Hockey Hall of Fame Welcomes 2025 Class Including Thornton and Chara

The Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed its 2025 induction class on Monday night in Toronto, celebrating the careers of eight hockey legends, including Joe Thornton and Zdeno Chara. According to ESPN, Thornton, known as 'Jumbo Joe,' was inducted alongside fellow players Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny, Jennifer Botterill, and Brianna Decker.

Coaches Jack Parker and Daniele Sauvageau were also honored in this class. Thornton, who played 24 NHL seasons, was drafted first overall by the Boston Bruins in 1997. He later became a star with the San Jose Sharks, where he won the Hart Trophy in 2006 for being the league's MVP.

ESPN highlights his impressive total of 1,539 points across 1,714 regular-season games, ranking him twelfth in scoring and seventh in assists all-time. Chara, towering at 6-foot-9, was recognized for his dominant defensive play, winning the Norris Trophy in 2009 and captaining the Boston Bruins to their 2011 Stanley Cup victory.

He played 1,680 games in his career, noted for his size and skill, and shared his humble beginnings, reflecting on his dreams of playing hockey in Slovakia, as reported by Deadspin. Duncan Keith, another inductee, spent most of his career with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning three Stanley Cups and two Norris Trophies.

Keith expressed the importance of teamwork during his speech, emphasizing that you cannot achieve success alone. Jennifer Botterill and Brianna Decker represented women's hockey in this class, with Botterill recognized for her three Olympic gold medals and her record-setting collegiate career at Harvard.

Decker also made significant contributions, winning gold in the 2018 Olympics and multiple world championships. Mogilny, who was the first Soviet player to defect to the NHL, had a remarkable career and was part of the Triple Gold Club, highlighting his achievements at the club level and internationally.

According to Yahoo Sports, the selection committee voted on this class back in June, requiring a minimum of 75 percent approval for induction. The event culminated in a ceremonial puck drop featuring the new inductees.

Chara reminisced about his journey from Slovakia to the NHL, recalling how his size was initially seen as a disadvantage but ultimately became an asset in the league. Thornton shared emotional memories from his childhood and the joy hockey brought him, including winning Olympic gold in 2010.

This induction ceremony not only celebrates the individual accomplishments of these players but also serves to inspire future generations of hockey players, showcasing the diverse paths to success in this sport.

The contributions of these players on and off the ice underscore the profound impact they have had on hockey, as highlighted across multiple sources including ESPN, Deadspin, and Yahoo Sports.