Hasek elected to Hall of Fame

Former Indianapolis Ice goaltender Dominik Hasek has been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Dominik Hasek with the Indianapolis Ice.

Hasek was a goaltender for the Ice from 1990-1992. He was drafted by the Blackhawks in 1983, but came to North America in 1990 and began his pro career with the Ice, sharing time in net with Jim Waite. He played 53 games for the Ice, going 27-21-4 with a 2.91 goals against average. He got called up to Chicago during each of those two seasons.

However, with Ed Belfour manning the net in Chicago, Hasek was traded to Buffalo in the summer of 1992. There, he began to establish his Hall of Fame credentials, posting a 1.95 GAA in his first full season as a starter -- 1993-94. He topped that with a 1.87 GAA in 1998-99, the year he helped lead the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Final.

Hasek is the 17th person with Indianapolis ties to be inducted to the Hall of Fame, and the first since former Checkers GM Jim Devellano in 2010.

The remainder of the 2014 class is made up of players Rob Blake, Peter Forsberg and Mike Modano, as well as referee Bill McCreary and former coach Pat Burns, a posthumous inductee.

Considered one of the greatest goaltenders of all time, "The Dominator" won the William Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed) with Buffalo in 1994 and 2001 and with Detroit in 2008. He also won the Vezina trophy six times (1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001), all with the Sabres. He was the Hart Trophy winner (NHL MVP) in 1998, after a year he went 33-2313 with a 2.09 GAA. He also won the Lester Pearson Trophy (NHL MVP as voted on by the players) in 1997 and 1998.  He was a Stanley Cup champion in 2002 and 2008, both with Detroit, and played in the Stanley Cup Final in 1999 with the Sabres.


In total, Hasek played in 735 NHL games for Chicago, Buffalo, Ottawa and Detroit. He had a record of 389-223-95, a career GAA of 2.20 and a career save percentage of .922. He had 81 career shutouts. He led the NHL in GAA twice (1994, 1995) and in save percentage six consecutive seasons from 1993-99. He lhad double-digit shutouts twice -- 13 with Buffalo in 1997-98, and 11 with the Sabres in 2000-01. Hasek was also the winning goaltender in 65 playoff games, including all 16 wins in Detroit's 2002 Stanley Cup run, in which he had six shutouts and a 1.86 GAA.

Hasek played in four Olympic Games, leading the Czech Republic to the gold medal in 1998.

In addition to being the 17th person with ties to Indianapolis hockey to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Hasek is Indianapolis' fourth Hall of Fame goaltender. He joins Glenn Hall, Harry Lumley and Terry Sawchuk, who all played for the Indianapolis Capitals.

Indianapolis' hockey Hall of Fame members

• Sid Abel (1969). Capitals player 1939-40
• Alex Delvecchio (1977). Capitals player 1951-52
• Jim Devellano (2010). Checkers general manager 1979-81
• Wayne Gretzky (1999). Racers player 1978
• Glenn Hall (1975). Capitals player 1951-52
• Dominik Hasek (2014). Ice player 1990-92
• Syd Howe (1965). Capitals player 1945-46
• Tommy Ivan (1974). Capitals coach 1946-47
• Dave Keon (1986). Racers player 1975-76
• Herb Lewis (1989). Capitals coach 1939-43 (player-coach 1939-41)
• Ted Lindsay (1966). Capitals player 1944-45
• Harry Lumley (1980). Capitals player 1943-45
• Mark Messier (2007). Racers player 1978
• Marcel Pronovost (1978). Capitals player 1950-51
• Terry Sawchuk (1971). Capitals player 1948-50
• Earl Seibert (1963). Capitals player/coach 1945-46
• Arthur Wirtz (1971). Capitals owner 1939-52