Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame Gala
RED DEER – Six individuals and the 1995 Centennial Cup champions are being called to the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame (AHHF) as the Class of 2025. The members of this year’s class are:
- RYAN SMYTH – Nineteen seasons in the National Hockey League, including his first 12 seasons and last three with the Edmonton Oilers, while playing with the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings in the middle. He overtook Wayne Gretzky and tied Glenn Anderson for the most power-play points recorded in Oilers franchise history in 2014. He holds multiple gold medals playing for Team Canada, including the 1995 World Junior Championship, 2002 Winter Olympics, 2003 and 2004 World Championship and the 2004 World Cup. He was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2020.
- JOE NIEUWENDYK – Twenty seasons in the National Hockey League, including nine seasons with the Calgary Flames. He assisted the Flames to win the team’s first Stanley Cup championship in 1989. After his stint with the Flames, he played with the Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers. After his playing career, he went on to become the General Manager of the Dallas Stars from 2009 to 2013. He received the 1988 Calder Memorial Trophy, the 1995 King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the 1999 Conn Smythe Trophy. He also holds an Olympic gold medal from the 2002 Winter Olympics. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.
- CLIFF FLETCHER – A 48-year-long NHL career including holding a general manager position with the 1972 Atlanta Flames, holding onto the position while the team moved to Calgary in 1980 and assisting the team to their 1989 Stanley Cup Championship win. He served as the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager from 1991 before a quick stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Phoenix Coyotes. He headed back to the Maple Leafs in 2001 with a position as the interim general manager, which he held for six months. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.
- CARLA MACLEOD – Represented Team Alberta at both the 1999 and 2001 National Championships before playing with the Wisconsin Badgers for four years. She played in the 2003, 2004 and 2006 Four Nations Cups, winning two gold medals. She won a gold medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics and was named as a tournament all-star. She played in the 2007 International Ice Hockey Federation World Hockey Championship, winning another gold medal. She went on to begin her coaching career at Mount Royal University before becoming the assistant coach for the Japanese national team in 2012, helping them to qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics. In 2023 she was named the head coach for the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Ottawa Charge.
- HOWIE DRAPER – Held a five-year stint as a defenceman for the University of Alberta men’s hockey team until 1990. He became the head coach for the University of Alberta’s women’s hockey team from 1997 to 2023. His team won eight national championships. In 2023, he became the head couch for the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s New York Sirens. He has since returned to the University of Alberta as the head coach for the 2024-25 season. He was named coach of the year in 2002, 2004, 2009 and 2019.
- GARRY UNGER – Sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League, setting an NHL record of the most consecutive games played in the regular season, which was 914 games. He played with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, Atlanta Flames, Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers with his longest stint being with the Blues. He became the 1974 NHL All-Star Game MVP. After his time in the NHL, he played in the British Hockey League for the Dundee Rockets and the Peterborough Pirates. He scored 95 goals in only 30 games with the Pirates.
- 1995 CALGARY CANUCKS – Winners of the 1995 Centennial Cup, the National Championship for the Canadian Junior A Hockey League. The Canucks came through with an overtime 5-4 win, scored by Jason Abramoff, beating the host team, the Gloucester Rangers. The team earned their spot in the tournament by winning the Alberta Junior Hockey League playoffs.
The 2025 Induction Gala is being hosted at the Gary W. Harris Centre on Saturday, July 21.
Nominations are accepted are accepted from the public for future induction classes:
- individuals who have made a significant contribution to the game of hockey in Alberta through regional, national, or international accomplishments, or for their contributions to the growth and development of the game in Alberta.
- groups or teams who achieved a significant result at a National or International level or impacted on a provincial level under exceptional circumstances.
For information on the AHHF Gala contact Michelle Skilnick.
For information on AHHF Nominations contact Tim Leer.
