Former Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock among the 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame class

Goalies Henrik Lundqvist, Mike Vernon, and Tom Barrasso were also elected, as were Pierre Turgeon, Caroline Ouellette, and Pierre Lacroix.

Ken Hitchcock, who coached the Flyers for three-plus seasons, was elected into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday.Read moreRON CORTES / Staff File Photo

by Gustav Elvin

Published June 21, 2023, 7:57 p.m. ET

While the Hockey Hall of Fame waits will go on for former Flyers Rod Brind’Amour and Jeremy Roenick, the call to the hall did come Wednesday for former Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock.

Hitchcock, who was chosen in the “builder” category, was among the seven-person class announced by the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee. The 71-year-old, who ranks fourth all-time with 849 wins (.599 points percentage) and won the Stanley Cup behind the bench of the Dallas Stars in 1999, coached the Flyers from 2002-06.

With the Flyers, Hitchcock was 131-73-28-21 (.614 points percentage) and led the Orange and Black to the playoffs in all three of his full seasons as head coach. The Flyers lost in the conference semifinals in 2003, came up just short in seven games to a John Tortorella-led Tampa Bay Lightning team in the conference finals in 2004, and lost in the first round in 2006 after the NHL lockout.

Hitchcock was fired on Oct. 22, 2006, after the Flyer started 1-6-1. He previously served as an assistant for three years in Philadelphia between 1990-93. Hitchcock also coached the Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, and Edmonton Oilers, winning the Jack Adams in 2012, and three Olympic gold medals, a World Cup of Hockey title, and a World Junior Championships as a coach with Team Canada.

From a player perspective, the class was highlighted by the goaltenders as three goalies — Henrik Lundqvist, Tom Barrasso, and Mike Vernon — got the nod. Lundqvist, who ranks sixth in all-time wins by a goalie with 459 (all with the New York Rangers) and won the 2012 Vezina Trophy, was elected in his first year of eligibility. Barrasso won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins and was a five-time Vezina finalist (winning as a rookie in 1984). A five-time All-Star and two-time Cup winner, Vernon said he was shocked to receive the call.

Forward Pierre Turgeon, who previously had the most points of any eligible player not in the hall with 1,327, also was elected after a long wait. Canadian women’s hockey star Caroline Ouellette and former executive Pierre Lacroix rounded out the class. Ouellette, a four-time gold medalist, and six-time world champion, got in at the second time of asking. Lacroix, who died in 2020, was posthumously elected as a builder largely based on his role as the general manager who built the Colorado Avalanche teams that won the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001.

The news was not as good for Alex Mogilny or former Flyers Brind’Amour and Roenick. Roenick, who has been eligible since 2012, was again snubbed despite his 1,216 points now being the most among eligible players not elected. Brind’Amour, who has been eligible since 2013 and now is fourth on that points list, was also left out. Roenick and Brind’Amour can take some hope from Barrasso and Vernon’s elections, as both waited at least 17 years to hear their name called.