1985 Hockey Inductees
The 1985 Hockey Hall of Fame Class served up a solid roster of inductees—each with accolades and contributions that, while they might invite some nitpicking, undeniably deserve recognition. Bert Olmstead may not have always been the standout star on his team, Gerry Cheevers was never universally hailed as the league's premier goalie, and Jean Ratelle never captured a Cup. Yet, despite these points of contention, their collective induction reflects a celebration of depth and longevity in hockey. In the grand scheme, this class holds up well, especially when compared to other more contentious selections.
A star Left Wing with the Montreal Canadians, Bert Olmstead did not always receive a lot of the same accolades that his star teammates did, but within the locker room, his worth was well known. Olmstead was not necessarily a good goal scorer, but we was a brilliant passer (he led the NHL in assists twice) and was a very good checker and his tenacious…
The owner of the most iconic mask in Hockey history (the one with the famed stiches showing where a puck would have hit his face), Gerry Cheevers had his greatest success in the net with the Boston Bruins when they won the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972. He was not the best Goalie in the NHL, but he was decent enough to give his…
A class act on and off the ice, Jean Ratelle was on many good teams (though never won the Stanley Cup) and was a two time recipient of the Lady Byng Trophy. He would twice top the 100 point mark and finished with a total of 1,267 career points. As good as he was at scoring and playmaking, he was also known for making very…
A five year veteran himself in the National Hockey League as a bruising Defenceman for the Chicago Blackhawks, John Mariucci entered the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder for his work in growing the game in the already hockey rich state of Minnesota. Born in Eveleth, Mariucci returned to Minnesota after his playing career ended and took over as the Head Coach of the…