Dominik Hasek Caps Off Dominating Career With Hall Of Fame Induction

Dominik Hasek will be inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame, capping off a career that included an unprecedented two Hart Trophies as NHL MVP and a Stanley Cup trophy with the Detroit Red Wings.

Inductions were announced on Monday, with a class that also included Peter Forsberg and Rob Blake. Another inductee, Mike Modano, was a member of the Dallas Stars team that beat Hasek and the Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals.

Dominik Hasek was nearly untouchable in his prime with the Buffalo Sabres. He led the league in save percentage for six consecutive seasons in the mid 1990s, including a.937 in 1998-98. He won six Vezina Trophies to go along with his two league MVPs — making him the only goalie to win the Hart Trophy two times.

Hasek was known for acrobatic saves as well as dominating stretches. This brilliant play was on display during several playoff runs with the Sabres as well as the 1998 Olympics, where he allowed just six goals in six games to lead the Czech Republic to a gold medal.

Hasek left Buffalo amid a bit of controversy, with reports that he didn’t want Ted Nolan to return as coach. Rumors also circulated at the time that Hasek was faking an injury that kept him out of the playoffs.

But the ill feelings faded for many Sabres fans, and this past season the team brought Hasek back to honor him before a game. He and Nolan, who is back as Buffalo’s coach, even had a chance to talk.

At the time, Hasek said the past was left in the past.

“Whatever happened, what can I say about it? Sometimes you feel a different way than the other person, sometimes you feel that your decision is better than his decisions,” he said. “But I think on the ice that one or two years that we were together we done a good job for this organization, and I’m looking forward to seeing him and I wish him good luck to improve the Sabres.”

After leaving the Sabres, Dominik Hasek led the Red Wings to the cup in 2002, playing 23 games that postseason and notching a.920 save percentage. Hasek won another cup in 2008 at age 43, but saw little playing time in a backup role.