Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2023: Speech Highlights and Twitter Reaction

Seven iconic figures were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Monday night.

Tom Barrasso, Henrik Lundqvist, Pierre Turgeon, Mike Vernon, and Caroline Ouellette were inducted in the player category while Ken Hitchcock and the late Pierre Lacroix were inducted in the builder category.

Turgeon was one of the top centers throughout his 19 seasons in the NHL, as his 1,327 points recorded during his career ranks 34th all-time. The former No. 1 pick of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft had three seasons with at least 40 goals. This included 58 in his 1992-93 campaign, a year in which Turgeon also received the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

He played for six teams throughout his career, spending at least four seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, and New York Islanders.

Ouellette took the stage next. The legendary Canadian forward won four Olympic gold medals and six World Championship gold medals throughout her international career. She was also a two-time MVP in the Canadian Women's Hockey League.

She holds the Olympic record for most goals in a period, scoring three against Italy in 2006. Ouellette became the 10th woman in the history of the sport to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Next up was Ken Hitchcock, who was the head coach for five different franchise throughout his Hall of Fame career. He has the fourth most wins of any NHL coach in the league's history, ending his career with 849.

Hitchcock added 47 more wins in the playoffs, including a Stanley Cup victory with the Dallas Stars in 1999. He was also the recipient of the Jack Adams Award following his 2011-12 season leading the St. Louis Blues.

Pierre was the second member of the builder category inducted, as he was honored posthumously.

He switched from a long-time agent to the general manager of the Quebec Nordiques in 1994. The team eventually moved to Colorado, becoming the Avalanche. Lacroix constructed two Stanley Cup-winning Avalanche teams, earning the iconic trophy in both 1996 and 2001. A Colorado hockey legend, Lacroix passed away in Dec. 2020 at 72 years old.

His grandson Max accepted the honor on his behalf.

Barrasso spent time with six teams throughout his 19-year career, with 12 of those years coming as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was a part of Stanley Cup-winning Penguins teams in 1991 and 1992.

He's still the youngest player to ever receive the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender, winning it at age 19.

Mike Vernon was next, as the renowned goaltender won the Stanley Cup twice during his 19-year career.

He spent most of his time as a professional with the Calgary Flames, ranking second on the franchise's saves list with 12,186.

He won the William M. Jennings Trophy in 1996, then received the Conn Smythe Trophy the following year as he recorded 16 wins for the Detroit Red Wings during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Vernon's 385 career wins are the 16th-most in NHL history.

Henrik Lundqvist wrapped up the festivities, as the 2012 Vezina Trophy-winner spent the entirety of his career with the New York Rangers.

He's the only goalie in NHL history to win more than 20 games in 13 straight seasons. Lundqvist is the winningest goaltender in Rangers history, recording a career-high 39 victories during his award-winning 2011-12 campaign.

His 459 career wins are the sixth-most of any NHL netminder, and the most by any European-born goalie.

While it may be a bit too early to look ahead of 2023's star-studded list of inductees, next year's eligible candidates include Ryan Miller, Patrick Marleau, Pekka Rinne, and Shea Weber.