In the past week, six new players were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Two of these players made history. In brief, one of these players was the first non-American woman and the other was trying to break the color barrier.
Riikka Sallinen is Inducted Into Hockey Hall of Fame
Riikka Sallinen is a Finnish ice hockey player and one of the most decorated players to compete in international ice hockey. She played 16 seasons with Finland Women’s National ice hockey team.
- Two-time Olympic Bronze Medalist
- World Champion Silver
- Six Bronze Medals
- Three European Championship Gold Medals
- Three IIHF Women’s European Champion
- Eight-time IIHF World Women’s Champion
- All-Time Leading Scorer in World Championships and Olympics
In 2007, Sallinen was one of two women inducted into the Finnish Hall of Fame along with Marianne Ihalainen. In, 2010 she was the fourth woman and first European woman to be in the IIHF Hall of Fame in Germany. During the 2018 Olympics, she became the oldest player to receive a medal replacing Teemu Selanne who got his title in 2014 at age 43. Riikka was 44 when she won in 2018.
In addition, she became the ninth woman and first non-North American player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. During her international career, she had 109 goals, 95 assists, and 204 points.
Herb Carnegie
Herb Carnegie was born over 103 years ago. He was the first Canadian ice hockey player of Jamaican descent. However, racism kept him out of the National Hockey League. In 2001 Carnegie was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and in 2014 Ontario’s Sports Hall of Fame. Furthermore, he became his career in 1938 and played for Toronto Young Ranger where the league played in mining towns. He won MVP in 1946,1947 and 1949. In addition, in 1948 he got to try out for the New York Rangers and was offered $2,700 which is less than what he was making before.
However, in 1938 he was faced with racism. Conn Smythe who was the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the time, made comments about Carnegie. Smythe went on to say things like “I would accept him if he was white” and ” I would pay someone $10,000 to turn him white.” These comments were ultimately the reason he would go on and never play in the NHL.
After retirement in 1953, Herb became a successful businessman in the investment industry. In 1954, he founded Canada’s first hockey school. On the other hand, after all his success he became legally blind. However, his accomplishments won’t go unnoticed as he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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