A historic Hockey Hall of Fame class will be inducted on Monday. For the first time in history, three women will be honoured in the same year.
Daniele Sauvageau becomes the first woman to be enshrined into the Builder category. The current general manager of the Montreal Victoire, Sauvageau, played an integral role in Canada’s seven consecutive IIHF Women’s World Championship gold medals up to 2004.
Moments after receiving her Hall of Fame ring on Saturday, the 63-year-old native of Montreal shared her vision for the future of the PWHL. “The vision is shared now by the world, and the Walter Group, and Billie Jean King, and Jayna Hefford who our leaders,” she said.
“It’s unbelievable, 27 months ago, we didn’t have a professional league. Now I’m talking about it like we’ve been existing for 20 years. We went from six teams to eight, and now we’re talking about more teams, which means more players, coaches, doctors, physiotherapists and PR people. So the industry of the sport is opening up to 50% of the population, which is women’s sport, and in this instance, the hockey world.”
In six Winter Olympics, Sauvageau was either coach, general manager, or coaching consultant with Team Canada. The pinnacle of her career was coaching the 2002 Olympic team to Canada’s first-ever women’s hockey gold at the Games in Salt Lake City.
That edition of the national team now has its eighth Hall of Fame member – seventh in the Player category – with Botterill’s induction.
“Jen is disciplined, thorough, and prepared, “ Sauvageau said of her protégé. “She hasn’t changed, and that is one of the reasons that she made the national team. She’s unbelievable, and that’s the reason why she’s here today.”
Indeed, Botterill’s credentials are impressive enough to leave even the most casual fan to ponder why the Winnipeg native hasn’t been inducted before 2025, her eleventh year of eligibility. Botterill won three Olympic gold medals, five women’s world championships, and remains the only two-time winner of the Patty Kazmaier Award as the best women’s player in U.S. college hockey.
The 2002 women’s Olympic gold medal game, won by Canada over the United States by a razor-thin 3-2 margin, is known infamously for the eight straight penalties called by the American referee against Canada. Two of the penalties were assessed against Botterill, on calls that were questionable, if not terrible.
But resiliently, Canada withstood the American onslaught to prevail in enemy territory. And as testament to Botterill’s defensive prowess, coach Sauvageau had “Botts” as one of five skaters for the final faceoff to protect Canada’s lead, en route to gold.
“Daniele was a coach that always supported me,” Botterill said. “I was fortunate to earn that trust. But for all of us, we recognized her leadership in a game like that, where some of the things you couldn’t control. I think we learned under her composure and poise to focus on what we could control. It was one of the biggest highlights in my life and career.”
Botterill retired from professional hockey in 2011, playing her last CWHL game for Toronto in the Clarkson Cup final, the team falling to Montreal. At the time, women’s players weren’t being paid to play, and games were being contested before sparse crowds. The championship game was attended by 2,300 fans that year, according to the game sheet.
With three young daughters – all involved in sports – Botterill couldn’t be more pleased at the evolution of women’s hockey; the top players now earning six-figure salaries and playing to global audiences.
“I’m just really happy and fulfilled with how far the game has come,” she said. “I know it wants to continue to grow, and I think the recent expansion of the PWHL is a great sign of encouragement. With three girls of my own that have been to several PWHL games, it’s just such a great example of athletes and females living out their dreams.
Decker, a 31 native of Dousman, Wisc., retired before the formation of the PWHL, but won championships in both the CWHL and PHF. With an Olympic gold medal with Team USA, complemented by six world championship golds, a women’s U-18 gold, and an NCAA title with Wisconsin, she is the only player in history to be victorious at each of those six levels.
“I was part of the growth period and that push for visibility of women’s hockey,” Decker said. “I’m honoured to be part of the group that helped to do that. Now the PWHL has really taken off and has a lot support from all over the world. And I think younger girls now have something to look up to. They’re no longer just trying to make it to college hockey, they’re trying to make it to the pros.”
All seven of this year’s inductees: builders Sauvageau and Jack Parker, and players Botterill, Decker, Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny and Joe Thornton will be officially enshrined Monday at the Hall of Fame’s annual ceremony in Toronto.
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