Olympic gold medals, the Memorial Cup, the Norris Trophy and the Stanley Cup.
Between them, former Kelowna Rockets defencemen Shea Weber and Duncan Keith have won some impressive trophies.
The two are now joined together forever as inductees of the BC Sports Hall of Fame. Weber and Keith, along with nine other individuals and two teams, were celebrated at the recent 43rd Annual Banquet of Champions in Vancouver.
Weber and Keith entered the hall as members of the 2010 Olympic gold medal-winning Canadian hockey team.
“It’s a huge honour,” said Weber from Nashville, as he prepared for his seventh NHL season. “Growing up in B.C., playing my junior hockey in B.C. and being around the province it means a lot to myself and my family. This is something I can cherish forever.”
Neither Weber nor Keith were at the induction ceremony as both have left the area to prepare for the start of the hockey season.
Some of Keith’s family and friends were in attendance as he and Weber, along with fellow B.C. players Scott Niedermayer and Brent Seabrook and Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo were also inducted.
“When you think of a Hall of Fame you don’t think of getting inducted while you’re still playing,” said Keith. “But it’s a huge honour and a privilege to be put in that select group that gets to go into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. I was honoured to be picked for that team. To play on Team Canada in the Winter Olympics in your own backyard… it doesn’t get any better than that.”
And the two former Rockets’ stars certainly earned their spot on the team. Weber, the big, punishing defenceman, had two goals, four assists and was plus-four in the seven Canadian games at the Olympics.
Keith, who would later that year be named the NHL’s best defencemen, had six assists in the seven games and recorded a plus-six rating.
After the players celebrated the gold medal win, it became a family affair, something that has stuck with both players.
“Obviously we celebrated as a team right after the game,” said Weber. “But then we went to meet our families and my mom and dad and grandma and grandpa and my brother were all there. My mom passed away last summer and that was the last thing she got to see me do and that was very special for me.”
