Kimmo Timonen, who helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2015, is among five players and one builder who will be inducted into the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame this spring.
Forwards Ryan Smyth (Canada) and Alexei Yashin (Russia) and defensemen Mathias Seger and Mark Streit (Switzerland) will also be inducted in the player category, while Mong-Won Chung (South Korea) will go in as a builder. All six individuals will officially be inducted in a special ceremony May 24 in Zurich, Switzerland.
Timonen played 16 regular-season games and 18 playoff games for Chicago after he was acquired from the Flyers for two draft picks in February of 2015. The defenseman was diagnosed with blood clots in both of his lungs and right leg in August 2014, and missed the first 62 games of the season before the trade.
Timonen was the first player to receive the Stanley Cup following captain Jonathan Toews as he ended his 17-year career as a champion. Timonen played 1,108 career NHL games for the Predators (1998-2007), Flyers (2007-14) and Blackhawks.
Timonen played in five Olympic Games, winning silver in 2006 and bronze in 1998, 2010, 2014. He also played at seven World Championships (silver in 1998, 1999, 2001) and the 2004 World Cup, where he also took silver.
A major blueline upgrade for the IIHF Hall of Fame, as the Class of 2020 welcomes Finland’s Player Inductee Kimmo Timonen! Just two more inductees left to be announced! Story: https://t.co/JJWzP9pSkS pic.twitter.com/JPep2klB5d
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) February 4, 2020