Last month, the Hockey Hall of Fame unveiled its class of 2024, which consisted of five players — three in the male player category, two in the female player category — and two builders. Two of the male players, Pavel Datsyuk and Shea Weber, went in during their first year of eligibility. Jeremy Roenick had been eligible since 2012, or three years after he played his last official game as a professional with the 2008-09 San Jose Sharks. That’s a distinction that’s unique to the HHOF, because it takes into account players who continue to play professionally around the world, even after their NHL careers conclude.

So, for example, Datsyuk played five years in Russia after leaving the Detroit Red Wings following the 2015-16 season, which is why he wasn’t eligible for selection until this year. Jaromir Jagr, the NHL’s second all-time leading scorer, hasn’t played a game in the NHL since 2017-18, but he continues to play a handful of games every year for Kladno, the team he owns in Czechia. If Jagr finally stops playing this year, he’ll become eligible in 2027 — and he’ll be about as sure a thing as there is to a guaranteed first-ballot inductee.

That’s the thing about Hall of Fame debates. They generally aren’t too controversial at the top end.

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How…

Byron Ritchie jotted out a quick note on his phone and sent off a text to Jarome Iginla, his former Calgary Flames teammate.

Ritchie’s son Ryder was mired in a goal-scoring slump, and Ritchie asked Iginla if he could watch a few of his son’s shifts. “Just see if you’re seeing something different than I am,” Byron asked.

It was one hockey dad asking another for advice, but in truth, less personal versions of this type of exchange are commonplace for Ritchie and Iginla. The two former NHL forwards played together in Calgary for two seasons nearly 20 years ago. They both made their offseason homes in the Okanagan, a picturesque locale in the interior of British Columbia that’s popular among NHL players.

In August 2006, following their first year as teammates in Calgary, Ritchie’s wife, Maria Johansson, and Jarome’s wife, Kara Iginla, both gave birth to sons. Ryder was born on Aug. 3. Tij Iginla arrived the very next day.

Now the two 17-year-olds are top NHL prospects heading into this weekend’s NHL Draft in Las Vegas and working through the pressures of draft eligibility together at RINK Hockey Academy in Kelowna. Jarome Iginla coaches the academy’s U18 team — including his son Joe, who made his WHL debut as a 15-year-old this season — while Byron Ritchie…

Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard has entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and will be away from the team for an indefinite period. He will continue to be paid and will return to the club “when cleared for on-ice competition by the program administrators,” per the NHL and NHL Players Association release.

“I have made a proactive decision to take care of my mental health and will be entering treatment for severe anxiety and depression that has gone untreated for too long and led to alcohol abuse,” Girard said in a statement through his agency, CAA. “Taking care of your mental health is of the utmost importance, and I encourage everyone to speak up and seek help should you feel like you need it. I want to express my gratitude to my wife, family, friends, the club, my teammates, and the fans for their patience, understanding and continued support.”

The 25-year-old Girard is a top-four defenseman for the Avalanche and has three points in 15 games this season. He has missed the past two games for personal reasons. Caleb Jones will likely be the primary player to fill in during his absence.

Girard is in his seventh NHL season and was part of Colorado’s Stanley Cup winning team in 2022, though he got hurt in the Avalanche’s second round series against St….

Paul Stastny knew people were going to figure it out eventually.

But he didn’t see the point in making a big deal of it.

And so when I reached out this week to see how he was doing, curious whether he was talking to teams about one last run, I got a completely different answer.

“I haven’t filed anything, but in early September we decided we were done,” Stastny said.

After putting up 822 points in 1,145 career regular-season games over 17 NHL seasons, the 37-year-old forward has called it quits.

Without much fanfare.

“I didn’t put anything out on social media or anything,” Stastny said with a chuckle. “I kind of came into the league quietly and I’m leaving the league quietly. That’s the way I like it.

“All the people close to me know, and then word always gets out eventually.”

Well, we all know now.

Stastny said he had some calls from teams this summer but wanted to wait and see how he felt.

“I wanted to take all the emotions out of it,” he said. “The summer got further along, and I got on the ice a few times … I wouldn’t say the spark wasn’t there — I still love the game — but I think I was just ready to move forward to the next chapter.

“When you know, you know.”

Stastny and his wife and two kids, aged 8 and 6, are currently at their home in…

Joonas Donskoi is retiring from the NHL after seven seasons, he announced via social media Sunday.

“After suffering multiple concussions over my career I’ve decided to retire from professional hockey,” Donskoi said in his statement. “It is extremely hard to let go of something you have put your whole life into, but at this point I know it’s the right decision for my own well being and future.”

Donskoi was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL Draft, later making his professional debut during the 2015-16 season. The forward spent his first four years with the Sharks, tallying 283 of his 474 career games, 45 goals and 77 assists.

The 31-year-old then played two years with the Colorado Avalanche and one final season with the Seattle Kraken. Donskoi missed all of last season after suffering his seventh concussion during a Kraken’s preseason game.

“Thank you San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken,” Donskoi said. “It was an honor to be part of these three world class organizations, cities and fanbases. To all my teammates, coaches, trainers, doctors, front offices, and fans: thank you for the best years of my life.”

He  ended his statement saying, “Thank you to my wife, Devin, I don’t know where I’d be without…