2023 Induction Class

Charlie Huddy is one of only seven Edmonton Oilers who was a member of all five of the franchise’s Stanley Cup winning teams (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990).

Charlie also was a member of Team Canada in 1984, winning the Canada Cup. He tallied two assists in seven games.

His 17-year NHL playing career included 11 seasons with the Oilers (1980-1991), along with stints in Los Angeles (1991-95), Buffalo (1995-96, 1996-97), and St. Louis (1995-96). He played 1,017 NHL regular season games, along with 183 playoff games, totalling 118 goals and 420 assists. Along with the five Stanley Cups with the Oilers, Charlie reached the finals with Los Angeles in 1993.

During his time with the Oilers, the undrafted stalwart on the blueline became renowned for his plus/minus statistics. Charlie was the NHL’s first recipient of the Plus/Minor Award in 1983 with a +62. He followed that with back-to-back seasons of +50 as he was an integral part of those Stanley Cup champion teams. Charlie was twice selected the Oilers’ defenceman of the year and was named the team’s unsung hero on two other occasions.

After his retirement as player, Charlie made the move behind the bench. He got an unofficial start as a coach in his final year with the Sabres when he was sent to their farm team in Rochester. Instead of leaving the game, Charlie worked with the young Sabre prospects, teaching them about strategies and responsibilities needed in the NHL.

Charlie’s coaching career started as head coach of the East Coast Hockey League’s Huntington Blizzard (1997-98). He then served as an assistant coach for 23 years with the New York Rangers (1998-2000), Oilers (2000-09), Dallas Stars (2009-11), and Winnipeg Jets (2011-22). He had one trip to the Stanley Cup finals with the Oilers in 2006, losing in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Charlie is a native of Scarborough, ON. His junior hockey career included the Markham Waxers and Oshawa Generals, before his first professional stop with the Houston Apollos of the Central Hockey League.

He and his wife Karen have been married 43 years, and now live in Fort Saskatchewan. They have two children, and five grandchildren.

Tim Hunter spent more than four decades as player and coach in the National Hockey League and Western Hockey League, highlighted by winning the Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989.

On the ice, Tim’s 18-year professional career started in 1979 when he was drafted by the Atlanta Flames. After the franchise moved to Calgary, Tim played 11 seasons with the Calgary Flames (1981-1992). During that time, the Flames won the Presidents Trophy twice, two Smythe Division championships, two Campbell Conference championships, and participated in two Stanley Cup finals (1985 and 1989), hoisting the Cup in 1989.

Tim’s playing career continued another five seasons, with the Quebec Nordiques (1992-93), Vancouver Canucks (1992-96) and San Jose Sharks (1996-97). The Canucks won the Smythe Division championship, Campbell Conference championship and advanced to the Stanley Cup final in 1994. Tim’s career statistics as a player included 815 regular season games, 132 playoff games, 150 total points, and 3,572 penalty minutes.

Following his retirement as a player, Tim made the transition behind the bench, starting as an assistant coach and eventually the first Development Coach with the Washington Capitals (1997-2002) and reaching the Stanley Cup final in 1998. Tim helped bring the Capitals into the digital age, editing game footage on laptops and producing the first game footage for NHL players on CD. Tim also helped mentor and teach the newly created position of video coach, along with adding a Smart Board and Smart Technologies to the dressing room.

Tim’s NHL coaching career also included assistant coach stints in San Jose (2002-08), Toronto (2008-11) and Washington again in 2012-13. The Sharks won two Pacific Division championships, and Washington captured the Southeast Division title during Tim’s tenure. His professional coaching career included more than 1,000 games behind the bench. He also became certified to coach and mentor with the Positive Coaching Alliance.

The next stage in Tim’s coaching career saw him move to the WHL as the head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors (2014-2020). In his second season, the Warriors reached the second round of the playoffs, and for three straight seasons the Warriors topped 40 wins and 20 road wins, including winning the Scotty Munro Trophy as the WHL regular season champions (52 wins and 109 points). Tim finished with a 189-134-25-8 record, the franchise record wins as a coach.

Tim also emerged as a leader behind the bench for squads representing Canada on the international scene. His positions included:

• 2015: head coach, Team Canada U18 World Championships in Switzerland (bronze)
• 2016-17: head coach, WHL CIBC Russia Series team; assistant coach, Team Canada World Juniors (silver).
• 2017-18: head coach, Team WHL vs Russia; assistant coach, Team Canada World Juniors (gold)
• 2018-19: head coach, Team Canada’s World Juniors; head coach, Team WHL vs Russia; coach, Team Canada, Sport Chek World Junior Showcase (champs).

Away from hockey, Tim is a familiar face in the Calgary area working with various community groups, including: Power Play ambassador for the Calgary Police Youth Foundation, Flames First Start program, the Flames Alumni Hockey School, Heros Hockey, Canadian Down Syndrome Society, Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Association, The 65 Roses Sports Club and Rehabilitation Association of Calgary. Tim is also a member of the Calgary Flames Alumni Board.

As a leader in the community, he was awarded the Ralph Scurfield Humanitarian Award, and nominated twice for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, the Bill Masterton Trophy and the Bud Man of the Year award.

Earl Ingarfield Sr. played in the National Hockey League for 13 seasons (1958-71), totalling 746 games, 179 goals, 226 assists and 405 points in his career.

For the native of Lethbridge, his career got its start on home ice, as he starred in the Western Canada Junior Hockey League for the hometown Lethbridge Native Sons (1952-55). Earl played four years of junior (his first year was with Medicine Hat) and led the league in goals the last two seasons, and won the overall scoring race in his final season.

His pro career got off to a bright start with three strong years with the Saskatoon Quakers and Winnipeg Warriors before joining the New York Rangers (1958-67) for nine seasons. He became a regular with the Rangers in the 1960-61 season, often forming an effective forward unit with Andy Bathgate and Dean Prentice. Following the 1961-62 season he received the team’s Player’s Player Award for zeal and effectiveness. In the 2009 book 100 Ranger Greats, the authors ranked Earl at No. 79 all-time of the more than 900 players who had played for the Rangers during their first 82 seasons.

Earl was the first player selected by the new NHL franchise Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1967 expansion draft, joining Bathgate in adding leadership and offence to the young squad. Earl scored 37 points despite losing nearly 30 games to a knee injury. He was named Penguins captain for the 1968-69 season but was traded to the Oakland Seals late in the 1968-69 season and retired with the California Golden Seals in 1971.

After retiring, Earl accepted the head coaching position of the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League, staying for only a year due to family considerations.

In 1972, Earl accepted a scouting position with the expansion New York Islanders. Then, halfway through the 1972-73 season, he was persuaded to take over the coaching reigns for the final 30 games of the inaugural season after Phil Goyette was fired as head coach. Earl went back to scouting for two more years and was instrumental in drafting future Stanley Cup champions Bob Nystrom, Clark Gillies, Bryan Trottier, Duane Sutter, and Brent Sutter.

Earl’s career concluded with two years at the helm of the Lethbridge Broncos, as coach and assistant general manager (1974-76). He was also a part of owner of the Broncos when they moved to Lethbridge.

Earl was inducted into the Lethbridge and Southern Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1985, the New York Rangers Alumni Hall of Fame in 2002, and honoured by the New York Islanders in 2006. In 2007, he was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

Earl’s son, Earl Jr., also enjoyed a solid professional career, with NHL stints in Atlanta, Calgary and Detroit, and parts of seven seasons in the Central Hockey League, American Hockey League and International Hockey League.

Karen Kost spent 34 years as a hockey referee, linesperson and leader in training and mentoring on-ice officials across Alberta and Canada.

Karen officiated almost every level of hockey nationally and internationally and served as leader and mentor for young officials across the province. She was also the first female official in Canada to earn Level 5 certification.

Born in Peterborough, ON, Karen moved to Calgary in 1976, and in 1978 started an officiating career that lasted until 2012. On the ice, Karen worked four different sets of international events and three sets of national championships:

• IIHF World Championships, 1992 (Finland) and 1994 (Lake Placid)
• European Championships, 1996 (Russia), where she refereed the gold medal game
• Pre-Olympic World Training Camp, 1996 (Andorra and Spain)
• Pre-Olympic Women’s National Team games, 1998 and 2001 (Calgary and Red Deer)
• Canada Winter Games, 1991, Charlottetown (lines in the bronze medal)
• Esso Cup, seven events between 1986 and 2000, worked the gold medal game six times
• CIS National Championship (1998, 2000), refereed the gold medal game both times

She also skated the highest levels of hockey in Alberta as a referee and linesperson, including Senior A, Junior B, and Midget and Bantam AAA.

Karen served in important leadership roles at the national level. She was Supervisor of Officials or Referee in Chief at two Esso Cups (2006, 2007); two U18 Championships (2006, 2009); two Midget AAA National Championships (2009, 2011); the IIHF 4 Nations Cup (2007); the Female Midget AAA Western Canada championships (2008); and the CIS Nationals (2010). As well, she was an instructor at four Hockey Canada National Seminars across the country between 1992 and 2008.

Within Alberta, Karen’s resume is an impressive list of volunteer leadership roles – at the zone and league levels, as well as provincially. The list of accomplishments includes:

• 21 years as an officiating instructor (1988-2009)
• North Central Zone executive member (1986-1994), Ponoka RIC and assignor
• North Zone executive member (2007-2012), female program coordinator.
• Hockey Alberta Referee Committee (1999-2012): roles included development coordinator for female officials to Hockey Canada, Female Program Coordinator, Referee Coordinator for the Major Midget and Major Bantam female leagues, and Female Development Coordinator.
• Instructor at the Shooting Star Hockey Camp in Stettler (1993-2003), teaching players the rules and respect for officials

Over the years, Karen has been recognized in Ontario, Alberta and by Hockey Canada for her work as an official, as well as a significant playing career in several sports. Honours include:

• 1996: Sir Sandford Fleming College (Peterborough), Premier’s Award Winner and Wall of Honour
• 1998: Kenner Collegiate High School (Peterborough), Hall of Honour
• 1999: Hockey Alberta North Zone Mike Bugaida award, Dedication by a Female to Officiating
• 2009: Hockey Alberta Referee Council Outstanding Contribution Award
• 2009: Ernie Boruk Award, Outstanding Dedication and Commitment Award
• 2010: Hockey Alberta Development Award
• 2012: Hockey Canada’s Female Hockey Breakthrough Award for outstanding contribution to advancing female hockey

2016: Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Induction in the Builder Category

Robert Olynyk, or Bobby ‘O’ as he is known in hockey circles, has been a familiar face in Alberta’s hockey world since he started volunteering in rinks in 1966.

Bobby ‘O’ has done it all over his more than half century of involvement – from cleaning the ice surface, working as a trainer for junior teams, doing stats for the Oilers and Oil Kings and coaching at various levels.

Bobby ‘O’ is best known for his leadership with the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League (AMHL), now known as the U18AAA division in the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL). He got his start coaching hockey in 1977 at the Major Bantam level where he won five consecutive City Championships. In 1985 he took over as the coach for the Maple Leaf Athletic Club (MLAC) Major Midgets. When he moved away from coaching in the mid-1980s, Bobby ‘O’ was asked to help at the executive level of the AMHL. Beginning in 1987, he alternated between president and vice-president of the league until 2020, when he became the inaugural governor for the AEHL’s U18AAA division.

Along the way, working with Hockey Canada, exhibition games were scheduled between teams in the league and the Canadian Women’s National Team as they prepared for the Olympics or World Championships. He has also been tireless with the league’s scholarship fund, which provides a scholarship to a player from each team in the U18AAA division.

Bobby ‘O’ takes a lot of pride in the scholarship program and golf tournament he initiated. The golf tournament raises $25,000-$30,000 annually and has raised almost $1 million over the years in support of graduating players in the league. Recipients of these scholarships are awarded funds to use for any post-secondary education. He is also Chair and the driving force behind the scholarship program for the Edmonton U15AA Invitational Tournament of Champions.

Other accomplishments for Bobby ‘O’ include:

• 1967-72: Gate Keeper, Trainer, Equipment Manager, Road Manager for Crosstown Motor City Maple Leafs (AJHL)
• 1971-78: Team statistician, Edmonton Oilers (WHA)
• 1971-75: Team statistician, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
• 1975: Marketing of Advertising and Season Tickets, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
• 2002-03: Scout for Everett (WHL)
• 2007-13: Off-ice minor officials Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

Bobby ‘O’s decades of service have been recognized by the Maple Leaf Athletic Club and Hockey Edmonton with Life Member status, a Hockey Alberta Centennial Award in 2007, and the Hockey Alberta President’s Award in 2011, in recognition of exceptional service to hockey in Alberta. 

John Utendale was the first Black hockey player to sign a National Hockey League contract - with the Detroit Red Wings in 1955.

That contract was signed three years before Willie O’Ree (Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2018) broke the NHL’s colour barrier in 1958 with the Boston Bruins. But O’Ree has said that it could easily have been Utendale, or O’Ree’s Boston teammate Stan Maxwell, or Herb Carnegie or Art Dorrington who could have the NHL’s first black player.

John attended several training camps with the Wings, skating with the likes of Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio and Red Kelly, but never played for the Red Wings, instead seeing action with Wings’ farm team, the Edmonton Flyers.

John was born in Edmonton in 1937, and his career got its start on the outdoor city rinks in Edmonton playing peewee, bantam and midget hockey. His post-minor hockey career started with the Edmonton Oil Kings, prior to his historic signing with the Red Wings. After that, he played three seasons with the Flyers, followed by stints with the Windsor Bulldogs and North Bay Trappers (Ontario Senior league), Quebec Aces (Quebec Hockey League), and Sudbury Wolves (Eastern Professional Hockey League).

In five games with the Aces in 1958-59, John was joined by O’Ree and Maxwell, playing together on “The Black Line.” John was also only the fourth black player to play Senior A hockey in Ontario, joining Herb and Ossie Carnegie and Manny McIntyre.

When he returned to western Canada, John married to Maryan “Mickey” Maddison Leonard in 1959 and started his university education. He earned his teaching certificate from the University of British Columbia in 1961, and his Bachelor of Education degree at University of Alberta. He worked for three years at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), becoming the school’s first Director of Physical Education and coaching the men’s hockey team (1966-67).

Throughout the 1960s, until his on-ice career ended in 1969, John was still playing, including stints with the Ponoka Stampeders, Edmonton Nuggets and Edmonton Monarchs, along with the Spokane Jets (Western International Hockey League). A highlight was playing against the Czechoslovakia national team and USSR with the Windsor Bulldogs in 1960.

With the conclusion of his playing career in 1969, John’s focus shifted to what would be a long and influential career in post-secondary education in the Washington State area. He earned a Master’s degree and then a Doctorate in Education before joining Western Washington State College (now University), becoming the first black faculty member of the Woodring College of Education. He also held numerous positions in the Washington state community, including leading the Higher Education Administration.

But hockey always played a significant role in John’s life. He was involved in hockey at the local, post-secondary and regional levels in Washington State. He helped found the Bellingham Area Minor Hockey Association and the city’s junior team (which he also coached), coached the Western Washington University Vikings team, and served as Western Regional Director for the Amateur Hockey Association of the U.S.

He was also an assistant training coach with the U.S. Olympic team in 1980, becoming the first black member of the coaching staff of the men’s hockey team. That team won gold at the “Miracle on Ice” Lake Placid Olympics.

John retired from Western Washington University in 2001, and he died in Bellingham, Washington in 2006.

The Edmonton Chimos Hockey Club was founded in 1973 and was the longest running Senior Women’s AAA hockey program in Alberta and was the first to represent Alberta at an official national championship.

The Chimos won the 1984 Senior Women’s Nationals in Spruce Grove beating Quebec in the final. The 1984 gold medal performance was preceded by silver medals in 1982 and 1983. The Chimos would defend their gold medal in 1985 defeating the Toronto Aeros and, over the course of the decade, would earn three gold medals, four silvers, and three bronze at the national championships.

Those championships marked the start of a decade of excellence where the Chimos showed their dominance but also their leadership in the growth women’s hockey. Provincially, the Chimos captured every Hockey Alberta provincial championship (Senior A, Female AA, Female AAA) from 1983-1993, along with three Abby Hoffman Cup National Women’s championships (1984, 1985, 1992).

For many years, the Chimos played in the Northern Alberta Female Hockey Association. For additional competition, the teams travelled to small towns around Edmonton to play Senior Men’s teams, exhibit their talent, and hone their skills.

The 1983-84 Chimos were inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame (AHHF) in 2006 and were the first ever team inducted into the AHHF. Shirley Cameron, who was one of the original Chimos dating back to 1973, was inducted in 2019. She is also a member of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2016).

Five members of the Chimos were part of the Team Canada roster in 1990 that captured the gold medal at the inaugural World Women’s Hockey Championship in Ottawa. Cameron was joined by goaltender Michele Patry, Dawn McGuire, France Montour and Judy Diduck. McGuire, Cameron and Diduck were also part of Team Canada in 1992 along with head coach Rick Polutnik. Jane Leglace would also go on to become a member of Team Canada

Decade of Excellence Team Members:

Lisa Adolphe, Brenda Anaka, Kathy Berg, Arron Best, Joanne Brander, Lil Brault (1983-84), Roxanne Cameron (McKean) (1983-84), Shirley Cameron (1983-84), Pam Cameron (1983-84), Cathy Columberg, Beth Davis, Judy Diduck, Jeanette Dudys, Cumley Dunn, Maureen Dupre (1983-84), Angie Barrette, Tammy Garrett, Suzette Gillingham, Donna Gorda, Marg Gray, Brenda Head, Alexis Hlady, Sharon Holobawich, Maureen Hyland, Shelleen Hyland (1983-84), Michelle Jameus, Tina Kristensen, Suzanne Lafrance, Jane Lagace (1983-84), Anne Landry (1983-84), Pauline Leger (1983-84), Leah Lilley (1983-84), Annette Manning, Holly Malinowski, Rose McEachern (1983-84), Dawn McGuire (1983-84), Deanna Miyauchi (1983-84), France Montour, Cathy Morgan, Cheryl Neilsen, Anita Nelson, Barb Nugent (1983-84), Michele Patry, Alison Ramsley (1983-84), Laurina Ranger (1983-84), Brenda Staniforth, Belinda Tymko (1983-84)

Team Staff:

• Dennis Wolff (coach) (1983-84)
• Brenda Smith (manager) (1983-84),
• Wilf Robinson
• Jim Sorenson
• Rick Polutnik