Czech goaltending legend Dominik Hasek and Swedish centre Peter Forsberg were among four NHL stars announced on Monday as this year's inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Other spots in the sport's honour shrine will be taken by American Mike Modano and Canadian Rob Blake.
The induction ceremony will be in Toronto on November 17 following votes by an 18-member selection panel this past weekend.
Hasek won the NHL's Vezina Trophy as top goaltender six times in his 16-year NHL career, second only to legend Jacques Plante. Hasek won NHL Most Valuable Player honours in 1997 and 1998.
Hasek backstopped the Czechs to Olympic gold at Nagano in 1998 in the first Games to include NHL talent. He won 389 NHL games, led the league six times in save percentage and twice won the Stanley Cup while playing for Detroit.
"After I retired, I really began to appreciate what the game did for me," Hasek said. "Achieving this recognition is far beyond what I could have imagined."
Forsberg's shootout goal brought Sweden gold at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics and the moment was immortalised on a Swedish postage stamp.
Forsberg, who won the Stanley Cup twice with Colorado, had his career cut short by injury but he ended with 249 goals in 708 career games.
"It has been a good run and I wouldn't change places with anybody," Forsberg said. "Joining Borje Salming and Mats Sundin in the Hall of Fame as the third Swedish member makes it especially gratifying for me."
Modano is the all-time top US scorer in the NHL with 561 goals and his 1499 games are the most by an American-born forward. He helped Dallas win the 1999 Stanley Cup.
"When I played, I always hoped that I could make an impact on the game, both on and off the ice, and this honour recognises that."
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