Kim St-Pierre breaks ground for female goalies in Hockey Hall of Fame

Mom and dad Louise and Andre inspired her to proceed, even nevertheless there have been no girls’ groups in Chateauguay, Que., in the 1980s.

The to start with female goaltender — and eighth woman — to make induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame played with and from boys her 1st 10 years in the activity.

“Staying the only woman, it was under no circumstances effortless,” St-Pierre mentioned. “I experienced to truly fight each and every working day not to grow to be the ideal, but to participate in amongst all the boys.

“It produced me the man or woman I am today, to hardly ever give up and constantly be ready every time I experienced a probability to phase on the ice.”

Her very first foray into women’s hockey with the McGill University Martlets coincided with the debut of women’s hockey at the 1998 Wintertime Olympics.

“My transition to the women’s recreation, I was about to quit hockey, but thank god for McGill University providing me a prospect to participate in for one more 5 a long time and transition to the women’s match,” St-Pierre reported. “It manufactured me have a possibility to be a section of Crew Canada down the highway.

“It was a dream for me to be on the that group one day.”

Observe | Iginla, St-Pierre direct 2020 course to Hockey Hall of Fame:

St-Pierre gained 3 Olympic gold medals and five environment championships with the Canadian women’s hockey team.

The 41-12 months-previous is Canada’s all-time chief in online games (83), wins (64) and shutouts (29).

St-Pierre posted a vocation 1.17 plans-from ordinary and preserve share of .939 more than her 13-year job with the nationwide workforce.

She enters the Corridor together with NHL gamers Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson and builder Ken Holland in the course of 2020 declared Wednesday.

“With any luck , this will permit individuals know about the accolades Kim has,” Canadian teammate and goaltender Sami Jo Smaller mentioned.

“She’s frequently ignored mainly because she’s quiet, mainly because she’s not really in the general public eye. She just experienced this silent solve to her.

“She just went out her business successful plenty of online games and actively playing for Team Canada for a lengthy time, which as a goaltender is not an quick feat.”

St-Pierre was Canada’s starter in entire world championship finals from 2001 to 2008. She was named the tournament’s top rated goalie in both of those 2001 and 2004.

Her 25-help you save functionality in the 2002 Olympic women’s hockey final was electric.

Canada claimed gold in an emotional 3-2 get in excess of the United States in Salt Lake City, immediately after losing the final to the Individuals in 1998.

St-Pierre was named the Canadian Women’s Hockey League leading goaltender a few moments in her career. She 2 times hoisted the Clarkson Cup championship trophy with the Montreal Stars.

She grew up idolizing Montreal Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy, as very well as Manon Rheaume who appeared in a pair of NHL pre-period game titles with the Tampa Bay Lightning when St-Pierre was a teenager.

Angela James and Cammi Granato were being the very first girls the Hall inducted in 2010, followed by Geraldine Heaney (2013), Angela Ruggiero (2015), Danielle Goyette (2017), Jayna Hefford (2018), Hayley Wickenheiser (2019) and now St-Pierre.

“When I initially located out girls would be inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame with Cammi Granato and Angela James, it designed it so distinctive for me to be a women’s hockey participant and now to join and be the eighth females in the Hockey Corridor of Fame makes it very, quite particular,” St-Pierre claimed.

“My message for all the young goalies is to by no means give up and to normally preserve it enjoyment.”