The IIHF has announced the Hall Of Fame Class of 2025, to be inducted at May’s World Championships in Stockholm, with five different nationalities and a pair of Swedish goaltenders highlighting the class.

🇸🇰 Zdeno Chára, the towering Slovak defender who is, as of now, the tallest player in NHL history, spent 25 pro seasons between Ottawa, Boston, Washington and the New York Islanders, holding the NHL record for most games played by a defender (1,680), capturing a Stanley Cup (2011), Norris Trophy (2009) and Messier Award (2011) over his illustrious career. A native of Trenčín, Chára served his country well throughout his career, playing at seven World Championships (winning Silver in 2000 and 2012), three Olympics, and both the 2004 and 2016 World Cup Of Hockey, finishing second at the latter tournament as captain of Team Europe.

🇸🇪 Henrik Lundqvist, the sixth-winningest goaltender in NHL history, spent his entire 15 year career with the New York Rangers, winning the Vezina Trophy in 2012 and notching 459 career wins and 23,509 saves in 887 career games, becoming the only player to start a career with seven straight 30-win seasons. A native of Åre, Sweden, Lundqvist captured a Gold (2017) and two Silver (2003, 2004) World Championship medals out of six total appearances for Tre Kronor, along with an Olympic Gold (2006) and Silver (2014) medal, and backstopped Sweden at both the 2004 and 2016 World Cup Of Hockey.

🇸🇪 Kim Martin, a fellow netminder for Tre Kronor, backstopped Sweden to arguably the biggest upset in women’s hockey history, stymieing Team USA in a shootout of the 2006 Olympic semifinal, resulting in Sweden’s first Olympic Silver medal in women’s hockey. Martin would also collect Olympic Bronze (2002), along with World Championship Bronze (2005, 2007) over nine Worlds appearances, along with six Nations Cup Bronze (2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012) medals. Martin would capture an NCAA Championship with the University of Minnesota in 2008, and would capture two Swedish league titles (2014, 2015) in her time with Linköping of the Swedish league.

🇩🇰 Frans Nielsen, was just the second Danish skater to play in the NHL, and his long career set the standard for the next wave of Danish hockey stars. Nielsen spent fifteen seasons in the NHL with Detroit and the New York Islanders, setting NHL records for most goals, points and games played by a Dane. Joining the Lions in 2000, Nielsen was part of the era that saw Denmark rejoin the Top Division in 2003 after a 54-year absence, competing at nine World Championships, and helping Denmark to clinch their first Olympic berth in history in 2022. Nielsen was too a member of Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup Of Hockey, finishing second.

🇨🇦 Vicky Sunohara was one of the original members of Team Canada from the inaugural Women’s World Championship in 1990, capturing seven Gold (1990, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007) and one Silver (2005) medal in eight appearances, along with being part of Canada’s first three Olympic women’s teams, winning two Gold (2002, 2006) and one Silver (1998) medals. Sunohara would also capture seven Gold (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006) and one Silver (1997) at the Nations Cup tournaments. Professionally, Sunohara was a member of multiple predecessor pro leagues before joining the CWHL, the immediate precursor to the modern-day PWHL, in 2007, winning the Clarkson Cup with Brampton in 2008, her second and final season.

🇨🇿 David Výborný was a key forward as part of Czechia’s “Golden generation” that emerged following their split from Slovakia in 1993, capturing a staggering five (1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005) World Championship titles, also capturing a Silver (2006) and two Bronzes (1997, 1998) in his twelve total appearances. Výborný would also capture World Junior (1993) and Olympic (2006) Bronze, and was a member of the 2004 World Cup and five Euro Hockey Tour Narodnitym squads. Professionally, Výborný was a two time Extraliga champion (1993, 2000) in his fifteen years in the Czech league, also spending seven seasons in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Special mention also goes out to the other inductees this year – builder Kai Hietarinta (Finland), Bibi Torriani Award winner Leszek Laskiewicz (Poland), Paul Loicq Award winner Jon Haukeland (Norway), Media Award winner Paul Graham (Canada), and Johan Bollue Award winner Jim Aldred (Portugal).

Photo Credit: iSport – New York Post – Canada’s Sports Hall Of Fame – Sveriges Radio – IIHF – Fredericia Dagblad – IIHF – HHOF – IOC