April 2026 | 3 min read
Everyone saw the Legends Game. Everyone remembers the banquet. But what most people didn't see were the months of work — and the army of volunteers — that made October 4, 2025 happen.
The inaugural induction banquet — a packed house for a first-of-its-kind event.
Six Months Out
Serious planning for the inaugural USA 80+ Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony started about six months before the event. Fred Merchant had the vision. The board had the commitment. But turning an idea into a full-scale induction weekend — complete with a Legends Game, a banquet for inductees and families traveling in from across North America, and a ceremony honoring 36 people — required a lot more than a few meetings and a venue reservation.
The biggest challenge was logistics. Blue Sport Stable was the natural home for the Hall of Fame, but coordinating rink time for the Legends Game, setting up a banquet at a nearby restaurant, and managing the flow of inductees and their families from arrival to ceremony — that took real planning.
Where it all started — inductees arriving at the rink, getting their jerseys, and meeting their teammates before the Legends Game.
The Long Hockey Community Steps Up
What made the event possible wasn't a big budget or a professional event team. It was the Long Hockey community.
Volunteers from Long Hockey handled everything. Setup. Decorations. Check-in. Guiding inductees and their families from the moment they arrived at the rink — carrying their bags to the locker room, walking them through the schedule, making sure nobody felt lost. During the Legends Game, volunteers managed the pre-game logistics and kept things running smoothly on the ice. After the game, they helped transition everything to the banquet.
Shannon Lusso and Sherry Sulak — Long Hockey volunteers who brought in the equipment, set up the venue, and made sure every detail was covered.
The donations weren't just financial. Volunteers brought in the drapes, the backdrops, the staging materials — everything needed to transform a sports restaurant into something that felt like a real ceremony. All donated time. All donated materials.
Martin Richardson with Dawg Nation referees — Long Hockey volunteers kept the Legends Game running smoothly from puck drop to final whistle.
The Moment It Became Real
There was one moment when it all clicked.
Walking into the restaurant and seeing the new backdrop with the HHOF logo — that was the focal point. The drapes framed the stage setup, and suddenly this wasn't a sports bar anymore. It was a banquet hall. Volunteers had taken a casual restaurant and turned it into a venue that looked and felt professional, worthy of the people being honored that night.
The stage setup — HHOF backdrop, screens, drapes, and video equipment transformed the restaurant into a ceremony venue.
Founder Fred Merchant at the podium — the backdrop he envisioned, brought to life by volunteers.
Sean Moynihan presenting inductees — wearing his Long Hockey jacket at the podium.
The only real nervous moment leading up to the event? Whether people would actually show up. Would there be a decent turnout, or would the room feel empty?
It wasn't empty. They had record numbers.
Terry Harper — 5x Stanley Cup Champion and 2025 inductee — enjoying the evening.
Bill Orban — former NHL forward and 2025 inductee — proudly wearing his Legends Game credential.
Memorabilia on display — honoring the Super Seniors who represented the USA and Canada in international 80+ competition.
What It Means
The 2025 ceremony proved something important: you don't need a massive organization to honor people who deserve it. You need people who care enough to show up — and then keep showing up until the work is done.
That's what Long Hockey did. That's what the board did. That's what the hockey community in Superior, Colorado does.
The 2026 ceremony is already in the works. And those same volunteers? They're already raising their hands.
The 2026 Induction Ceremony
Saturday, September 26, 2026 at Blue Sport Stable in Superior, CO
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