Joe Pavelski, a notable figure in American hockey and one of only eight U.S.-born players to have competed in over 1,300 NHL games, has been elected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025, as announced by USA Hockey on Wednesday.
Joining Pavelski in this esteemed class are Scott Gomez, the first Latino to win the Calder Trophy for NHL rookie of the year and a two-time Stanley Cup champion; Zach Parise, who has played more than 1,250 games throughout his 19-season NHL career with four teams; Tara Mounsey, an Olympic gold medalist and an impressive women’s hockey player at Brown University; and Bruce Bennett, a highly respected photographer in the hockey world for over five decades.
A formal dinner and ceremony to honor these inductees will take place in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on December 10th.
On the same evening, the Lester Patrick Trophy will also be awarded, recognizing outstanding service to hockey in the United States.
Pavelski’s impressive career features 1,068 points, comprising 476 goals and 592 assists, achieved during 1,332 regular season games for the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks. Over his 18 seasons in the league, Pavelski participated in the Stanley Cup Playoffs 16 times. Notably, his 74 goals in 201 playoff games and 143 playoff points stand as records for U.S.-born players.
Hailing from Plover, Wisconsin, Pavelski was selected in the seventh round of the 2003 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks (No. 205 overall). During his 13 seasons with the Sharks, he became a key player, ranking second in the franchise’s history with 355 goals, third with 761 points, and fourth with 406 assists over 1,104 games. He served as the team’s captain from 2015 to 2019 and contributed significantly to their playoff successes, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016, where the Sharks fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
After five successful seasons with the Dallas Stars, Pavelski tallied another 307 points, made up of 121 goals and 186 assists, including a career-high 81 points during the 2021-22 season. Remarkably, he missed only two games throughout his time with Dallas. In the playoffs, he led the Stars with 13 goals in 27 games, guiding them to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, where they faced the Tampa Bay Lightning but were defeated in six games.
Internationally, Pavelski earned a silver medal representing Team USA at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and took on the role of team captain during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Scott Gomez, who will also be inducted, amassed 756 points over his NHL career, consisting of 181 goals and 575 assists from 1,079 games played with teams including the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, and Montreal Canadiens, among others. The Anchorage, Alaska, native, of Mexican-Colombian descent, was drafted in the first round (No. 27 overall) by the Devils in 1997.
Gomez is set to start his first season as head coach of the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League. He won the Calder Trophy in 2000 after posting 19 goals and 51 assists that season. A two-time NHL All-Star, he was instrumental in helping New Jersey clinch the Stanley Cup in 2000 and again in 2003. Throughout his playoff appearances, he accumulated 101 points over 149 games before retiring in 2016 after 16 seasons in the NHL.
Zach Parise, another 2025 Hall of Fame inductee, played 1,254 regular-season NHL games and participated in 122 postseason games for notable teams like the Devils and Minnesota Wild. After being selected by New Jersey in the first round (No. 17 overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft, the Minneapolis native made a significant impact, later joining the Wild as a free agent. Parise recorded 83 points in the playoffs, with his closest attempt at the Stanley Cup occurring in 2012 when he reached the Finals with New Jersey, ultimately losing in six games to the Los Angeles Kings.
Parise also enjoyed international success, winning a gold medal at the 2002 IIHF Under-18 World Championship and contributing to the U.S. National Junior Team’s gold medal at the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship. He added another silver medal to his accolades at the 2010 Olympics.
Tara Mounsey, another distinguished honoree, was pivotal in the U.S. women’s hockey team’s achievement of a gold medal at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, marking a historic first for the program. Regarded as one of the finest offensive defensemen, Mounsey registered multiple points in most of the games played, contributing two goals and four assists during the tournament. She also played a critical role in securing a silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, showcasing her talent with a team-high seven assists.
Mounsey’s hockey journey began on the boys’ high school team at Concord High School in New Hampshire, where she earned Player of the Year honors. Her college career at Brown University saw her help the team achieve a remarkable 28-2-1 record in her freshman year, garnering Ivy League and ECAC Rookie of the Year accolades. Outstandingly, she finished her collegiate career with 118 points in just 78 games before being inducted into the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011.
Finally, Bruce Bennett’s contributions to hockey have been monumental, having served as the team photographer for the New York Islanders from 1982 to 2004 before transitioning his company, Bruce Bennett Studios, to Getty Images. His record as the most prolific hockey photographer includes over 5,300 NHL games captured and coverage of six Winter Olympics, with a seventh soon to come in Milano Cortina 2026. Bennett’s impactful photography has endured through various iconic Stanley Cup Finals and international matches.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Bennett began his photography career in 1974 at Madison Square Garden and Nassau Coliseum. His lens has documented the intricate and exhilarating moments of hockey across 58 different NHL venues, amassing over 2.5 million images in his extensive archive, a testament to his enduring legacy in the sport.
image source from：nhl
