Dreams Come True At Hockey Hall of Fame

Dreams do indeed come true when it comes to the Hockey Hall of Fame, it’s just some legends have to wait a lot longer to get in than others do. The theme of this year’s 2016 Hockey Hall of Fame inductions seemed to be one of patience, as all four new inductees, Rogie Vachon, Sergei Makarov, Eric Lindros and the late Pat Quinn all had to be patient and wait their turn to be enshrined within the hallowed walls of the Hall of Fame.

For instance, legendary goaltender and Los Angeles Kings’ legend Rogie Vachon had to wait 30 years, even though his career numbers made a stronger case for him to be inducted long ago, than some of the other players who got in before him. Still, unlike the prestigious Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, where you only have a small window of an opportunity to get voted into the Hall before you are no longer eligible, there is no set time limit for the Hockey Hall of Fame. In other words, even after waiting and hoping for 30 years, like how Rogie did, or even after death, sadly as was the case with former LA Kings’ head coach Pat Quinn, after the protocol of a three-year wait period after retirement before officially becoming eligible (well except for Chris Pronger last year, who waited 3 years but technically hasn’t officially retired yet as he is still considered an NHL player), there is always a chance for overlooked and forgotten legends to get their due and be voted in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

This is what LA Kings’ Legend, “Triple Crown” line member and Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne had to say to Ryan Cowley and I during the red carpet pre-Hall of Fame induction ceremony last Monday night, about Rogie’s late induction into the hall, (of course if you ever had the pleasure of meeting Mr.Dionne, you would quickly come to the realization that the man LOVES to talk. Like he LOVES to talk to each and every person possible that happens to be in the same building or city as him, whether it is with members of the media or a fellow former hockey player, coach or GM, or the support staff, the local vet, the barber down the street or with random people who just happened to be walking by, Marcel makes time to talk and laugh with everyone, which of course only makes him even more awesome than he already was) ;

“[The Hall of Fame’s selection committee] are always looking at younger players who just got out of the game and it’s a generation you kind of forget, so it’s kind of nice. You go back and the game was there before I was and I really enjoy that. We don’t get enough … we should get more of the videotapes and watch them and say, “Are you kidding me?” and I played [with Rogie]. He was my roommate, had a lot of passion for the game and I could tell he played for Montreal. *laughs* We really enjoyed him there. Came from a small town, [the Kings] retired his jersey and I was there. He traded me too.” *laughs*

Me – “Oh that’s right! To the New York Rangers in 1987 when he was the Kings’ general manager!”

Dionne continues,

“Yeah, but that was fine, because we all get traded and he got traded, too. But the sad part is that his wife [Nicole] passed away earlier this year. Very unfortunate but the same thing for Pat Quinn. His daughter and his family will be [here tonight] and same thing with Pat Burns a few years ago but, you know what, these guys are in a great place even though they’re no longer around, because once you’re in, it’s your house.”

Me – “Forever.”

Dionne, “That’s right. Forever.”

Then with a puff of smoke, before I could ask Mr. Dionne another question, (or for a selfie), he was gone and off to speak and laugh with the next person and then the person after that and the person after …

Shortly later, another Kings’ legend and fellow Hall of Famer, Bob Miller and his lovely wife Judy surprised us with their appearance as Ryan and I had no idea that they were going to be there at the event. Looking strong and healthy and with his legendary voice, (which forced me to close my eyes while interviewing him because hearing him speak instantly made me flashback to every game I watched, listened to, or fell asleep to my entire life with Bob Miller’s voice talking in my ears, with the only difference now being that he was now literally talking to my ears as he was only a foot away from me in person), had to say about Rogie’s late induction,

“Well, I’ll tell ya, it is long overdue and well deserved. If you go back and look at the numbers, his career numbers, he had what it took to already be in the Hall of Fame. And now he finally is, and this is where he belongs.”

Current LA Kings’ assistant General Manager, Norris Trophy Winner and fellow Hall of Famer Rob Blake was there and was kind enough to let us interview him. He had this to say to us about Vachon being inducted;

“Oh it’s terrific! You know Rogie has been a big ambassador for LA hockey for a number of years and the career he put together, it’s nice to see him rewarded for sure.”

On the late Pat Quinn, who coached Blake to the 2002 Olympic Gold Medal with Team Canada, being inducted as well,

“Terrific. I mean to be finally embraced for what he has done for the sport, for the game in coaching and management, and I was fortunate to play for him at the Olympics, it is great to see him go in.”

On behalf of the late Quinn, who passed away in 2014 due to a failing liver, his daughter Callie was representing him throughout the Hall of Fame weekend, struggling to hold back her tears, but happy to tell her fondest memories of her father, including some of the last words he ever spoke ;

“I had the best life ever. The best ever.”

Many people have sadly forgotten that Quinn was once the head coach of the LA Kings. In fact he was the first NHL coach for rookie players Luc Robitaille, Steve Duchesne and Jimmy Carson back during the 1986-87 season, the same year that I became a Kings’ fan, (so in other words, he was my first NHL coach too). One person who never forgot that time in Kings’ history, Jim Fox talked about playing for Quinn with the Kings during an interview that I conducted with the long time LA Kings’ color commentator and former Kings’ player last summer.

“Pat Quinn was one of those guys, because of his physical aura, he certainly demanded respect. I think everyone was aware of his career as a player and that he was a big, tough, strong defenseman. Personally, I appreciated more than anything that Pat would do anything to win. That would mean, I wasn’t the most physical player at all but he certainly put me in certain situations to help the team and he respected each player’s assets and what they brought and if it fit to help the team win, he would do what he must and that’s what he did with the Kings specifically and I’m sure a lot of other players feel exactly the same way.”

Fox on Rogie Vachon;

“With Rogie, I grew up in Northern Ontario, late ‘60’s, early ‘70’s, so I saw Rogie when he was a Montreal Canadien as a player, and that’s when he stood out and made an impact, had a quick glove hand and all those things.  I used to emulate Rogie playing road hockey when I played goalie and you know, whenever I made a big glove hand save, I would say, “Rogie Vachon!” That’s the way it was done.”

Without a doubt, Rogie Vachon and Pat Quinn were two of the most respected people in the sport of hockey, as are fellow inductees Makarov and Lindros. Makarov, a Calder Trophy winner and remembered famously as one of the best hockey players of his generation during the 1980’s and for being a part of the talented and feared “KLM” line with the Soviet National team, retired from the NHL back in 1997, so this induction was also very long overdue. Lindros, who was one of the most dominant players of the 1990’s and a member of the talented and feared “Legion of Doom” line for the Philadelphia Flyers, retired early yet sadly and quietly due to his long battles and struggles with concussions back in 2007. To be honest, there is controversy over Eric Lindros’ induction in to the Hall, but that is a story and debate for another day.

And the Hockey Hall of Fame isn’t just a dream come true for former players and coaches, as former LA Kings’ (1978-1993) and Anaheim Ducks (1993-2007) equipment manager Mark O’Neill was also being inducted in the Hall under the “PHATS – SPHEM” (Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Society – Society of Professional Hockey Equipment Managers) category.

Ryan and I caught O’Neill walking down the red carpet with no other than LA Kings’ Legend, member of the “Triple Crown” line and former Kings’ Captain and GM Dave Taylor! After attempting to ask Mr. Taylor for an interview, he quickly looked at me, but continued walking away from us down the red carpet. I have to admit, as a long time and die-hard LA Kings’ fan, I was a little heartbroken. After complaining to my colleague about Taylor looking me straight in the eye but ignoring our interview request, (like he didn’t even answer with a “No”, he just walked away), I noticed with my peripheral vision that someone was now standing right behind me. That and the fact that Ryan was looking at me strangely with the, “Stop talking and look behind you now,” facial expression. Not sure who would be standing behind me (maybe Marcel, wanting to talk and laugh some more with us?) as I was still wounded and angry over Taylor’s snub of us to fully pay attention, but after I turned around my eyes must have been as wide as humanly possible, while thinking, “Oh crap.” Standing behind me was no other than Dave Taylor himself! With a huge smile on his face, he asked, “So, you guys wanted to ask me some questions?” We both answered, “Yes!” while I panicked a little wondering how much Taylor had heard of my rant against him?

The legendary Dave Taylor on Vachon being inducted;

“Oh, I think it’s long overdue. I had the good fortune to play with Rogie in Los Angeles and [he was] just an outstanding goalie and probably one of the classiest people I ever played with.”

Speaking of classy, Taylor then took some pictures with us, and even did a sound bite for the LA Kings Road Talk Radio podcast that I work for. Taylor then shook our hands and disappeared back into the crowd. Ryan and I were in disbelief as normally (unless it’s Dionne), when someone passes you on the red carpet, they don’t come back, but Dave Taylor did and both fixed my broken fan boy’s heart and made me feel like a spoiled jerk for whining about him. Sorry Dave. This was now the second year in a row where I was ranting about a former LA Kings’ player while covering the Hall of Fame events, only to have the person appear in front of me like magic, and with their kindness, put me back in my place. For me, Dave Taylor was this year’s Valeri Bure. And while I was praising Dave Taylor now to my colleague, I felt a tap on my shoulder and Ryan and I were surprised to see that Taylor had returned to us AGAIN but this time he had brought Mark O’Neill with him for us to interview! Ryan and I just looked at each other in shock, and said in unison, “Whoa.”

Mark O’Neill on having his dream come true by being inducted into the Hall of Fame;

“Well, it’s a great honor. Just to be 29 years in the league with both the L.A. Kings and the Anaheim Ducks. It started way back when Dave Taylor was a player, Charlie Simmer and Marcel [Dionne], Rogie Vachon was part of the team and just to see all the players I’ve worked with and most of them are in the Hall of Fame now, so it’s a great honor.”

I noticed that Mark had both a Kings and Ducks pin on his jacket lapel, (for the record, the Kings pin was on top!), I asked Mark what where his favorite memories, working for both franchises.

“With the Kings, I would say the “Miracle on Manchester” and being a part of that. An unbelievable high, but so many memories. Going to the Finals in 1993, that [1993 Conference Final] series against Toronto. Just unbelievable. With the Ducks it was winning the Stanley Cup in 2007.”

After that we took pictures with both Taylor and O’Neil before they left and moved on along the red carpet. The Hall of Fame is truly a place where many dreams come true. Whether it’s Rogie, Quinn, Lindros, Makarov and O’Neill finally making it into the Hall or it’s Dave Taylor, making our Kings’ fan’s dreams come true by being our superhero after coming back to the red carpet so we could interview him, after we thought he had snubbed us … and then coming back again, but this time fetching people for us to interview … before he returned again for a third time! (Yes a third time! I swear these events actually happened! Just ask Ryan Cowley!) Shocked to see Taylor in front of us yet once again, he asked us, “So have you guys talked to Marcel Dionne yet?” We answered “Yes, we did,” before all three of us looked over to across the red carpet to where Dionne was still doing his thing, socializing and laughing with other members of the press.

“Oh, that’s good,” replied Taylor, with a big smile on his face. “I was going to get him for you if you hadn’t.” At that time, we heard Marcel belly out a hardy laugh at something that amused him. This made Taylor laugh before he looked back at us and said, “He really likes to talk. Man, he loves to talk.” Ryan and I just shook our heads “yes” before Taylor shook our hands again and disappeared into the crowd one last time, while I thought to myself about having the hope and the honor of covering the Hall of Fame induction ceremony and events again next year, and which former Kings’ player I should rant about, just so they can magically appear before me for an interview and photo opp, like how Bure and Taylor did. Well this is the Hockey Hall of Fame we are talking about, where dreams do come true, so I might as well try ranting about Wayne Gretzky because you just never know. You just never know.

Congratulations to Rogie Vachon, Eric Lindros, Sergei Makarov, Martin O’Neil and the late, great Pat Quinn on their well deserved inductions into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

*Special thanks to Bob Stellick, Kelly Masse, Rogie Vachon, Marcel Dionne, Bob and Judy Miller, Rob Blake, Dave Taylor, Martin O’Neill, Jim Fox, Ryan Cowley of MakeWayForTheKings.net, Mario Hicks, Theresa Walsh Duarte, Faye Walsh and the Hockey Hall of Fame for their help with this article.

Stay with us at Calisportsnews.com as we will keep you up-to-date on all things Los Angeles Kings and the rest of the LA sports teams! All Cali, all the time!

 

 

 

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One Comment

1. 

   Faye Howell Walsh

   November 18, 2016 at 4:42 pm

   Great article Jeff, I love Hockey Hall of Fame, happy that you met all those famous person is so great, and a honour. Keep up the great job. Keep the articles coming.