The wait is going to last another year for Henrik Zetterberg.
The Red Wings’ former star Wednesday again missed out on into induction of the Hockey Hall of Fame, but a dream came true for another former Red Wing: Goaltender Mike Vernon, who made his mark with the Calgary Flames before winning a Stanley Cup with Detroit in 1997.
The Hall named three players to its 2023 class, along with American goalie Tom Barrasso and Swedish goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Canadian women’s player Caroline Oullette Canadian center Pierre Turgeon round out the 2023 player class and will be inducted later this year.
Former head coach Ken Hitchcock and former player agent Pierre Lacroix will be inducted in the builder category.
Zetterberg, who was on the Hall ballot for a second year, will have to wait again.
To gain admission, a candidate has to get a minimum 75% of the vote — appearing on at least 14 of the 18 ballots — to earn induction.
Zetterberg finished his career with 960 points (337 goals, 623 assists in 1,082 games) and was captain of the Red Wings for the final six years of his career. He ranks fifth in Wings’ history in goals, assists and points.
Zetterberg won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs when the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 2008 and is one of only 30 players to also secure the Triple Gold Club in hockey, having won a Stanley Cup, world championship and Olympic gold medal.
Zetterberg was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame earlier this year.
The Red Wings have had a lengthy list of players drafted late and emerge as fine players. But Zetterberg was a complete surprise, being drafted 210th overall, in the seventh round of the 1999 Entry Draft.
Former Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood and defenseman Niklas Kronwall also were not elected in Wednesday’s vote.
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan
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