharp pass across the ice.

Brian Leetch, the first American-born MVP in the NHL, boasted skating skills and a combination of passing and scoring ability that few defencemen would be able to match. As one of the best defenders of the 90s, Leetch ranks fifth in scoring amongst defencemen with 247 goals and 781 assists for 1,028 points. While Yzerman will forever be identified with the Red Wings, Leetch will forever be a Blueshirt. He spent the majority of his 18-year career with the New York Rangers, helping them win a Cup in 1994.

Lucky Luc leads all left-wingers in the NHL in goals and points. He ranks 10th overall in goals with 668 and sits 19th in total points with 1,394. With three seasons of over 50 goals and four seasons with over 100 points, Robitaille will probably best be remembered for his years with the Los Angeles Kings but finally won a Stanley Cup alongside Yzerman in Detroit in 2002. Robitaille’s 19 seasons in the NHL included tenures in L.A., Pittsburgh, New York (Rangers) and Detroit. His #20 jersey was ultimately retired in L.A.

Posted by Jordan Richardson.