PITTSBURGH – The Steel City is made up of thousands of blue-collar and hard-working individuals, many who have earned a living through grit, determination and a lunch-pail mentality. On Wednesday night, Pittsburgh will celebrate the members of the 2024 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class – a group that is well-versed in playing the game of hockey with tenacity, passion and with the kind of dedicated work ethic that would make many in Pittsburgh proud.  

The 2002 Paralympic Sled Hockey Team, Matt Cullen, Brianna Decker, Frederick McLaughlin and Kevin Stevens will officially be enshrined into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony at the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh, while also honoring Sam Rosen, the 2024 Lester Patrick Award recipient. 

The evening will celebrate a prestigious group of men and women who have had success at all levels of the game, highlighted by Stanley Cup titles and gold medals at the international level, and their efforts to continue to give back to not only the game, but their respective communities.

Here is a look at the iconic group and learn more about them ahead of Wednesday night’s ceremony.

The 2002 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team made history as the first American team to win gold in the Paralympic Games. Their remarkable journey and triumph in Salt Lake City, Utah, defied all odds and set the stage for the dominant success Team USA has had since, including gold medals in the last four Paralympic Winter Games (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022).

“It’s an honor. We were just trying to have fun playing the game and hoping at that time that people would take us seriously – that sled hockey was really hockey. Instead of standing on our skates, we sat on our skates.

“We tried to be relevant and convince not only ourselves but the rest of the country and the world that it’s a legitimate sport,” - Kip St. Germaine

A three-time Stanley Cup champion, Matt Cullen (Moorhead, Minn.) had an extraordinary playing career that included 21 seasons in the NHL with eight different clubs. He is one of just two American-born players ever to compete in 1,500 or more games in the NHL.  

“It's just a huge honor for me, and it's especially great having the ceremony in Pittsburgh. So, it'll be a special, special event, but I'm just super honored and humbled to be a part of this," - Matt Cullen

An Olympic goal medalist, NCAA champion and eight-time world champion as a player, Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis.) had a remarkable on-ice career, and today continues to positively impact the game as a coach at Shattuck-St. Mary’s and with Team USA on the international stage.

"When you start hockey at a young age, you don't think about things like this. You just follow the path and follow the journey. And so it's a pretty surreal moment being inducted," - Brianna Decker 

The late Major Frederic McLaughlin (Chicago, Ill.) was a pioneer in American hockey in the 1920s and 30s, with his efforts in founding the Chicago Blackhawks and securing two Stanley Cup titles during his tenure, serving as a catalyst for the growth and evolution of the sport not only in Chicago, but throughout the Midwest and beyond.

“He had a particular interest in advocating for American-born players, and I know he'd be very honored to be part of this class. I feel that he sort of went under the radar for a while. … We're grateful that people are once again appreciating his accomplishments,” - Castle McLaughlin

A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Kevin Stevens (Pembroke, Mass.) spent over 15 seasons playing in the NHL. A dominant power forward, “Artie” as he is fondly known, has inspired many, not only through his remarkable comeback from a devastating facial injury in 1993, but also through the resilience and dedication he has shown in overcoming substance abuse and his subsequent advocacy for addiction awareness and support.

"So happy it's in Pittsburgh. We'll have a great time there. The fans love hockey, so I can't wait to get back there," - Kevin Stevens

Rosen, 77, who was raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., has been a prominent and inspirational voice in hockey since the early 1980s and is celebrating his 40th and final campaign as the television play-by-play voice of the New York Rangers this season.

"It's really an awesome thing. When something like this comes along you realize that you've had the impact on people who love the game, on people who are fans of the game, that you've brought people into the game and people are saying they appreciate all that I've done. My contribution is to bring enjoyment and to get people to feel the same things that I feel about the game," - Sam Rosen