Members of the 1998 Czech Olympic team appear on stage with IIHF President Luc Tardif at the 2024 IIHF Contributors' Award Ceremony.
photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Matt Zambonin
The IIHF staged its Contributors’ Award Ceremony, the first part of its 2024 Hall of Fame Ceremonies, in Prague on Saturday. This year marks the first time that the ceremonies are taking place over two days.
The 2024 Inductees – Natalie Darwitz (U.S.), Mel Davidson (Canada), Jaromir Jagr (Czechia), Kenny Jonsson (Sweden), Igor Liba (Slovakia), Petteri Nummelin (Finland), Jaroslav Pouzar (Czechia), and Ryan Smyth (Canada) – will be celebrated on Sunday.
“We love this ceremony so much that we wanted to make two ceremonies,” IIHF President Luc Tardif said at the gala event, which was emceed by TSN broadcaster and IIHF Hall of Famer Gord Miller. Dramatic video footage and music heightened the ambience.
Given that two Czech cities (Prague and Ostrava) are co-hosting this year’s IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, the Milestone Award got special attention. The recipient was the 1998 Czech Olympic men’s hockey team, which unexpectedly captured the gold medal at the first Winter Games with full NHL participation.
The Milestone Award goes periodically to teams that have made a significant contribution to international hockey history, and the Nagano champs certainly fit that description. Backstopped by legendary goalie Dominik Hasek, they upset the favoured Americans, Canadians, and Russians en route to their country’s first Olympic title ever. Heroes of ‘98 on stage included Jagr, Robert Reichel, Martin Rucinsky, Martin Prochazka, and Jiri Slegr, among others.
“Everybody expected a final between the U.S. and Canada,” Slegr recalled in a speech on behalf of the team. “But we knew what we wanted. We wanted to win. We made a revolution in our country. All the people in our country were proud of us. One man I must mention, because he’s not here: [the late coach] Ivan Hlinka. He made this group work, and I want to thank him, because he deserves it.”
The inaugural IIHF Media Award went to Al Michaels. The longtime U.S. sports broadcaster is best-known for his “Do you believe in miracles?” call during the U.S.’s 4-3 upset over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. Michaels, now 79, also covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series, but his climactic words during the “Miracle on Ice” are a big part of why Sports Illustrated named it the “greatest sports moment of the 20th century.”
“It served to galvanize my whole country at a time when the United States needed a big emotional boost, and it came from, of all things, a hockey team,” Michaels said in a statement delivered by USA Hockey president Mike Trimboli.
Dezso Varga got the Richard “Bibi” Torriani Award – celebrating excellence among nations outside the elite – for his outstanding contributions to Romanian hockey. A former national team captain, he is the only Romanian to play in three Olympics (1964, 1968, 1976), and also suited up at his country’s lone top-level Worlds in 1977, racking up three points in a 5-4 upset over the Americans.
The two-time national champion with Miercurea Ciuc (1960, 1963), now 85, could not attend due to health reasons. So Romanian Ice Hockey Federation president Atilla Ferenc-Nagy delivered Varga’s statement, which focused on life lessons: “Ever since I was a small boy, hockey has been my greatest passion, and I’m forever grateful for what the game has given me. Hockey made me disciplined and focused by giving me goals in life. Hockey taught me that success is not just about me, but about working with others. Be humble in victory, acknowledge defeat with grace. Regardless of the score, there was always the passion, and I believe it translated to a greater passion for life.”
Anatolii Brezvin, the longtime President of the Ukraine Ice Hockey Federation (2006-2020), received the Paul Loicq Award for outstanding service to international hockey. His numerous achievement include spearheading the building of some 60 hockey arenas across Ukraine, hosting Division I-A and I-B events, and establishing a women’s national team program and youth hockey programs.
Brezvin, in his next chapter as an Honourary President, also helped to keep thousands of Ukrainian hockey players safe after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“As our beloved Ukraine is enduring the worst, with adults and children dying, the game of hockey is especially important for our children,” said Brezvin, who repeatedly thanked the IIHF and other hockey federations for standing behind Ukraine. “It helps to preserve their physical and mental health while facing the horrors of war. For us, the support of the international community is an important step toward peace. We believe in the power of sport and the friendship of the international community.”
The 2023-founded Johan Bollue Award is named in honour of the late Sports Development Director for the Royal Belgian Ice Hockey Federation, who passed away at age 57 in 2021. Bollue distinguished himself in tireless service to the IIHF as a Mentor Coach everywhere from India to Turkey; at the IIHF Development Camps in Vierumaki, Finland; and as an organizer at three Youth Olympic Games.
The award goes to a person who has made a dedicated, innovative, and selfless contribution to youth hockey development and the success of this sport worldwide.
This year’s recipient is Markus Graf, the director of youth sport and development for the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation. A Biel native, the former two-time champion with HC Lugano created and implemented Switzerland’s FTEM program (Foundation, Talent, Elite, Mastery) and spent eight years on the IIHF’s Development and Coaching Committee, among other achievements.
Graf paid tribute to Bollue in his acceptance speech: “He showed me what passion is able to achieve. He was full of belief and dedication and he supported young people. And I truly believe in the ability of our sport to give young athletes values and standards that enable us to live together better. Thanks for all the friendships – I’ve built so many around the rinks.”
The 2024 Inductees – Natalie Darwitz (U.S.), Mel Davidson (Canada), Jaromir Jagr (Czechia), Kenny Jonsson (Sweden), Igor Liba (Slovakia), Petteri Nummelin (Finland), Jaroslav Pouzar (Czechia), and Ryan Smyth (Canada) – will be celebrated on Sunday.
“We love this ceremony so much that we wanted to make two ceremonies,” IIHF President Luc Tardif said at the gala event, which was emceed by TSN broadcaster and IIHF Hall of Famer Gord Miller. Dramatic video footage and music heightened the ambience.
Given that two Czech cities (Prague and Ostrava) are co-hosting this year’s IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, the Milestone Award got special attention. The recipient was the 1998 Czech Olympic men’s hockey team, which unexpectedly captured the gold medal at the first Winter Games with full NHL participation.
The Milestone Award goes periodically to teams that have made a significant contribution to international hockey history, and the Nagano champs certainly fit that description. Backstopped by legendary goalie Dominik Hasek, they upset the favoured Americans, Canadians, and Russians en route to their country’s first Olympic title ever. Heroes of ‘98 on stage included Jagr, Robert Reichel, Martin Rucinsky, Martin Prochazka, and Jiri Slegr, among others.
“Everybody expected a final between the U.S. and Canada,” Slegr recalled in a speech on behalf of the team. “But we knew what we wanted. We wanted to win. We made a revolution in our country. All the people in our country were proud of us. One man I must mention, because he’s not here: [the late coach] Ivan Hlinka. He made this group work, and I want to thank him, because he deserves it.”
The inaugural IIHF Media Award went to Al Michaels. The longtime U.S. sports broadcaster is best-known for his “Do you believe in miracles?” call during the U.S.’s 4-3 upset over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. Michaels, now 79, also covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series, but his climactic words during the “Miracle on Ice” are a big part of why Sports Illustrated named it the “greatest sports moment of the 20th century.”
“It served to galvanize my whole country at a time when the United States needed a big emotional boost, and it came from, of all things, a hockey team,” Michaels said in a statement delivered by USA Hockey president Mike Trimboli.
Dezso Varga got the Richard “Bibi” Torriani Award – celebrating excellence among nations outside the elite – for his outstanding contributions to Romanian hockey. A former national team captain, he is the only Romanian to play in three Olympics (1964, 1968, 1976), and also suited up at his country’s lone top-level Worlds in 1977, racking up three points in a 5-4 upset over the Americans.
The two-time national champion with Miercurea Ciuc (1960, 1963), now 85, could not attend due to health reasons. So Romanian Ice Hockey Federation president Atilla Ferenc-Nagy delivered Varga’s statement, which focused on life lessons: “Ever since I was a small boy, hockey has been my greatest passion, and I’m forever grateful for what the game has given me. Hockey made me disciplined and focused by giving me goals in life. Hockey taught me that success is not just about me, but about working with others. Be humble in victory, acknowledge defeat with grace. Regardless of the score, there was always the passion, and I believe it translated to a greater passion for life.”
Anatolii Brezvin, the longtime President of the Ukraine Ice Hockey Federation (2006-2020), received the Paul Loicq Award for outstanding service to international hockey. His numerous achievement include spearheading the building of some 60 hockey arenas across Ukraine, hosting Division I-A and I-B events, and establishing a women’s national team program and youth hockey programs.
Brezvin, in his next chapter as an Honourary President, also helped to keep thousands of Ukrainian hockey players safe after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“As our beloved Ukraine is enduring the worst, with adults and children dying, the game of hockey is especially important for our children,” said Brezvin, who repeatedly thanked the IIHF and other hockey federations for standing behind Ukraine. “It helps to preserve their physical and mental health while facing the horrors of war. For us, the support of the international community is an important step toward peace. We believe in the power of sport and the friendship of the international community.”
The 2023-founded Johan Bollue Award is named in honour of the late Sports Development Director for the Royal Belgian Ice Hockey Federation, who passed away at age 57 in 2021. Bollue distinguished himself in tireless service to the IIHF as a Mentor Coach everywhere from India to Turkey; at the IIHF Development Camps in Vierumaki, Finland; and as an organizer at three Youth Olympic Games.
The award goes to a person who has made a dedicated, innovative, and selfless contribution to youth hockey development and the success of this sport worldwide.
This year’s recipient is Markus Graf, the director of youth sport and development for the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation. A Biel native, the former two-time champion with HC Lugano created and implemented Switzerland’s FTEM program (Foundation, Talent, Elite, Mastery) and spent eight years on the IIHF’s Development and Coaching Committee, among other achievements.
Graf paid tribute to Bollue in his acceptance speech: “He showed me what passion is able to achieve. He was full of belief and dedication and he supported young people. And I truly believe in the ability of our sport to give young athletes values and standards that enable us to live together better. Thanks for all the friendships – I’ve built so many around the rinks.”