TORONTO — The seven members of the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2024 were inducted Monday.

Here are some of the key moments from the induction speeches of Shea Weber, Pavel Datsyuk, Jeremy Roenick, Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl in the Player category, and David Poile and Colin Campbell and the Builder category.

SHEA WEBER: ‘Friendship and mentorship’

Shea Weber opened by giving his “deepest sympathies and prayers” to the Gaudreau family, who lost brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau on Aug. 29.

Then, in a speech in which he thanked many people who had an impact on his career, he said his journey was marked by two essentials: friendship and mentorship.

He said it started for him in Sicamous, British Columbia, where he gathered with his friends on Spruce Street almost every day. They played road hockey, skated on outdoor rinks and sneaked extra ice time at the local arena.

“We were just friends, pretending to be the NHL players we admired, dreaming of scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal in Game 7 of the finals, only to do it over again the next day,” he said.

Weber thanked David Poile, Barry Trotz and the Nashville Predators “for giving me a chance to live out my childhood dream in a city I now consider a second home.” Poile was the general manager when he played in Nashville from 2005-16. Trotz was the coach for his first nine seasons.

“I’m forever grateful for the lessons in life, hockey and leadership you guys shared with me,” he said.

He thanked Geoff Molson, Marc Bergevin and the Montreal Canadiens “for giving me a chance to play in the most passionate hockey city I think I’ve ever seen.” Molson was the owner and Bergevin the GM when Montreal acquired Weber from Nashville on June 29, 2016.

“I think I should be thanking David Poile for that too,” he said, drawing laughter. “The fans welcomed me in after the trade and made me feel at home, as if I’d been there my whole career. I want to thank the great fans of Montreal for those memories, especially during the Stanley Cup run in 2021. Merci beaucoup.”

Weber said some of his favorite times were playing internationally for Canada.

“To this day, my love for the game remains strong, even if my body didn’t hold up as long as I’d hoped,” said Weber, who was 35 when he played his final season in 2020-21. “It’s because there’s so much to be grateful for when playing this game.

“And it’s not just the big moments, grinding out a playoff win or taking home Olympic gold. It’s in the small, seemingly routine moments that matter the most. It’s those friendships built during countless plane and bus rides, team dinners, breaking things down in the trainer’s room. It’s when a veteran player takes you under their wing and shows you what it truly means to be a professional.

“I want to thank all those players who demonstrated the importance of hard work and dedication. By passing on your knowledge to the next generation, you’re ensuring that the spirit of this game continues to thrive.

“It’s also when the coaches and staff teach you the nuances of the game. They challenge you to get better every day.” — Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Natalie Darwitz: A family affair

Darwitz started her speech by sharing how she fell in love with the game.

“As a little girl, growing up in Minnesota, I never dreamed of being inducted in the Hall of Fame. I was too busy putting on my brother’s hockey equipment, My Little Pony Rollerblades and pretending that I was on the Minnesota North Stars converting 2-on-1s with Neil Broughton in our unfinished basement in Egan, Minnesota,” she said. “I wasn’t your everyday little girl, and somehow my mom was on to me. Despite some obvious distraction techniques on her part, in the name of tap dancing classes and shopping trips, she knew where my heart was, and on my fifth birthday, my blonde French braid strolled into the hockey rink.”

One poignant moment was when she thanked Wendell-Pohl, who was a teammate at the University of Minnesota and for the U.S. national team.

“I was fortunate enough to also start my USA journey with Krissy Wendell. Krissy is one of the best players I’ve ever seen play the game. Krissy and I also couldn’t be more opposite off the ice. She was social, I was quiet. We played 10 years together, most of them as linemates, but most importantly, we were good friends off the ice. There’s absolutely no way I would be here tonight without Krissy. So, it’s fitting we are entering the Hall of Fame together.”

She then thanked her Uncle Steve, who took the moment to stand up in the middle of ceremony to let everyone know he was there.

“Every family has that uncle, and mine’s here tonight,” she said. “Growing up, you took me into the outdoor rinks. You taught me how to drive a car well before I was of age, and you’re always at my games with that fist pump you just showed giving me the ‘atta girl Nattie.’”

After thanking her brother and sister, perhaps the most touching moment came when she thanked her mom for letting her follow her dream of playing hockey, which included leaving home at the age of 15 to join the U.S. national program.

“Mom, thank you for letting me be me. I’m sure you had different dreams for me as your youngest daughter, but you let me follow my own dreams. Now that I’m a mom, I know it couldn’t have been easy to let me leave at such a young age and follow my dreams, but you did, and you supported me and guided me every step of the way,” she said. “With you, it was never about my performance, how many goals scored, if we won. It was always about if I was happy, if I was having fun and following my dreams. Thank you, Mom.

“Dad, thank you. When I was growing up, I wanted to go everywhere with you, especially to the rink. Thank you for letting me tag along and become a rink rat. You shared your love and passion for me and helped fuel my dreams. It was a bonus that you were my coach, and we were able to go to the rink together every day. You taught me how to work hard for what I wanted and do things the right way. You taught me to let my actions speak for themselves. Hockey created a special bond between us.”

She concluded by thanking her sons, Joseph and Zach.

“When I shared we were going to Toronto, you didn’t ask why, you just asked if the hotel had a pool. I know you have no idea the meaning of tonight and why you’re wearing those tuxes that you look absolutely adorable in. But it’s okay, because the thing I’m most proud of is being your mom. I’m going to do the best I can to raise you and support you and have you dream big, and I will constantly remind you that you, and only you, make your own rules for your journey.” — Bill Price, VP, Editor-in-Chief