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HOCKEY HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS TO THE SELECTION COMMITTEE

Ron Francis, Jari Kurri and Bob McKenzie to become new members

Lanny McDonald, Chairman of the Board of the Hockey Hall of Fame, announced today the appointment of three new members to the Selection Committee to take effect in 2016. The appointments were approved at the Board of Directors meeting held November 10, 2015 and subsequently confirmed by the enrolment of the new members.

Ron Francis (Honoured Member/Class of 2007), Jari Kurri (Honoured Member/Class of 2001) and Bob McKenzie (2015 Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award Recipient) will join the Selection Committee replacing McDonald (who stepped down on July 1, 2015 to serve as Chairman of the Board), Mike Emrick (2008 Foster Hewitt Memorial Award Recipient) and Peter Stastny (Honoured Member/Class of 1998), the latter two whose terms will expire concurrent with the new appointments. At present, Francis is the Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, Kurri is the General Manager of the Finnish club Jokerit of the KHL and McKenzie is a hockey analyst and writer for TSN.

“I am very pleased and honoured to welcome Ron, Jari and Bob to the Selection Committee, as each of them bring a wealth of knowledge and experience that will complement the Committee’s deliberations in recognition of excellence in the game of hockey”, said McDonald. “I also extend our appreciation and gratitude to Mike and Peter for their distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the Selection Committee. Mike’s articulate perspective and Peter’s passion for the game will be missed during the on-going selection proceedings.”

In addition to these new appointments, Eric Duhatschek (2001 Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award Recipient), Michael Farber (2003 Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award Recipient) and Bill Torrey (Honoured Member/Class of 1995) were re-appointed to the Selection Committee each for a further three-year term expiring December 31, 2018.

The Selection Committee will meet on June 26 & 27, 2016 to consider duly nominated candidates for election into Honoured Membership. The announcement of the new inductees will be made on June 27, 2016 and the annual Induction Celebration will be held on Monday, November 14, 2016.

The Hockey Hall of Fame (“HHOF”) was established in 1943 to honour and memorialize individuals who have brought special distinction to the game of hockey and those who made outstanding contributions to the development and advancement of hockey anywhere in the world, and to collect, research, preserve, exhibit and promote objects, images and other historical materials connected with the game at all levels. As a not-for-profit corporation and registered charity, HHOF owns and operates a museum and place of entertainment offering state-of-the-art exhibits, multimedia presentations and educational programming from its premises at Brookfield Place, Toronto, Canada.

* Information provided via NHL Press Release