Mike Gartner was barely “unemployed” at the Hockey Hall of Fame this past June when he was offered the shrine’s top job.
It took him very little time to accept it, both honored and delighted to take the reins.
Next June, Gartner will succeed Lanny McDonald as Hall of Fame chairman, the latter’s 10-year term coming to an end at that time.
It wasn’t a tough sell, Gartner jokes, the Class of 2001 Hall of Famer deeply flattered that the shrine would come calling.
The timing was perfect in many ways, McDonald and Gartner both reaching the end of their mandates.
Gartner’s 15-year term on the Hall’s selection committee ended with the June 2024 meeting to elect the class that will be inducted in Toronto on Nov. 11. He had been chairman of that committee since Jan. 1, 2022.