(elegant music) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (triumphant music) (triumphant music continues) (triumphant music continues) (triumphant music continues) (triumphant music continues) (triumphant music continues) (triumphant music continues) (triumphant music continues) (triumphant music continues) (triumphant music continues) - [Announcer] Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the 2025 Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame Enshrinement Celebration.

Please welcome the Chairman of the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame, Vincent Cimini.

(attendees clapping) - Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the 2025 Enshrinement Celebration of the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame.

So happy that you can all be with us this evening.

Before we begin our ceremonies, as we do every year, we welcome our good friend, Warwick native and popular anthem voice of the Boston Bruins, Todd Angilly, to sing our national anthem.

But this year, unfortunately, Todd isn't with us.

He has laryngitis and yesterday, he got what everybody or most people in this room have gotten over the years, a hockey smile.

He fell and broke his front tooth.

- [Attendees] Aw.

- So, Todd will not be with us tonight, but fortunately, we have him on tape from last year's event.

So, please stand (cutlery clinking) as we hear Todd sing our national anthem.

♪ O say can you see, by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ Whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪ ♪ Through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming ♪ ♪ And the rocket's red glare ♪ ♪ The bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free ♪ ♪ And the home of the brave ♪ (attendees clapping) - On behalf of the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame, it is my great pleasure to extend sincere congratulations to all of our honorees this evening on the 127th anniversary of organized hockey in Rhode Island.

Thank you for the memories and the achievements that we will do our very best to preserve and showcase for generations to come.

You know, each year, I'm greeted after our ceremonies with comments that each night was as much an education of Rhode Island hockey history as it was a coronation of those we honored.

I promise you we'll experience a similar wave of newfound knowledge about our legacy as we share the achievements of the honorees tonight and reinforcing Rhode Island's claim as the cradle of organized ice hockey in the United States.

Each year, the hall challenges itself to grow and expand our mission with the initiatives and new initiatives.

Last year, we held the very first Rhode Island High School All-Star showcase at Providence College's beautiful Schneider Arena.

You'll see slideshow of the event a couple of years ago.

The primary purpose of these televised games was to display the talents of the best boys and the best girls, playing in the oldest interscholastic hockey league in the nation to college coaches and recruiters.

It was a resounding success.

This year was no exception.

And partnerships and attendance provided a bonus.

Proceeds that helped launch our newest initiative, a scholarship program for deserving senior players to advance their educations and opportunity to continue their hockey journeys in college.

(upbeat music) - [Dave] The Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame is honored to shine a light on the inspiring and dedicated young men and women who combine athletic excellence and deep commitment to others.

Congratulations to the Hall's 2025 scholarship recipients.

From La Salle Academy, Madison Bradley, enrolling at the University of New England, and Tyler Garofalo at Babson College.

From Cranston West High School, Nick DiRaimo, enrolling at the University of Rhode Island.

From St.

Mary's Academy, Bayview, Rachel Palmer, enrolling at the University of Vermont.

From Bishop Hendricken High School, Logan Toussaint, enrolling at the University of New Haven.

From Smithfield High School, Meghan Falls, enrolling at Penn State, and Lily Riggin, at URI.

And from Barrington High School, Addyson Whittet, enrolling at the University of Wisconsin.

(upbeat music) (attendees clapping) (upbeat music) - Our 2026 All-Star showcase will be held on February 1st.

Once again, at Schneider Arena, and again on that otherwise quiet Sunday, between the NFL Division Championships game and the Super Bowl.

We promise an exceptional afternoon, showcasing the best of our young players.

And please save the date.

A little later on the Hall of Fame stage, we will again be honoring today's generation of Rhode Island High School All-State boys and girls.

First teams with the hope that they too will inspire the next generation and may one day call themselves Hall of Famers, as all of this evening's inductees were when they played their high school hockey.

We'll also be recognizing the achievement of yet another Rhode Island team, we've had many, that captured a national amateur championship earlier this year.

All of this, together with tonight's celebration and dinner, our virtual Hall of Fame website and our interactive Hall of Fame kiosk at the Amica Pavilion would not be possible without the tireless efforts of our all volunteer board, Mal Goldenberg, Bob Larence, Bill O'Connor, Ray Morgan, Mark Divver, Mike Bailey, Sean McNamara, Greg Bouris, Wayne Forrest, and Dave Fontaine, as well as our distinguished and highly qualified selection committee, and our all-star team of talented writers, designers, photographers, and social media experts.

Special thanks to Craig Cimini and Stu Giannini who are responsible for tonight's commencement program, commemorative program, and all of the beautiful graphics and video creations you will see this evening.

Thank you all.

We're truly grateful for your great work.

(attendees clapping) You know it's important for everyone to know that every dollar contributed to our mission goes to our mission.

When we meet, which is once or twice each month, we pay for every cup of coffee, every sandwich, every egg roll.

Except tonight.

Because tonight is payday, we get a free chicken dinner and we thank you.

(attendees laughing) Of course where would we be without the support and generosity of all of you, as well as our many program advertisers and tonight's major partners, the Chace, the Cavanagh, and the Kennedy families, as well as the Boston Bruins Foundation, the NHL, the NHL Players' Association, Rhode Island Hockey, and the Rhode Island Reds Heritage Society, which brings us to that amazing one of a kind collectible doll sitting on your table, Dr.

Simi.

Your donations and silent auction purchases tonight are needed to help us reach the biggest objective ahead of us, the building of our own Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame Museum.

It's a major undertaking.

It's going to take a while, and to achieve this, we need your help.

Each year, we reciprocate for your donation with a quality gift.

This year, thanks to Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Famer, Bill Bennett, and his lovely daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law, Victor, these plush Dr.

Simi dolls have been specially made as tonight's unique gift.

Dr.

Simi, not Cimini, is a beloved mascot for Farmacias Similares.

Like CVS in the States, the largest pharmacy chain in Mexico and now in the United States and headed by Bill's son-in-law, Victor.

These plush Dr.

Simi dolls depicting many occupations are freely given out to comfort children and children's hospitals and orphanages throughout Mexico and now throughout the United States.

The dolls have gone viral.

They're collected worldwide by everyday people and celebrities like Adele, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, to name a few.

Google it.

You will be amazed.

This year, you can take this Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame collectible home with you for a donation of $50 or more.

We have more than one sitting at your table.

We're sure you have a little one in the family, hockey player or not, who will cherish it, or display it in your office or home as a conversation piece, or a reminder of the game that keeps the child in all of us.

Only 100 have been made, but Bill assures that if donations exceed that number, more will be made to make up for the shortfall.

It will be a tribute to all of those we honor tonight and all of our Hall of Famers to contribute to evenings like this in the preservation and showcase of their accomplishments.

Our board of directors and ladies in stripes will be coming by your table at the dinner break to give you guidance if you need it, to scan the QR codes on the donor cards at your play setting.

A receipt will appear on your phone, which you can show to collect your gift in the lobby at night's end.

Thank you in advance for your generosity, and thank you, Bill Bennett, wherever you are.

(attendees clapping) Finally and sadly, for all the wins and celebrations we enjoy each year, we also endure some heartbreaking losses.

At this time, we ask you to join us for a moment of silent prayer and fond memory of those pioneers and inspiring figures within our hockey family who sadly passed since our last enshrinement event.

(gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) It is my great pleasure now to turn the podium over to a legendary hockey voice, familiar to all New England and Rhode Island hockey fans.

A warm welcome, please, our dear friend, and again, our Hall of Fame master of ceremonies, (attendee coughing) Mr.

Dale Arnold.

(attendees clapping) - Thank you, Vin.

Welcome back to the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame summer reunion, as we like to call it.

Vin had to call me to the stage because I was sitting over there talking to Bob Bellemore.

And those of you who know Bob Bellemore knows, I'm lucky I'm here now.

You get talking with Bob, you can be there for a while.

Oh, by the way, I texted Todd Angilly a moment ago.

Simple text.

I just said, a hockey player would've been here.

(attendees laughing) I don't dare look at my phone because I have a feeling it might not be pleasant.

Thanks to all of you for being here tonight.

As I've said, every year that I've done this, my job is at the end of the night, if you look at your watch and go, "Wow, that's not that bad, honey," then I've done my job.

(attendees laughing) So, let's get right to it.

As the chairman mentioned earlier tonight, earlier, tonight is once again an intersection of generations.

Rhode Island captured the first of its many national amateur titles back in 1948.

And this year, that legacy was added to.

We begin tonight's ceremonies by recognizing the extraordinary accomplishment of this year's Jr.

Mounties team.

15-year-olds shown here earning a thrilling sudden death five-four overtime victory in Wisconsin over a team from Chicago to capture the 2025 National Championship for their age group.

(energetic music) (attendees cheering) (energetic music) (energetic music continues) (energetic music continues) (attendees cheering) (energetic music) (team cheering) (energetic music) While not all of the team could be with us tonight, (attendees clapping) one of their local stars and their coach who's no stranger to victories in Rhode Island High School title games, have joined us.

Let's hear it for Head Coach, Jim Cramer, along with his Cumberland standout, slick skating forward, Grady Rowley.

(attendees clapping) (attendees continue clapping) Congratulations again to Coach Cramer, Grady, and the entire Jr.

Mounties team, and Mount Saint Charles Academy from the Hall of Fame and Rhode Island's entire hockey community for a job very well done.

Each year, the Hall of Fame continues a tradition of honoring our Rhode Island High School boys and girls all-state hockey teams.

Since "The Providence Journal" first began selecting the best players in our state during the infancy of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, more than a century ago, our all-staters have served as the building blocks upon whose shoulders each new generation of Rhode Island hockey players stand on and are inspired by.

Tonight, the Hall of Fame is again proud to present each honoree with a crystal Hall of Fame puck, as you can see on the screen, engraved with their name, school, and year of all-state selection.

This year, our ceremonies are being held a week later than usual.

Some of our all-staters are already setting up their out-of-state college dorms or have game conflicts and could not be with us tonight, including all of our girls all-staters.

Nevertheless, we're honored to announce this year's girls first team all-staters for their outstanding accomplishment.

From state champion Las Salle Academy, our 2025 Girls Player of the Year and three-time all-stater, Eliza Barker, along with her La Salle teammates, Julia LaForge and Bridey Murphy.

(attendees clapping) Also from North Kingstown High School, star forward, Samantha Haun.

(attendees clapping) And completing this year's team is two-time all-state goal tender from the Moses Brown School, Ava Porter.

(attendees clapping) Final round of applause for our 2025 ProJo girls all-state first team.

(attendees clapping) Thank you.

And now, for the boys.

Please welcome from The Prout School, senior forward, two-time first team all-stater and 2025 Boys Player of the Year, Aidan Forcier.

(attendees clapping) Next, also from The Prout School and also a two-time first team all-stater, star goaltender, Angelo Evangelista.

(attendees clapping) Please now welcome from state champion, Bishop Hendricken High School, senior defenseman, Frank Tillinghast.

(attendees clapping) Finally, another Bishop Hendricken stand out with a bright future ahead of him, sophomore forward, Nicholas Stevens.

(attendees clapping) Unable to join us this evening, our La Salle Academy senior, Tyler Garofalo, and Burrillville High School senior, Henry Kelsey.

(attendees clapping) Please congratulate Rhode Island's 2025 boys all-state first teamers.

(attendees clapping) We wish all of our newest all-staters continued success wherever their hockey journeys take them.

As we are proud to boast each year, only Rhode Island can claim that we are the home of the recognized father of ice hockey in the United States, Malcolm Greene Chace.

Born in Central Falls in 1875, Malcolm was a world-class tennis player at Brown University who also excelled at ice polo, the ice skating game played here in New England before ice hockey.

We tell this story each year, how in the winter of 1894, Malcolm assembled a team of ice polo stars who barnstormed seven major Canadian cities with exhibitions of ice polo while their hosts taught them the skills and rudiments of ice hockey.

On the return to the States, sticks and pucks in tow, the players formed ice hockey clubs at their respective schools, Brown, Yale, Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell.

127 years ago on January 18th, 1898, Brown defeated Harvard six to nothing in the first intercollegiate hockey league game played in the United States, and the rest is Rhode Island and USA hockey history.

In his name each year, the Chace family and the Hall award the Malcolm Greene Chace Memorial Trophy for a lifetime achievement and contribution by a Rhode Islander to the game of ice hockey.

This year, we honor a special individual who dedicated his life to teaching the game to thousands of Warwick Rhode Island's young boys and girls over more than half a century, with a style that not only built a hockey player, but the person as well.

The following tribute, while delivered by a few, echoes the deep admiration and gratitude of the countless players, parents, and fellow coaches whose lives he has touched.

This is the legacy of Edwin Yogi Gardiner.

(dramatic music) - [Dave] Edwin Yogi Gardiner.

(triumphant music) The essence of the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame's prestigious Malcolm Greene Chace Trophy is to recognize selfless dedication and lifetime commitment to the sport of ice hockey.

Yogi Gardiner, a lifelong resident of Warwick, Rhode Island, has shared that passion with thousands of his hometown's boys and girls since the opening of the city's Thayer Arena more than 50 years ago.

His positive impact on their lives within and outside of the game is legend and is echoed in the heartfelt sentiments of those he coached and coached with over the last half century.

- Congratulations on this honor.

It's great that you're being recognized in front of our hockey community and all of our friends.

I know how much you've meant to me over my time when I was with Warwick Junior Hockey, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I'm sure the whole community feels exactly the same way.

- Coach, congratulations on this achievement, this well-deserved award.

You've had an incredible career, impacted the lives of so many kids, not only on the ice, but away from the rink.

I always think of the level you coached at, that Bantam level is so important not only in hockey careers, but in kids' lives.

When you're entering junior high and going into high school, and I always felt like in that fall season, you got kids ready to play high school hockey, and a lot of us went beyond and played high school, and a lot of that's 'cause of your development in those crucial years.

So, you deserve this award more than anybody.

Congratulations on an incredible, incredible career.

- Coach Yogi Gardiner, congratulations on the Chace Award, a lifetime support you thought here at Rhode Island.

We're really proud of you.

Congrats.

- Hey, Yogi, congratulations on the Malcolm Greene Chace Award.

What an honor.

All those countless hours you put in over at Joe Warburton Arena and the William Thayer Arena.

I had the pleasure playing for Yogi when I was eighth and ninth grade.

We had the honor to go out in the tier two national tournament out in Marquette, Michigan.

And something that I'll always remember, Yogi led by example.

Thanks, Yogi.

(triumphant music) - Congratulations, Yogi, on this fabulous award.

Very well-deserved.

I've had the pleasure of playing for you, coaching with you, serving on the board with you together at Warwick Junior, and it's been a wonderful ride all the way through.

You brighten up the day when I see you at the rink at the end of a long day at work, and you do that for so many people.

So many kids have had the benefit of not just your hockey instruction, but you taking a part in their lives and helping them in ways well beyond the rink.

So, it's a pleasure to be able to congratulate you like this.

(triumphant music) And somehow, you did it all without aging a minute.

I always tell you, you look the same as you did when you were my Bantam coach back in the '80s.

- Coach, I want to just say a few words about you as a person, as a coach, and thank you for all of your years of service to this great game of hockey.

You have been an absolute inspiration for many Rhode Island hockey players, particularly Warwick Junior, and your ability to lead by example and influence many young hockey players along the way, not only on the ice, but more importantly in their everyday lives, has been absolutely tremendous.

Thank you so much for all your years of dedication to all of us.

Thanks, Yogi.

- Yogi, congratulations.

It was a great, great experience for me and my family.

I go back so many decades really to when you started with Joe, Joe Wolbert, who I know you loved and he loved you, and both of you were dedicated to the kids.

And when I think of how much time you put in, not only for my kids but for hundreds of kids in Warwick Junior Hockey, it's a fitting tribute to you that the Chace Award go to you for a lifetime achievement in hockey.

What a wonderful, wonderful legacy you leave.

- Hi, Yogi.

I wanna say congratulations for being honored tonight.

It is so deserved and proud to say that I was one of your players.

The impact that you've had on all the players that you've coached, I know it personally, what you meant to me and what you instilled in me.

Those are the things that really helped me become the player that I was able to become.

You treated me like a hockey player and not a girl hockey player, and you gave me the confidence to continue to play and to go to the next level.

And I just wanted to thank you for all of that and what you've done for me and my career, and what you've done for so many young hockey players in the state of Rhode Island.

- Yogi, you're a legend.

- Yogi, you're a legend.

- Yogi, you're a legend.

- You are a legend, Yogi.

- You are 100% a legend.

- You're a legend, Yogi.

- Thanks, Yogi.

You're a legend.

- Yogi, you are a true legend in this state of Rhode Island and in the hockey world.

- [Team] Congratulations, Yogi.

You're a legend.

(hockey sticks plinking) - [Dave] Congratulations, Yogi.

You are a legend.

(triumphant music) - Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, Yogi Gardiner, to be presented with a Malcolm Greene Chace trophy for lifetime contribution of a Rhode Islander to the game of hockey.

(attendees clapping) (attendees continue clapping) (attendees continue clapping) (attendee cheering) (attendees laughing) (attendees cheer and clap) (mic thuds) (attendees clapping) And, Yogi, before you take the podium, we'd like to share this certificate of special recognition with you and our attendees from the US Congress, presented to you by the honorable Seth Magaziner on being awarded the Malcolm Green Chace Memorial Trophy.

(attendees clapping) - Wow.

- You got this.

- I hope they don't wake me up.

It sounds like a dream.

There's so many people that was part of this over the years and everything that it's harder, I can't mention 'em all, from coaches, players, parents that help with stuff running the clock, scheduling hotel rooms and everything.

There's thousands of you.

Basically, I was lucky to have the teams I had.

There were a great bunch of players and they always played as a team and I think that's why I was so successful.

And I'd like to thank the Hall of Fame and the Chace family, and I'd like to thank the state board for the Yankee conference teams I had and of course, Warwick Junior Hockey.

It's not easy to go and last this long when you get three generations.

And who's the best?

The grandfather or the father or the kid?

(attendees laughing) (Vincent clapping) Right?

(attendees laughing) But they're only kids and I think you should make it fun for 'em.

And I think if they're having fun, they'll get better and they'll work harder.

And like our teams, we had basically two things, right?

One was locker rooms clean.

(attendee laughing) Whatever rink we went to and played or practice, the locker room was the same or better than when we went there.

And a lot of times, we got extra ice because of that and stuff.

But another thing is to look back at these players.

And as a coach, one of the biggest things was the compliments I got from my team.

Like we were in Marquette, Michigan, and the boy said, "Coach Yogi, the lady, one in the register, she wants to talk to you."

So, I said, uh-oh.

(attendees laughing) 14-year-old, this should be good.

So, I went there and she said, "Yes?"

I said, I'm the coach's team.

"Oh, you are the coach," she said.

I said, yeah.

(chuckles) This is gonna be good, I said.

She said, "Well, I've worked this register for over 30 years."

And she says, "My son's both played hockey and stuff and your boys are the most polite boys that ever went to here."

And that to me is the most important thing.

In the same way, if we made the state playoffs, we went to a restaurant and had a meal.

And I remember the one time I said to the woman, I said, we all sat for the team on such a day and the woman that was standing there, "Oh, I didn't know you did youth teams."

And her remark was, "We do his.

'Cause I can set them players anywhere with or anybody else that comes in here."

And that shows you what a job the parents have done with these children.

And I'm very thankful for this award.

Thank you.

(attendees clapping) (Yogi and Vincent chattering) (attendees clapping) (Vincent chuckles) (attendees clapping) (Yogi and Vin chattering) (attendees clapping) (attendees continue clapping) (attendees continue clapping) - I've been doing this event for a lot of years 'cause I'm old.

(attendees laughing) That's the best reception I've ever seen for a recipient from you, guys.

That's the best I've ever seen.

(attendees clapping) As we get ready to enjoy our dinners, this is also the looking to the future portion of our evening.

While you are aware of all that the Hall of Fame has already accomplished, we have a museum to build to showcase Rhode Island's pioneering and illustrious hockey history, while continuing to conduct our research, produce our annual high school all-star showcase games for college recruiters, and awarding scholarships to assist deserving graduating senior players.

In addition to our silent auction for which bids will close at the end of dinner, you'll notice a donation form with a QR code at your place setting.

We also accept cash or check if you prefer.

As the chairman mentioned, the Hall always reciprocates with a quality gift to thank you for your generosity.

This year, we offer this limited edition Dr.

Simi collectible doll, crafted especially for this Class of 2025 Enshrinement Celebration.

So, please, scan, donate, and take one home tonight.

As an additional thank you for all donors and winning silent auction bidders, we have this beautiful poster version of our Class of 2025 museum montage, created for us by the NHL Players' Association.

This striking montage and those created for our previous classes by the NHLPA will one day be displayed in our future museum.

Our board members will be visiting your tables during our dinner break to give you a hand if you need it, to scan the QR code for your donation.

And please, don't forget to make your final auction bids before our program resumes.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Enjoy your dinner.

We'll be back in a little bit.

Thank you.

(attendees clapping) (elegant music) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) (elegant music continues) Ladies and gentlemen, we are back.

Hello again.

(attendees chattering) - Thanks to all of you who kindly contributed to the Hall's museum, showcase games, and scholarships programs.

Also, just a reminder that our silent auction is now closed.

You can check on your bids at the auction table at the end of our ceremonies, and claim your Hall of Fame collectibles dolls in the lobby when you exit.

This is also a good time in our program to recognize a number of Hall of Fame honorees who have joined us for this special evening.

Please welcome Pete Demers here all the way from the California coast.

(attendees clapping) Please welcome Tim Army, (attendees clapping) Joe Augustine, (attendees clapping) Bob Bellemore, (attendees clapping) Bill Bennett, (attendees clapping) Brian Burke, (attendees clapping) Joe Cavanagh, (attendees clapping) Paul Guay, (attendees cheer and clap) Tom Mellor, (attendees clapping) and Tim Regan.

(attendees clapping) Also with us tonight are the families of Hall of Famers Zellio Toppazzini, Bill Belisle, Bill Thayer, and Judge James E. Dooley.

Welcome all.

(attendees clapping) You should also know that many of the featured items on our auction table were contributed by Hall of Fame honorees, David Quinn, Tim Army, and John Hynes.

Before we begin our formal Hall of Fame inductions, we have a special greeting from a Rhode Islander on the Mount Rushmore of hockey halls of fame everywhere, my old boss and Johnston, Rhode Island's own, Lou Lamoriello.

(upbeat music) - Congratulations to this exceptional class and to the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame.

(upbeat music) What a class.

I've had the honor and the pleasure to know each and every one of you on a personal basis, as well as professional.

And I just can't say enough about that relationship that I was privileged to have.

Bill Army, a member of one of the all-time great hockey families, born and raised in Rhode Island.

Ross Brooks, an all-star goalie with Rhode Island Reds, a great friend and a cherished member of the Rhode Island community.

Buster Clegg was such an integral part of the Rhode Island Reds and keeping professional hockey in Rhode Island for so many years.

And lastly and certainly not least, to the families of Bob O'Connor and Tom Woodcock, two special individuals who were a part of my career, as well as great personal friends.

Tom Woodcock, who began as a trainer with Rhode Island Reds and went on to being one of the all-time great trainers in the National Hockey League, and who I had the honor of working with at World Cups and Olympics.

Finally, my former college roommate, Bob O'Connor.

If you could only picture this, I'm 17 years old and my roommate was Bob O'Connor, who was 24 years old.

Bob came back from serving our country back to school and a friendship began.

He became an integral part of the success we had at Providence, helping us get many players from Minnesota for many, many years.

Special congratulations to the O'Connor family and the Woodcock family.

What a fantastic night for hockey in Rhode Island and these great people.

(upbeat music) (attendees clapping) - Thank you, Lou.

(attendees clapping) Our first Hall of Fame inductee of the night comes from one of Rhode Island's most famous and heralded hockey families, a star center iceman.

He led his hometown East Providence High school team to the Rhode Island and New England Championships in the mid-'70s before earning All America Honors at Boston College and a notable pro career.

This is his hockey journey.

(dramatic music) - [Dave] Bill Army.

(dramatic music) Bill Army was born in East Providence on September 11th, 1957.

He is the fourth member of one of Rhode Island's most famous hockey families to be honored by the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame.

Following his grandfather and famed Rhode Island Reds trainer, George Army, his father Tom, and younger brother Tim.

Growing up, Billy's older brother, Tom Jr, himself a hockey star at Wesleyan University, needed someone to shoot at.

So, Billy started his hockey journey in gold.

Later, after giving up the pads and switching to forward, Bill starred in hockey programs of both the Edgewood and East Providence Youth Hockey Associations.

He went on to become a three-time all-state selection at his hometown, East Providence High School, playing with the likes of Ron, Brad, and Randy Wilson.

In 1975, he led the Interscholastic League in scoring and the townies to both the Rhode Island state and New England Championship titles, before accepting a scholarship to play with the Boston College Eagles.

A crafty center and prolific scorer, Bill scored 64 goals over his NCAA career, earning All American Honors in 1980 while serving up assist to future NHL Great and US Hockey Hall of Famer, Joe Mullen.

Together, they led their team to the 1978 NCAA championship game.

In his senior year, Bill spearheaded the Eagles through a school record for most wins and a number one ranking for most of the season.

He was voted team MVP that year and also earned All American, All East, and All New England Honors.

Bill was the recipient of the Walter Brown Award as the best American-born player in New England college hockey.

After graduating, Bill signed with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League, where he split time with the Amerks and the Port Huron Flags flags, bringing up an impressive 15 goals and 25 assists over his debut season.

Bill wrapped up his professional career in 1982 as the top American player with the International Hockey Leagues, Flint Generals.

Like his father and brothers, Bill entered the coaching ranks after retirement, most notably at the Pomfret School in Connecticut, alongside another Rhode Island hockey legend and Brown Hall of Famer Don Eccleston.

Bill was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Hall of Fame in 1986 and the East Providence High School Hall of Fame in 2005.

(triumphant music) - Please welcome 2025 Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Bill Army.

Presenting Bill with his Hall of Fame Medallion are his sister Beth and his brothers Tom Army, Jr, and Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Famer, Tim Army.

(dramatic music) (attendees clapping) ♪ We say it loud because we're really proud ♪ ♪ We call your name to the Hall of Fame ♪ ♪ We call your name to the Hall of Fame ♪ (dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (dramatic music continues) (attendees clapping) (dramatic music) (attendees clapping) - I can play hockey, I can teach classes.

I'm not used to public speaking.

(attendees laughing) Elaine, have you ever heard this before?

It's my wife.

Probably read it to her 15 times.

(attendees laughing) (attendees chattering) - Okay.

You can hear me all right?

Okay.

Good evening, everyone.

(sighs) It's an incredible honor to stand here tonight.

I wanna congratulate Ross Brooks and the families of Mr.

Bob O'Connor, Mr.

Tom Woodcock.

Mr.

Buster Clegg.

It is deeply humbling and I'm proud to be in your company.

I want to thank the Hall of Fame committee for selecting me.

The work you do to preserve and celebrate Rhode Island's hockey legacy means more than you may know, and tonight for me, is a perfect example of that.

This honor is made even more special because I get to join some very important people who came before me.

My grandfather, George Army, my younger brother Tim, and my father, Tom Army, Sr, recipient of the Chace Award in 2023.

Being inducted into the same Hall of Fame is not just an honor, it's a full circle moment.

Hockey has always been a part of our family's DNA, and tonight is a continuation of that legacy.

When I reflect on my journey in the game of hockey, my memory recalls images of so many familiar faces, of local rinks where devotion to the game was born, and the numerous stories which keep the past alive.

It was the early morning practices at the Ice Bowl.

All the recently built Meehan Auditorium when I was a kid, which was built in 1961.

The smell of what George Patrick Duffy called the old ice house on North Main Street, the auditorium.

The new pristine look of Dudley Richards Rink the first time I stepped on the ice.

It was the carpools with friends and neighbors, with Mr.

Smokey Cerrone, Mr.

Paul Colella, Mr.

Jack Thompson.

And the timeless stories and the laughs from where the smallest voice can come the loudest laugh.

For example, when my father was giving a rousing speech between the second and third period to Tim's pee-wee team, he was driving home the point.

He asked if there were any questions and all the little faces were staring up at him.

My father's proud that he's had their unwavering attention.

And then, there's a moment of quiet before the kids attack the ice.

And one player puts up his hand, and he says, "Mr.

Army, your fly's open."

(attendees laughing) Much of what I've learned in life came from those earliest days in youth hockey and later in high school.

That's where the foundation was poured.

In time, that's where I learned about discipline, respect, teamwork, and how to bounce back in the face of adversity.

That's where I learned that humor belongs in every locker room.

It belongs in the classroom, the office, the car, the home.

And that laughter plays a supporting role by alleviating tension, bridging differences, and bringing people together.

These lessons which we all value, I have tried to hone throughout my life.

And my exposure to hockey was act one, scene one.

Of course, later on, playing at Boston College with fellow inductee, Joe Augustine, was a great experience and was filled with four years of rollercoaster memories.

It was about pushing limits, forging friendships, and embracing the grind together.

College and professional hockey taught me how to compete and how to be a teammate in the truest sense of the word.

The game of hockey is a powerful teacher.

It teaches you how to face challenges, how to take a hit and get back up without high-sticking the guy and getting a penalty, and how to celebrate others success as much as your own.

It teaches you how to relax in the face of adversity and how to keep perspective when things don't go your way.

Hockey taught me to be resilient, to work hard, and to try to stay humble, and to never take this awesome game or the people who come with it for granted.

Tonight is a celebration of the Rhode Island hockey community and the connections we have all forged throughout our lives.

My Rhode Island hockey family is large and my earliest impressions, aside from when Ross Brooks was warming up with the Reds and throwing snowballs at me in the stands, and my earliest impressions in heroes were my brother Tom and his friends, and his on ice adversaries like Johnny Harwood, Richie Gallogly, Billy Devereaux, Billy Bennett, Paul Stevenson.

These are the names that harken back to me, which expanded rapidly when I began to make friends and to compete with Jimmy Bennett and Bobby Correnti, and of course Ron, Brad, Randy Wilson, Bobby Farrelly, the Harrington brothers, Terry Farrell, the list goes on and on and on.

And the family extends.

To those you know about and respect but you've never met like Bob O'Connor.

Like the night I sat with Timmy and my cousin Mike Thero, not long ago when we were talking about the Hall of Fame inductees, when Mike immediately drew attention to the fact that his dad, my Uncle Harold, played on the 54 state championship team at La Salle with OC.

This speaks to the intimacy of Rhode Island hockey.

You know, my nephew, Derek, Timmy's youngest, nope, Timmy's oldest, sorry, and his wife, Jenny, recently had a third child, a little girl, seven pounds, five ounces, whom they named Bennett, two Ns, two Ts.

And before settling on Bennett Elizabeth Army, Derek whimsically said that maybe her name should be Bennett Wilson Army.

But I digress.

(attendees laughing) There are a few family members I want to acknowledge, people who were part of shaping my life from the beginning.

Of course, my father, my grandfather, and father and mother.

How many rinks did my mother visit?

How many games did she watch in a lifetime?

And my father, my father loved the game of hockey and he wanted everyone to see its merits and to lace up a pair of skates, grab a puck and a stick, and go play.

One year, my father in a four-block radius in my neighborhood in East Providence, he inspired and helped build four backyard rinks.

He loved it.

My brother Tom, who spent hours on the backyard rink with me, creating games that were fun and unbeknownst to us at a young age, exposed us to the development of our hockey skills early on.

He was a natural coach and teacher.

And to Tim, you all may know Tim as the professional he truly is, but don't let that pleasant, easygoing demeanor fool you.

His tenacity emerged every time we played street hockey.

He pushed the bar then and has done so all his life.

And I enjoyed every minute of my youth with him and my sister Beth, who is athletic in her own right.

And by the way, probably has more hockey stories than all of us combined.

Beth, I still have that maroon and gold scarf you knitted for me so many years ago.

So, again, thank you to the committee and congratulations to my fellow inductees, to everyone who's been part of this journey, whether you coached me, cheered me on, competed against me, or simply shared a laugh, you're all part of this honor tonight.

And to my family, my wife Elaine, my children Billy, and Jess, and Joey, Madeline, Lauren, and my grandkids, Stella and Elsa, for your unwavering support and love.

Being able to share this moment with you means everything to me.

Thank you, Rhode Island Hockey.

It's been the ride of a lifetime.

Let's resurface the ice and lace them up.

Thank you.

(attendees cheer and clap) Thank you.

(attendees clapping) Can I grab this?

- Yes.

(attendees clapping) (Dale faintly speaking) I had to convince Bill he gets to take the medallion home.

He said, "Can I take this?"

Yeah, it's got your name on it.

(attendees laughing) Our next honoree first arrived in Rhode Island 65 years ago, eventually settling and raising his family here.

Over that time, he's been engaged in every facet and at every level of the game as a player, as a youth, high school and college coach, AHL executive and head coach, and longtime rink manager.

But before we present the highlights of his hockey story, we present a video message from a longtime friend.

(gentle music) - Thank you, Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame, for allowing me to speak about my dear friend, Ross Brooks.

You've made a great selection.

From the Barrie Flyers to 12 different professional teams in six different league leagues, ultimately ending up with the American Hockey League Boston Braves being selected American Hockey League Goalie of the Year with the lowest goals against average.

Onto the Boston Bruins in the heyday with Bobby Orr and them, and Ross set the record 13 games in a row without a loss.

At the time, it was the NHL record.

But when I think of how to define him, he was the ultimate teammate.

Over the years, I've been blessed to see how Bobby Orr, Wayne Cashman, and some of those other great Bruins maintained his friendship.

He was very, very important to the leadership and chemistry of that team.

But when I also think about what his legacy will be, it won't be those wins or that record in the American League.

It'll be what he did for youth hockey.

His coaching influenced so many about the right way to treat teammates, the competition, how to prepare.

He was very special.

And those kids will all be better people in life.

And of course, the Chris Brooks scholarship program.

For over 25 years, wonderful students received scholarships and better yet understood the spirit of that scholarship.

Ross, you have been a great ambassador to Rhode Island Hockey, really one of the very best.

On all of us that love the game, I want to thank you and wish you to many more healthy years.

Your buddy, Bill.

(dramatic music) (attendees clapping) - Thank you to Bill Gilbane, former Brown hockey standout and Hall of Fame supporter, who's attending his grandson's wedding today and could not be here in person.

Thanks from all of us for all you do for the game, Bill.

Now, please enjoy some insight into Ross Brooks' storied hockey journey.

(dramatic music) - [Dave] Ross Brooks, at the age of 36, most hockey players are either looking forward towards retirement, or perhaps already playing in the local senior league.

Goalie Ross Brooks, on the other hand, did not make his NHL debut until the age of 36 years, 8 days, becoming the fourth oldest debuting rookie goalie in NHL history when he manned the nets for the Bruins against Buffalo, October 25th, 1973.

Ross was born in Toronto in 1937.

He starred for three years with the Barrie Flyers of the Ontario Juniors before joining the Washington Presidents of the EHL in 1958, a team owned by future Reds' boss, Louis Pieri.

He hopped around for the next six seasons with seven different teams before being signed by the Reds at the start of the 1965 season.

Brooksy played seven seasons in Providence, primarily as a backup for goaltending legends, Ed Giacomin and Marcel Paille, while settling and starting his family here in Rhode Island.

His big break came in 1971 when Milt Schmidt signed him with the Boston Bruins and he and teammate Dan Bouchard would immediately capture the AHL's Harry Hap Holmes Memorial Award for the lowest goals against average with the Boston Braves, the Bruins affiliate.

The following season, Boston lost several goal tenders via WHA expansion and trades.

The door was opened and Brooksy confidently ran right through, matching an NHL record set in 1920 when he won 14 consecutive games in goal for the Bruins.

Ross remained in Boston through 1975 before playing a strong single season with the AHL's powerhouse, Rochester Americans, the Bruins new farm team.

He retired after 16 seasons and a career-winning percentage among the highest recorded for goalies with 50 or more decisions.

Soon after his playing days, Ross was hired on the 1976-'77 season as head coach and general manager of the Reds, their last in the team's 51-year history.

Ross remained a prominent figure in the Rhode Island hockey scene, conducting hockey clinics at local rinks, coaching the goal tenders at Providence College, and taking the helm at Lincoln High School, coaching his son Chris, and elevating the lion's success in the Rhode Island Interscholastic League.

(triumphant music) In 1992, Ross was named Director of Operations with the Providence Bruins, after pro hockey returned to the capital city, following an 18-year absence.

Brooks' final 19 years in the game were served as rink manager of Providence College's Schneider Arena, retiring in 2021.

(triumphant music) (dramatic music) - Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Ross to the stage.

Presenting him with his Hall of Fame Medallion are his lovely daughters, Kelly Brooks Crowell from Florida and Colleen Brooks Bouvier from Oxbridge, Massachusetts.

(attendees cheer and clap) (dramatic music) ♪ We say it loud because we're really proud ♪ ♪ We call your name to the Hall of Fame ♪ ♪ We call your name to the Hall of Fame ♪ (dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (dramatic music continues) (attendees clapping) (attendees continue clapping) (paper crinkling) - Thank you and good evening to everybody.

I must say that Mr.

Gilbane, after eight years at Brown University, does not know the numbers.

(attendees laughing) However, I will correct him when I see him.

(attendees laughing) But I want to thank the Hall of Fame, Vinny, and the people who voted for me.

I really appreciate it.

It's quite an honor and a privilege for sure.

And my family who came tonight, it's something that you don't realize till you get up and do these things, but your family is here.

My two daughters, Kelly and Colleen, Les, Steven, Cooper, Kate, who's on the phone.

(attendees laughing) (attendee coughing) Mark and Chris.

And most of all, Joyce, thank you.

(attendees clapping) Also, I'd like to acknowledge the other inductees tonight, Tommy Woodcock and Tina, who is here, and Paul O'Connor, Bill Army, and Chris Clegg.

It's an honor just to be in the same company as those people, plus all the people around the area here.

It's quite a honor for myself, but it's an honor just to be with these people.

Many miles in my life since 1937, I run out of gas a lot of times, (attendees laughing) but I kind of fill the tank up for the night.

It's a night of thanks.

And it's not a night about me, it's the people who are responsible for myself standing here.

All of these people help me along the way.

And without them, you never succeed.

It started in Toronto, with the THL, Toronto Hockey League.

You start as a kid, you play all your way up.

And then, Barrie Flyers played there for three years.

The Reds, I came here in 1959, invited by Buster Clegg with a letter stating, "You want to come to training camp?"

And then, on to Philadelphia for a couple of years, and then back with the Reds through 1971.

Then, my chance came, the chance of a life to be asked to go and play somewhere else.

I was released by the Reds, didn't know what I was gonna do, but the phone rang.

And I can thank a couple of people right away.

Murray Davison, who was in Oklahoma City, and asked me if I would be interested in coming out there and finish the season, 'cause that was in February.

And I did.

And the next year, I go to training camp and get asked to play with the Braves in Boston, and then finished my career with the Bruins for a couple of years, and then finished up in Rochester.

It just meant that I played all over the place.

People asked me, "How many places you played," and I would just say name a town.

(attendees laughing) And according to Bill, I was 13 teams.

It was 14.

(attendees laughing) But the Reds in 1977, I was asked to coach and become the general manager, which I knew absolutely nothing about.

And it only took me six months to get 'em out of town.

(attendees laughing) They went to Bingham, to New York.

(attendees laughing) And Bob Tiernan was responsible for that, they tried to keep the franchise alive, but it wasn't gonna work.

They were gonna lose their shirt, and so they had to actually sell the team.

And then, I coached Lincoln High School, which was probably one of the best things I ever did.

The kids there were amazing and it was so much fun.

And you taught them what you thought was right.

We had rules and you had to go by the rules.

And I think that made a lot of things happen.

The kids themselves, we had a reunion a couple of years ago.

We had a championship team.

We had 16 kids show up out of 20.

Three of them had other obligations and one we could not get ahold of, but 16 kids come and we had a great afternoon.

I even invited the principal of the school to come and talk to the kids after all those years.

And you talk about rewarding, that's what it was.

And playing the last year in Rochester was fun.

We had a lot of good times, but it was the end of an era for me.

And a quick story about that with the Reds, we're playing in Rochester and Dave Creighton is the coach.

Buster was the general manager.

And we're getting beat by them about 6, 7-1.

And Dave Creighton says, "You're going in."

I said, "Well, Marcel's doing fine.

He's okay.

He is fine."

I'm arguing with him on the bench about going into play in the third period.

We're getting killed.

(attendees laughing) So, anyway, finally, he calls Marcel off and I have to go in.

Bruce Hood is the referee.

So, I asked, I said, hey, can I get a couple of shots?

I don't play.

Can I... "No, you don't get shots."

I said, come on, you get a couple of shots.

So, he throws the puck down, he's mad, he throws the puck down and they take two shots.

They both went in.

(attendees laughing) So, the face off's in our end.

So, he goes to the face off and I'm going like this to him.

(attendees laughing) He comes over.

Now, he's mad.

"What the frig do you want now?"

(attendees laughing) I said, do me a favor, will you ask Creighton if he wants me to win it or tie it?

(attendees laughing) Honestly, he went back to the face off like this.

He was laughing.

(attendees laughing) But that's the fun you have with these things.

There's no question.

(attendees laughing) And there's so many people responsible, as I said before, that's why I'm standing here, and we start with two people, mom and dad.

All the times, they took you to the rinks early, six in the morning, seven in the morning, driving 30, 40 miles in Ontario, going to Nobleton Rink, which was below zero when you got there.

And that meant so much to you and to me now because I know what they went through and did that for me.

And that's what I'm saying is standing here is because of people like that.

You don't forget.

Buster Clegg gave me a chance.

Come down and play in Providence.

Murray Davison gave me a chance to go to Oak City, only because Milt Schmidt said, "If you want 'em, get 'em."

Harry Sinden was terrific to me too.

Signing two contracts with him.

And also, he was responsible for when we had games at the Civic Center.

We promoted the games with Boston, Montreal, whoever.

And he was totally responsible for that.

My teammates that I played with, you can't name 'em all.

They were all great.

Walking into the Bruins room and seeing your name on a plate, it's like you can't believe what it is.

The coaches that played over the years, the guys were terrific.

Played with some guy named Orr.

(attendees laughing) And besides playing with him, he's been such a great friend to Joyce and I over the period of time to this day.

We don't talk a lot, we don't see each other a lot, but we're together.

And people ask me all the time, "What's he really like?"

And I'll tell you what I think, I think he's a better person than he was a player.

That's what I feel about him.

And I've been blessed to play in this game a long time.

And it's because of the people and the friends I've met.

The fun of playing hockey is something else.

It's tough, it's hard.

You get coach is yelling at you, screaming at you, you can't stop a football some nights.

But there's a lot of fun involved too and that's where the camaraderie comes in.

Typical Bruins story, talking about fun.

And I won't name the players, that wouldn't be fair.

Driving up route one in Saugus, get pulled over by the police, they had to be speeding or whatever.

They giving them a lot of baloney.

They take them and they put 'em in the precinct, and they put 'em in jail and they start commotion.

I wanna make a phone call, I wanna call this, I want to call it.

Of course, the police knew who they were, so they let 'em make a phone call.

They go back in the cell and they sit down, they don't say a word.

20 minutes later, the guy comes to the desk and says, "Do you have these two guys here?"

"Yeah, who are you?"

He said, "I have their Chinese food order."

(attendees laugh and clap) They bought Chinese food for the whole precinct.

(attendees laughing) They gave him an escort home.

(everybody laughing) (attendees clapping) But when I look at this back at this privileged honor, it's because of all the people that have been in my company over the years.

And there's so many that you can't say because you would be sliding somebody.

But they know who they are and it's family, coaches, teammates, fans, radio people, TV people who do things for you.

And it's just a pleasure that these people take their time out of their lives to do things for you.

And so, that's why I made this journey is possible because of that.

It's called friendship.

The friendship you make in life is everything.

And think about it, the friendships that you let go hurt.

You know, hockey has taught me a lot.

Success, definitely failure, but most of all, humility.

Because of all you people that are here tonight, it's humbling that I'm standing here.

Believe me.

My dad, God rest his soul, taught me as a kid and I'll never forget it to this day.

And he said to me, "Did you write Dale a thank you?"

Naturally it was no, I didn't get around to it yet.

And he'd say, "Okay, don't go anywhere."

Five minutes later, he'd sit down at the desk.

Pad, an envelope, and a stamp, and I can hear his words today.

He said, "It's two words and a 15-cent stamp and you won't believe how far it'll get you."

And it's true.

And I've been given a chance by so many, as I said, but most of all, I go back to my folks who always stood by me no matter what.

That is not for sale.

You can't buy that.

Your parents, you have kids who play.

What you do for them is amazing and they appreciate it.

Don't think that they don't.

They may not show it sometimes or you might get mad at 'em sometimes, but standing here, you know how much I appreciate what they did?

They gave me a chance.

When I look back at what I've known over the years and how fortunate I've been with my family, with my coaches, with everything, with Joyce, who has taken care of me and helped me out throughout my life for almost 40 years, it's been a privilege that way also.

She's responsible for my outfit tonight.

(attendees laughing) The shirt doesn't fit, by the way.

(attendees laughing) But she's taught me respectability and be respectful, and I treasure that.

(paper flapping) I want to thank you all again for this privileged honor I've been given and welcomed your support throughout.

But in closing, I will ask you a favor, all of you.

I go back to Milt, to Murray, to Harry, to teammates, whatever, give someone in your life a chance or a second one.

It will reward you no end.

And what it'll do for them, you will regard as great.

Mostly, it be your rewarding yourself.

So, give somebody a chance.

And in closing, Stanley, Georgina, Christopher, this honor is dedicated to you.

God bless you and thanks.

(attendees clapping) (attendees continue clapping) - Oh yeah, don't forget that.

(Dale laughing) (attendees clapping) (attendees continue clapping) Our next Hall of Fame inductee was previously honored with the Malcolm Greene Chace Trophy in 2020 for his lifetime of work, organizing youth hockey programs in creating the Rhode Island Reds Heritage Society, one of the first of its kind in pro hockey, and the model for many which it followed.

But he accomplished so much more as a young player and visionary professional hockey executive.

(dramatic music) - [Dave] Sylvester Buster Clegg.

Buster Clegg had a connection to the game of hockey in Rhode Island for most of his life, and it touched all levels of the sport.

Born in 1937, he was raised in rural Burrillville, eventually becoming a high school all-stater under the tutelage of Broncos legendary coach, Tom Eccleston.

An exceptional student, he was also named to the National Athletic Honor Society for achievement in sports and academics.

Buster continued to star on defense for four years at the University of New Hampshire, where he was named Team Captain and Co-MVP as a senior.

After graduation, Buster impressed Rhode Island Reds' owner, Louis Pieri, with his hockey acumen and enthusiasm.

He was hired as publicity director for both the team and the Rhode Island Auditorium.

In 1966, he was named general manager, at the time, the youngest in all of pro hockey.

(triumphant music) Most importantly, he was one of the very first to focus on US collegiate hockey players as a source of professional talent.

For close to four decades, Buster was active as a youth hockey coach, championing hockey programs on the East Bay and throughout Rhode Island.

He was a founder of the Barrington Youth Hockey Association in the early '70s and among the founders of an adult team of Rhode Island amateurs that represented the state in tournaments throughout New England.

(triumphant music) Buster's knowledge of the game also saw him serve occasionally as between period's analysts for televised Boston Bruins games.

(triumphant music) In 1999, Buster became the founding president of the Rhode Island Reds Heritage Society and the catalyst for the tremendous growth and influence of that nonprofit organization.

One of the first of its kind and a model for others nationally, the Heritage Society has kept alive both the memories of the Reds' 51-season existence and the significance of the game of hockey and the sports history of Rhode Island.

In 2016, Buster continued that path as one of the founding members of the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame.

Buster was previously honored with the Hall's Malcolm Greene Chace Trophy, awarded for lifetime contributions of a Rhode Islander to the game of hockey.

(triumphant music) (dramatic music) - Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Buster Clegg, Jr.

to the stage to accept on his father's behalf.

Presenting their dad's Hall of Fame Medallion to him, her sister Anne and brothers, Christopher and Patrick.

(dramatic music) (attendees clapping) ♪ We say it loud because we're really proud ♪ ♪ We call your name to the Hall of Fame ♪ ♪ We call your name to the Hall of Fame ♪ (dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (dramatic music continues) (Buster clears throat) (dramatic music) (Buster sucks teeth) - In times like these, I think back of advice that my dad would give me.

And one of the things that he would always say to me when I was preparing perhaps to make a speech or something, was just remember, "Be sincere, be brief, and be seated."

So, I'll try and do all three of those if possible.

On behalf of my brothers and sister, I'd like to say thank you very much for this honor.

We've always thought of our dad as a Hall of Famer, the Hall of Fame friend, a Hall of Fame husband, a Hall of Fame father.

But his success in hockey would not have been possible without the assistance and guidance of some key people.

Just as Ross mentioned, you get a chance.

My dad's journey started, he had an elementary school teacher in Burrillville who used to take he and some classmates to Reds games on Sunday nights when he was, 7, 8, 9, 10 years old type of thing.

And that's where his love affair with hockey began.

Of course, the next person who really was a very important part of my dad's hockey journey was the legendary Tom Eccleston, who he played for at Burrillville High School.

And actually, I was fortunate enough to play a year for Mr.

Ecc as well.

And both hockey-wise and academically, my dad always thought of Mr.

Eccleston as one of the most important people in his life.

And finally, on my dad's journey, Louis Pieri, who was the owner of the Reds, who saw something in my dad and gave him a chance, hired him as publicity director, which led to a career which culminated in him becoming, as you saw, the youngest GM in pro hockey and the Reds' GM.

All of my dad's success and accomplishments from hockey, from being captain in all-state in high school to being captain in MVP when he was at UNH, to becoming the youngest GM in pro hockey, are all Hall of Fame-worthy accomplishments.

But in my eyes, his most Hall of Fame-worthy accomplishment might be his tireless dedication to youth hockey, to growing the game, to promoting the game to young men and women of Rhode Island.

(lightly scoffs) When my dad passed away last June, the outpouring of notes, texts, phone calls that we as a family received was overwhelming.

Most are from former players who at some point had had the good fortune of being coached by my dad.

And one of the notes that I received was so good that, and seems to sum up the youth hockey experience that my dad provided and the impact he had on a generation of youth hockey players, that it seems appropriate to share it on this occasion.

And the note went like this, "Dear Buster, after hearing your dad's passing yesterday, I woke up with a heavy heart today, but I won't keep it long.

The best coach I ever played for taught me tons, but he never taught me to pout.

In fact, he taught me just the opposite.

Picture this, January, 1973, it's a snowy Tuesday night in some ice box rink in Natick or Wakefield, or Lexington.

Everyone's late because who schedules a Tuesday night youth hockey game an hour and a half from home in a blizzard?

Well, the game starts and due to an ill-advised and horrendous pass I make across the front of my own net, we're quickly down a goal to an inferior team.

After watching me sulk for a minute, your dad yells over to me, 'Stop pouting and get back on the ice before I kick your skinny ass back home myself.'

Buster, I just wanna let you know that in no way do I string together a 50 plus year love affair, watching, playing, and coaching hockey if it's not for your old man in my early life.

And I wasn't alone.

Buster, Chris, Pat, Leo, John, Paul, Donnie, Mark, Timmy, Teddy, Earl, Greg, the list goes on and on.

There was your dad, a wife, four kids, a full-time day job, a fully functioning recliner, a big TV, and a fireplace at home, and yet there he was in a freezing rink on a snow-smothered Tuesday night in January, knee-deep and a bunch of kids to which he owed nothing, turning them into men and hockey players, because that's what the man did for dozens of us brilliantly.

So, if you can please pass along one last message from all those boys your dad impacted listed above, and all the others I have forgotten, but haven't forgotten him, from the bottom of all of our hearts, thank you, Mr.

Clegg, just thank you."

(Buster clears throat) (attendees clapping) Finally, I want to congratulate the other inductees tonight, Bob O'Connor, Tom Woodcock, my good friend Bill Army, Ross Brooks.

My dad would be thrilled to be going in with gentlemen like this.

And of course, to Vin Cimini and the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame, thank you so much for this incredible honor.

I hope you continue to do the work of recognizing and honoring the people who make our sport and our state so great.

Thank you very much.

(attendees clapping) (attendees continue clapping) (attendees continue clapping) - Like the achievements of Lou Lamoriello, (clears throat) excuse me, over the years Rhode Island has developed a number of coaches and executives who began as outstanding players before rising to the very highest levels of the game with legacies that will long be remembered.

Our next inductee is by every measure, one of them.

(dramatic music) Robert Bob O'Connor.

While Rhode Island has been known for many successful and influential coaches at all levels of the game, Bob O'Connor's name stands out at USA hockey's headquarters in Colorado Springs, where the Coach's library is named after him.

Bob was born in Providence in 1935.

He was a two-time all-state forward at La Salle Academy, leading them to the 1954 state title and named Rhode Island's top player his senior year.

After serving two years with the US Marines, Bob received a scholarship to Providence College, where he starred on a line with Lou Lamoriello, with whom he became a lifelong friend and coaching confidant.

After graduation, Bob moved to Edina, Minnesota, the home of his wife, Alice.

There, he fell in love with coaching.

Over the next 10 years, OC, as he was affectionately known, became a legendary youth hockey coach, winning the state championship at the midget, pee-wee, and squirt levels.

He also coached at Edina High School for 25 years, amassing an amazing record of 423, 48 and 22.

His reputation brought him to USA Hockey as an assistant coach for the 1984 and '88 US men's Olympic hockey teams, the 1991 and '92 USA national men's junior teams, and head coach or assistant for several other medal-winning USA National Women's, Juniors, and Paralympic squads.

Bob served as USA Hockey's National Coach-In-Chief for two campaigns, and Coach-In-Chief for USA hockey's Minnesota affiliate for 14 years.

Bob also led USA Hockey's Youth Council for eight years.

In 1990, he was recognized with the first of USA hockey's three most prestigious national awards for his selfless dedication to enhance the sport of ice hockey in the United States, and was elected Director Emeritus of USA Hockey in 2004.

Bob later scouted for the Toronto Maple Leafs, worked for the Buffalo Savers, and was honored with the Minnesota Wild's Lifetime Achievement Award.

He sadly passed away at age 80 in 2015, leaving these words, "Teach them to skate, teach them to pass, teach them to support each other."

(triumphant music) (dramatic music) Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome from Crested Butte, Colorado, the son of the late and great Bob O'Connor, Paul O'Connor, to accept on his father's behalf.

Presenting him with his father's Hall of Fame Medallion as a Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Famer himself, who was coached by his father, who also put him on his path to Providence College in his exceptional hockey career on and off the ice, Brian Burke.

♪ Call your name to the Hall of Fame ♪ ♪ We call your name to the Hall of Fame ♪ (dramatic music) (attendees clapping) (dramatic music) - Hello.

And I wanna say this is an incredible honor to stand in front of this group of people here of such hockey magnitude.

Brian Burke over here, one of my heroes right there, one of Bob's first proteges to come to Providence, correct?

To present this award is a great honor.

Thank you very much.

I'd also like to thank my East Coast family and the McKennas and the Devereauxs for being here.

It's a great honor to see you guys and thank you so much for your support in being here.

Again, I want to thank Vincent and the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame.

Thank you so much.

Vincent got ahold of me last, what?

November?

And brought me out here.

I come here with my son, Cobin, and we come to you from Crested Butte, Colorado.

Part of our journey was flying into Boston and seeing the elders of our family, Lawrence and Helen O'Connor, 94 and 95 respectively.

They asked me to say these words.

Lawrence to you, Bostonians, Larry and Lolly to you, Rhode Islanders.

And these are his words written for me to read by Helen, who is the scholar of the family and English teacher.

So, here we go.

"And now, yes, Bob was a hockey purist.

His strong feeling for the game is expressed in this quote opinion, to win the game is great, to play the game is greater.

To love the game is the greatest of all.

And now, to add another dimension.

To be inducted into the Rhode Island Hall of Fame is an epitome of his career.

The O'Connor family, among others, is bursting with pride.

And perhaps, Bob is celebrating at the big rink in the sky and recalling the investment of time and practice which brought him his career to this level, the Hall of Fame.

How often did he tell himself and his players, practice doesn't make perfect, only perfect practice does?

As I look back, tragedy was all encompassing in the O'Connor family when our mother died at the age 42, leaving her husband and nine children.

Did you know that Bob was a twin to Dickie, who at age nine, while swimming at Scarborough Beach, was trapped under the tide of a huge boulder and perished.

That was a profound effect on Bob.

And he turned to the salvation, which was hockey.

With his first (indistinct) skates given to him by our sister Jerry, even at a young age, he learned it's not what you do, but how you do it.

While a student at La Salle Academy, Bob was named Hockey Player of the Year, followed by a scholarship to Hebron Academy in Maine, perfecting his academic and athletic skills in preparation for Providence College.

Bob was not shy with social skills either.

Went from the time he met Alice Brickson, a student at Wheaton College, and his life took a different but fulfilling period.

It wasn't long before they married.

Alice was from Minnesota, hockey country, perfect for Bob's prolific career to date.

His advice was sought regularly by professional teams, as well as high schools.

Where he found his affection for the game was contagious.

You have made Helen and me immensely proud.

Minnesota will be using your playbooks for some time to come.

Great coaches are gifted with the ability to unlock what is bound up in there.

Bob was driven to pour large amounts of energy into a single pursuit of excellence.

If it's meant to be, it's up to me.

Farewell, my brother.

You're always in our hearts, pounding with pride.

Now, every time you look at a twinkling star, that's Bob smiling from afar.

And if you really, really try hard, you'll see that the Big Dipper is now shaped like a hockey stick."

(attendees laughing) That's from Lawrence and Helen.

I'd like to add a little bit of my own, if it's okay.

No good man is created by himself.

My mother, Alice O'Connor, needs a lot of credit here as well.

She gave all the hockey as well, but not by choice and passion like Bob.

She did it through marriage and devotion.

She was incredible in many things, knitting, sewing, needlepoint, art, being just one of those talents.

And I will always remember the needlepoint that sat at the end of the hallway to their bedroom that read, we interrupt this marriage for the hockey season.

(attendees laughing) I think that says it all about her commitment and resolve.

The two of them together taught me about community and contribution.

A couple of terms and words that seem to have lost in today's society, but not in the hockey world.

They are core requirements.

And creates, it is what sets hockey apart from the rest of the sports and creates a family and community we have gathered here tonight.

On behalf of Bob and all the OCs, I accept this award with great pride.

Thank you all.

Take care of one another.

And goodnight.

Thank you.

(attendees clapping) (attendees continue clapping) - It seems like a good time to say thanks once again to our presenting partners whose generosity and support make these annual events and all of the work of the Hall of Fame possible.

Special gratitude to the Chace, Cavanagh, and Kennedy families, and to the NHL and NHL Players' Association, the Boston Bruins Foundation, and for Rhode Island Hockey and the Rhode Island Reds Heritage Society for their continuous and generous financial support.

And thanks to our many program advertisers and all of you for your attendance and kind contributions this evening.

Thank you.

The Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame could not accomplish its mission and initiatives without your generosity and support.

Like many other local kids, especially the rink rats of his era who did chores at the old Rhode Island Auditorium for ice team, and our final, for ice time, that is, our final inductee of the evening dreamed of playing for his beloved Rhode Island Reds.

And it almost came true, but then he pivoted to another aspect of the game and became one of the most famous and respected in his profession.

(dramatic music) - [Dave] Tom Woody Woodcock.

(dramatic music) Tom Woodcock was born and raised in Providence and inducted into the trainer's wing of the NHL Hall of Fame in Toronto in 2003.

Like his longtime friend and fellow Rhode Islander, Pete Demers, who was also enshrined there four years later, he too was a talented disciple of Reds and Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame trainer, George Army.

Tom's journey to the hall was more circuitous than Pete's.

He was a self-described rink rat at the old Rhode Island Auditorium, which was then the center of the hockey universe in Southeastern New England.

A role model for his younger brothers, Ed and Rollie, Tom dreamed of playing pro.

He claimed the arena ice between periods for the reward of ice time.

And he became a great skater, good enough to be a three-time all-state selection out of Hope High School.

He did this despite having to leave school when his father passed away, to take a job to help support the family.

When he returned, he continued to shine in the classroom and on the ice, and was rewarded with a contract with the Reds, the team he so admired.

The Reds farmed Woody to the Eastern Hockey League where he skated for several teams, including the Washington Presidents.

Eventually, he concluded that an NHL career was not in the cards, and he took a job as an assistant trainer under George Army with the Reds, while continuing to star on some of the best amateur teams in the region.

(triumphant music) At the suggestion of Brown hockey coach and Hockey Hall of Famer, Jim Fullerton, Tom took specialized classes at the university, which led to the position as trainer for Fullerton's Brown Bears hockey team and a manager of Brown's Meehan Auditorium.

When NHL expansion came in 1967, Bruins' GM, Lynn Patrick, came calling to hire him as head trainer for the St.

Louis Blues, a position he held for 16 years, including free trips to the Stanley Cup final.

In 1983, when the WHA's Hartford franchise moved to the NHL, Tom was lured back to New England, where he spent seven seasons.

The final stop in his career took him to San Jose in 1991 when friend and Rhode Island's own, Jack Ferrera, took over the GM reigns of the expansion sharks.

Tom's final NHL training camp was his 40th.

Over that time, he served in over 3,000 NHL regular season and playoff games.

Tom sadly passed away in 2022.

(triumphant music) - Ladies and gentlemen, accepting for Tom is his loving and devoted wife, Tina.

Presenting Woody's Hall of Fame Medallion is his lifelong friend and fellow NHL legend and Hockey Hall of Fame trainer, Pete Demers.

(dramatic music) (attendees clapping) ♪ We say it loud because we're really proud ♪ ♪ We call your name to the Hall of Fame ♪ ♪ We call your name to the Hall of Fame ♪ (dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (dramatic music continues) (attendees clapping) - I'm gonna give Dale a game-winning assist right here, if I look at my time.

Yeah, and keep this super short.

So, on behalf of the Woodcock family, I would like to congratulate the other inductees tonight, as well as accept this on behalf of my uncle Tom.

He'd be very proud.

And I'd just like to say thank you.

- And thank you all very much and thank you.

Thank you so much.

(attendees clapping) (attendee whistling) (group chattering) (attendees clapping) - Before we close the evening, we'd like to ask all of our honorees to join us on stage for a Class of 2025 photo, wearing your Hall of Fame jerseys and holding your Hall of Fame Medallions.

Once all of our honorees are grouped on stage, everyone is welcome to approach, if you care to take photos.

Please remember to pick up your winning silent auction items with your Class of 2025 posters at the auction table.

And for all of tonight's donors, please claim your Dr.

Simi Hockey Hall of Fame gifts and posters in the lobby as you exit.

Thank you all.

We hope to see you here again next year with the Enshrinement of the 2026 class.

Good evening.

Safe travels wherever you're headed.

Thank you very much for being here.

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