Welcome To The Hall

TORONTO - Mike Vernon: Hall of Famer.

Has a nice ring to it.

He’s got the ring and he’s got the jacket, all that is left now is to make it official with the induction ceremony set for tonight in Toronto.

It’s been a long time coming for Vernon, with accolades that include two Stanley Cups.

The past few days has been all about honouring and recognizing the goaltender that played with fire and passion.

“He was an amazing competitor,” former Flames general manager Al Coates said. “He wasn’t the biggest guy as we all know, but that wasn’t going to deteriate him because he was so competitive, so talented, so athletic. He had this reality about him that he can’t be denied, won’t be denied.

“His competitive spirt, through everything that he does and the friendships he creates … it’s amazing. It’s so fitting that he’s being inducted.”

And, what better way than to have longtime friend Lanny McDonald not only make the call months ago to tell him the news, but to also be the one to present him with his Hall-of-Fame ring and jacket over the course of the weekend.

Truly something out of a storybook.

“He’s so deserving of it,” McDonald said. “He’s top ten in just about every category.

“To see how happy he is, how much fun he’s having and see how many old teammates are here to help celebrate is fabulous.”

The mindset and the way that Vernon carried himself quickly - and rightfully so - made him a fan favourite. He was truly loved in Calgary.

With over a dozen members of the Flames 1989 Stanley Cup squad in attendance for his induction, one thing was always echoed about the former netminder, whose number 30 hangs in the Scotiabank Saddledome rafters, was how great of a person he was and still is to this day.

“Verny was such a fun loving guy,” Lanny McDonald said. “He had this grin on his face the whole time. You loved to hang out with him, loved to have a beer with him. Those are the kind of teammates you want to be around with all the time.

“He was calm and had composure,” Doug Gilmore added. “You could laugh with him, he would laugh at his own mistakes. Most important thing, he competed hard for us and we loved him for it.”

The memories are plentiful, from making his NHL debut, the three big saves against the Canucks in the Flames’ first-round series in ’89, to finally hoisting Lord Stanley in the old famous Montreal Forum.

A kid born and raised in Calgary, who came up the ranks with the Calgary Wranglers to then bringing the franchise’s first Cup home.

It certainly was special.

Joined alongside Tom Barrasso, Ken Hitchcock, Henrik Lundqvist, Pierre Turgeon, Caroline Outlette and the late Pierre Lacroix’s, who is represented by his son Eric and wife Coco, with every event you could spot Vernon grinning ear-to-ear, taking it all in.

“It’s a great feeling,” Vernon said on the induction. “You reflect on the people that helped you along the way.

“To be in the same breath as these guys, is quite remarkably. I never, ever thought of this. I’m just proud of what I did in my career, proud of the numbers I put up. For the selection committee to recognize that and put me in here with all these greats is quite remarkable.”