Hockey Clips

Thousands of hockey fans will flock to Canada next year for the 2011 Heritage Classic outdoor game. If you’re planning on being one of them, why not plan a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame while you’re there? Apart from honoring the players and “builders” who have made the game what it is, the Hall features 15 exhibit areas, covering a total of 57,000 square feet. Among them, you’ll find the histories of every member inducted into the Hall of Fame, along with classic trophies and equipment from the most historic games. Of course, the Stanley Cup is always on hand tooboth the modern version (sometimes replaced by a replica) and the original, which is located in a vault off of the Great Hall.There all also plenty of interactive exhibits in the NHLPA Be a Player Zone for the would-be NHL stars in your entourage. Visitors are invited to take their best shot against a computer version of goaltender Ed Belfour, or practice goaltending against virtual versions of Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier. Just because they’re pixelated doesn’t make them any less intimidating.The Hall of Fame was founded in 1943, although the building itself did not open until the Canadian National Exhibition Fair in 1958. Originally founded as a way to honor the most outstanding players, the exhibit soon expanded to feature coaches, referees, and other personalities who contributed to the sport. Some of the earliest inducted builders are Foster Hewitt (sports broadcaster), Clarence Campbell (NHL President 1946-1977), and Lord Stanley of Preston (founder of the Stanley Cup). Today the Hall of Fame also focuses on promoting hockey around the world, with regular exhibits on Olympic competitions and in-depth looks at all of the International Ice Hockey Federation member countries.