Mogilny was joined by fellow former NHL players Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara and Duncan Keith as well as women’s hockey stars Brianna Decker and Jennifer Botterill. Mogilny had been eligible for election 16 previous years going back to 2009, passed over time after time until getting in on the 17th chance.

Keith grew up watching Mogilny play for the Vancouver Canucks and marveled at how fast he was.

“I was sitting up in the nosebleed sections and he stood out just with his speed and skill,” Keith said. “I can remember it very clearly just how good he was in person. You see it on TV, but it was another level being able to witness that in person. It’s a huge honor to be inducted with everybody, and Alex is one of those guys. I think he’s probably happy that he’s inducted now, finally, and it’s especially a cool honor to go in with him.”

Ron Francis, chairman of the 18-person selection committee for the first time, in announcing Mogilny’s inclusion mentioned that Mogilny is one of just 30 players in the Triple Gold Club for winning the Stanley Cup and gold at the Olympics and world championships. Mogilny also led the league in goals in 1992-93 with a total of 76 that is tied for the fifth most in a single season.

Alexander Mogilny, the 20-year-old Soviet hockey player who defected to the United States last week, answers questions from the press at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, May 7, 1989. At left is interpreter Ester Findling. Mogilny was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. (AP Photo/Michael Groll)

All that came after Mogilny defected from the Soviet Union by leaving the 1989 world championships in Stockholm to join the Buffalo Sabres, who drafted him the previous year.

Mogilny, who along with Thornton and Chara were not on the annual conference call, said in a statement: “I am happy to be part of a great organization like the Hockey Hall. I want to thank both my Russian and NHL teammates for helping me achieve this honor.”

Outgoing Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald said Mogilny picked up when he finally got the call this time in the middle of the night in Russia.

“He actually answered the phone,” McDonald said. “Talk about a Hall of famer. That’s a Hall of Famer answering the phone at 3 o’clock in the morning.”

Keith, Thornton and Chara all got in in their first year of eligibility. Carey Price and Ryan Getzlaf were among the first-timers who did not get elected.

Buffalo Sabres' Jason Dawe (43) second from left, is congratulated by teammates Mark Astley (33). Alexander Mogilny (89) and Brian Holzinger (19) after scoring a goal in the first period of their NHL Stanley Cup playoff game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Sunday, May 7, 1995, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)

Thornton won the Hart Trophy and led the NHL in scoring in 2005-06, and his 1,539 points rank him 14th all time. Former teammate Mike Grier said Thornton “saw plays happening a step before they did and found lanes and through layers where you never really thought he was going to be able to get you the puck.”

“He was underrated, very tough and kind of mean,” said Grier, now general manager of the San Jose Sharks. “Not an easy guy to play against. He would fight. He would stick up for himself. He would stick up for his teammates. Just kind of a unique player who at that size and that reach could make the plays he could and make everyone around him better.”

Chara won the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman in ’08-09 and captained Boston to the Cup in 2011. Keith hoisted it three times with Chicago, including in 2015 as playoff MVP, and won the Norris twice.

This is just the third time in the decade and a half since the Hall of Fame began considering female candidates that two women were part of the same class.

Botterill was part of three Olympic championship teams for Canada and is the only player to win the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top NCAA women’s player twice. Decker also won the Kazmaier and was part of the next generation of U.S. women’s hockey, capturing gold at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang along with six world championship titles.

“It’s incredible to be a part of a class with her,” Decker said of Botterill. “She’s done so much for the game. Obviously I’m a little bit younger, but at the same time, I just tried to pave the way as much as possible just as much as she had.”

Longtime Boston University coach Jack Parker and women’s coach Daniele Sauvageau were elected in the builders category. Sauvageau, currently the GM for Montreal in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, is the first woman to make it in as a builder.

“When I received the call, I couldn’t talk,” said Sauvageau, who got the news hours before the PWHL draft after interviewing a player who could be chosen. “The timing could not have been better.”