Thomas Vanek is headed to the IIHF Hall of Fame
The IIHF has announced its Hall of Fame class for 2026. Featured in the eight-person class is former Vancouver Canucks winger Thomas Vanek. The IIHF Hall of Fame is located at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and honours some of the greatest moments in international hockey.
Vanek's time in Vancouver was short but memorable. The Austrian winger played 61 games for the Canucks in 2017-18, during which he recorded 17 goals and 41 points. Close to the trade deadline, Vanek was moved to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Jussi Jokinen and Tyler Motte.
As for the international stage, Vanek is considered the best Austrian player to play in the NHL. He represented his country at multiple World Championships, as well as the 2014 Winter Olympics. During his NHL career, Vanek played in 1029 games while recording 789 points.
Vanek will be joined by Andres Ambühl, Patrice Bergeron, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Niklas Kronwall and Florence Schelling in the player category of this year's class. The other two inductees are Ralph Krueger and Luc Tardif, who will enter in the builders category. Other IIHF Hall of Fame inductees with connections to Vancouver include Pat Quinn, Pavel Bure and current Canucks Assistant General Manager Cammi Granato.
Feb 20, 2018; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Thomas Vanek (26) skates against the Colorado Avalanche during the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY SportsMake sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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