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Provincial pride

Scott Niedermayer inducted into B.C. Sports Hall of Fame
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Scott Niedermayer stands in the Memorial Arena with Hockey's Holy Grail after winning the Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2000. The Cranbrook native was inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame Thursday evening in Vancouver.

Taylor Rocca

Cranbrook’s Scott Niedermayer added another accolade to a long list of achievements when he was inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame Thursday evening in Vancouver.

“I was extremely fortunate to grow up in Cranbrook, a small town in the Kootenays a long way from here but still a part of the province,” Niedermayer said in opening his address Thursday at the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame Banquet of Champions.

“Being part of Team Canada at the Olympics in Vancouver, I’ve always been a proud British Columbian, and to get the opportunity to compete for my country in my home province…was a highlight. There’s a lot of connections [in my career] back to B.C. and I’m very proud of all those things.”

The 41-year-old’s list of accomplishments is long and spans across every stage he performed on. (See below for a list highlighting some of Niedermayer’s achievements.)

After being born in Edmonton, Alta., he was raised in Cranbrook from the age of three until moving to Kamloops at the age of 16, joining the WHL’s Blazers in 1989-90.

With the powerhouse Blazers, Niedermayer was a two-time WHL all-star (1991 and 1992) in addition to earning both the WHL and CHL Scholastic Player of the Year honours in 1991. When the Blazers claimed the 1992 Memorial Cup, Niedermayer was named tournament MVP.

The NHL’s New Jersey Devils drafted the left-handed rearguard with the third-overall selection of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. Upon his professional arrival during the 1992-93 season, Niedermayer had an immediate impact, being named to the NHL All-Rookie Team after tallying 11 goals and 40 points.

Over 1,263 NHL games, the smooth-skating defenceman made a case for himself as one of the greatest to ever play the game, earning the 2004 Norris Trophy for best defenceman and 2007 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. In 2007, Niedermayer also led the NHL in assists and points by a defenceman.

In addition to his Stanley Cup championships and World Junior Hockey Championship, Niedermayer was golden on the international stage as an Olympic champion (2002, 2010), IIHF World champion (2004) and World Cup champion (2004).

Niedermayer was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.

“I was really blessed playing along side some amazing players and some amazing players that didn’t mind doing some dirty jobs, paying the price to win hockey games,” Niedermayer said. “I’d like to thank all them.”

The 41-year-old Stanley Cup champion was inducted along with 10 other athletes, builders, pioneers, teams and members of the media.

Greg Athans (freestyle skiing, passed away in 2006), Sarah Burke (freestyle skiing, passed away in 2012), Lars Hansen (basketball), Joanne Sargent (basketball) were also inducted in the athlete category.

Bob Nicholson (hockey) and Dr. Jack Taunton (sports medicine) were inducted in the builder category.

The 1978 Doc’s Blues Women’s Softball Team from New Westminster was inducted as the only team.

Victoria’s Robert Powell (tennis) was inducted in the pioneer category. He reached the 1908 Wimbledon semi-finals. At the age of 36, Powell was killed while serving his country at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917.

Paul Carson (passed away in 2010) and Erwin Swangard (passed away in 1993) were inducted in the media category.

The 2014 B.C. Sports Hall of Fame is located at B.C. Place in Vancouver.

The B.C. Sports Hall of Fame is a non-profit society and has been honouring worthy individuals and teams for more than 40 years.

Including the 2014 inductees, there has been 344 individuals and 56 teams inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame.

A brief selection of highlights from the career of Scott Niedermayer:

Hockey Hall of Fame (2013)Canada Sports Hall of Fame (2013)Stanley Cup (1995, 2000, 2003, 2007)Olympic Gold medal (2002, 2010)World Junior Hockey champion (1991)World Cup of Hockey (2004)IIHF World Hockey Championship (2004)Memorial Cup Champion (1992)WHL Champion (1990, 1992)Norris Trohpy (2004)Conn Smythe Trophy (2007)NHL First-team All-Star (2004, 2006, 2007)Memorial Cup MVP (1992)WHL & CHL Scholastic POY (1991)