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Chris Chelios, Keith Tkachuk, Gary Suter, Doc Emrick, and Ed Snider elected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

National Museum of American Jewish History opening gala hosted by Jerry Seinfeld and Bette Midler

PHILADELPHIA - NOVEMBER 13: American Chairman of Comcast Ed Snider speaks onstage at the National Museum of American Jewish History opening gala hosted by Jerry Seinfeld and featuring Bette Midler at National Museum of American Jewish History on November 13, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for National Museum of American Jewish History)

Mike Coppola

Getting elected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame is a special moment for any American that’s dedicated their playing life or career to the game. For the class of five that was elected to USA Hockey’s highest honor this year, it’s a whopper of an induction class. Former players Chris Chelios, Gary Suter, and Keith Tkachuk are joined by NBC lead play-by-play voice Mike “Doc” Emrick and Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider.

Chelios goes in perhaps as the biggest name after spending 20+ years in the NHL as a three time Stanley Cup champion and three time Norris Trophy defenseman as well as playing college hockey at the University of Wisconsin and on four U.S. Olympic teams his career is truly a wonder to behold. He’ll eventually be a Hockey Hall of Famer in Toronto, but this year he gets to live his glory out in the United States as one of the greatest Americans to play the game.

Gary Suter played for 17 seasons in the NHL playing for the Flames, Blackhawks, and Sharks. In that time he put up 203 goals and 844 points as a defenseman. Teaming up with the likes of Chelios and Al MacInnis in his career, Suter was the perfect complimentary defenseman mixing in offense with the kind of snarl on the blue line coaches salivate over. Suter also played at the University of Wisconsin in college and played for Team USA in the 1998 and 2002 Olympics.

Keith Tkachuk made a big name for himself as one of the top power forwards in the NHL suiting up for the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, and for a brief stint with the Atlanta Thrashers. In his NHL career, Tkachuk piled up 538 goals and 1,065 assists over 18 NHL seasons. While Tkachuk never hoisted the Stanley Cup, his career as one of the best power forwards through the 1990s and early 2000s was cemented. Tkachuk’s best seasons came while with the Jets/Coyotes but he made himself into a folk hero in St. Louis. Tkachuk also got his start in hockey playing for one season at Boston University and as a Melrose, Massachusetts native, sticking close to home from the get-go got him off on the right foot, one that saw him play four times for Team USA in the Olympics.

Doc Emrick we know all about here at NBC and ProHockeyTalk. A gentleman of the game and one of the best on-air ambassadors you’ll find in hockey spent over 20 years as the lead play-by-play voice for the New Jersey Devils. During that time, Emrick also became the voice of the NHL playoffs and Stanley Cup finals working as the lead play-by-play man for NBC and Versus. Emrick’s professionalism in all things has helped him become the voice of the NHL now as he takes over as the full-time play-by-play voice for NBC and Versus this year.

Ed Snider is the long time owner of the Philadelphia Flyers and as the man at the helm of one of the NHL’s iconic franchises, he’s also helped become a leader in growing the game of hockey in eastern Pennsylvania and across the country. Snider, already a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, now gets his just deserving in the United States. Snider’s ability to help grow the game and establishing the Flyers as one of the top franchises in the NHL are all the proof you need to see why he’s being enshrined.