Executive Director of USA Hockey Dave Ogrean
On Lamoriello: He had a tremendous impact on college hockey and he was the man who came up with the idea of Hockey East. Architect of one of the most significant moments in USA Hockey history – 1996 World Cup of Hockey Championship.
On Modano: One of the absolute all time greats. It is difficult to find a better American player.
Lou Lamoriello
Biggest influence: My parents were my biggest influence. Played for hockey and baseball coach who were ahead of their times and instilled something very special.
Best moment: No question winning the Stanley Cup and three of them is without question the highest honor and it’s side by side with the 1996 World Cup of Hockey with Mike and the group we had there and the time we had there. It was all about never letting each other down and we were going to find a way to win.
Eddie Olczyk
A very honoring and humbling phone call for this great honor. It’s a great day very proud and always tried to represent our game as player or broad to highest and let people know I was from the great United States. Just a thrilling experience. Looking forward to what is ahead. Very humbled honored and thankful.
On biggest influence: Guidance I got from my folks, mom and day, to play the game. my dad never played, never skated. I was very lucky. I don’t know how or why I was so lucky but it seemed every year as a player I had a coach that t0ught me something either on or off the ice. At mites or a midget hockey player and working my way through junior B, the coaches I had helped me along on and off the ice but it all started at home. I thank everybody because this induction is about the people that helped me along the way.
On top moment: Small part of team that won cup with Rangers in 1994 but I realized how hard it was to win but to have gone to five Stanley cups and won three I didn’t realize how hard it was to win until I was part of a team that attained it. made a lasting impression on me post-1994 and the reason that I played was because of the love of the game but to win a championship and a Stanley cup and lucky enough to do that 10 years in. personally, I thought scoring a goal in my very first game as a member of the CHI was the high. Going into this class, individually, has trumped that night.
On broadcasting career: Well when you work with people like Doc and Pat Foley on a nightly basis, makes my life easy. It’s a great thrill to sit next to two guys who ware HOFers. Of course Doc was inducted into USHHOF last year in Chicago. The ability to be able to allow me to do both sides is certainly a great honor and I thank the president of the Chicago Blackhawks and Sam Flood EX PROD of NBC Sports to sit in that chair every night and talk about the game and pump out American players and the greatest game in the world is a thrill to get in the building and they pay us to sit I a building to call a game. Each night its something different. Its hard to believe. I’m very privilege to have that opportunity each and every night on a national and local stage.
Mike Modano
On the growth of hockey and impact on Texas: It’s pretty remarkable. We felt shocked we were leaving Minnesota. The hockey hot bed of US and to leave Minnesota and go to Texas we all felt it wasn’t going to work but we felt once we got there we had to educate people and created a knowledgeable fan base to win them over for the game. Hindsight, it’s been an unbelievable move and let people grow teams. Started with Gretzky going to LA for cities to be open to hockey. One of the more proud moments for me was to turn Texas into a hockey state. Lots of minor pro teams in Texas that are stationed in Texas. We feel pretty proud about it
On biggest influence: Family. Could never pay it back. Big fans, big supporters. Tons of coaches along the way. Tons of things I learned in minor hockey that became stables as I moved a long. A lot of coaches that meant a lot.
On top moment: Stanley cup in 1999. Being able to almost repeat if it wasn’t for the devils in 2000. Obviously those are pinnacle highlights in your career. In 1992 and being a USA player in best of 3 and winning 2 of the three n Montreal and that was a sting to the Canadian pride which we thoroughly enjoyed. The longevity. I never imagined playing for this ling. The chase for the Phil Housley records were obviously highlights. Teammates and people you met along the way.
On 1996 World Cup Team's success helping the rest of his career: Well it was a great confidence lifter for a lot of guys on that team. A lot of guys went on to have the next five or six years were great years and it was major confidence playing at that level and against the odds of the type of team that Canada had put together. The level of that tournament was something we haven’t seen for a long time. It certainly taught you what it took to win. I think being in those experiences playing as a team put ego aside for the best of the team and how that game together. It was monumental for a lot of us and it, for me, started the next six years were a great run for the Stars and a lot of us on the team.”