Former Flames goaltender Mike Vernon among the 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame induction class
The Calgary Flames have a new member to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Goaltender Mike Vernon, the born-and-raised Calgarian who backstopped the team to the 1989 Stanley Cup, was among the list of 2023 inductees announced on Wednesday.
“The game has meant a lot to me throughout my life. We grew up a hockey family. This is just, quite the honour, I’m just flabbergasted.” he told reporters during the media call.
Other players are Henrik Lundqvist, Tom Barrasso, Pierre Turgeon and Caroline Ouellette, along with builders Ken Hitchcock and Pierre Lacroix.
After a stellar junior career, including a Memorial Cup title, Vernon burst onto the scene for the Flames when he claimed the starter’s job late in his rookie season and helped them reach the 1986 Stanley Cup Final before losing to Patrick Roy and the Montreal Canadiens.
Vernon was crucial to Calgary’s lone championship, especially coming up with critical stops in the Game 7 victory over the upstart Vancouver Canucks in the opening round.
He was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 1994, with whom he won another Cup in 1997, along with the Conn Smythe Trophy. That season, he also become only the 13th goaltender in NHL history to win 300 games.
After stints with the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers, he was re-acquired by the Flames in 2000, where he spent his final two seasons.
In his career, Vernon won 385 regular-season games — 16th in league history — and another 77 playoff clashes, eighth highest in league history.
Vernon joins Lanny McDonald and Jarome Iginla to have both their number retired by the Flames and members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Other hall members who had substantial time involved with the Flames include Al MacInnis, Phil Housley, Joe Mullen, Joe Nieuwendyk, Doug Gilmour and Sergei Makarov.
Players who had short stints in Calgary en route to their Hall nod include Grant Fuhr, Brett Hull and Martin St. Louis.
The Flames also have strong ties to members in the Builders category: Bob Johnson, Cliff Fletcher and original owners Harley Hotchkiss and Daryl Seaman.
In the media category are radio play-by-play voice Peter Maher and long-time writer Eric Duhatschek.