It moved to Toronto in 1958 after the NHL withdrew its support for the International Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston, Ontario, due to funding issues.

The first nine "honoured members" (players Hobey Baker, Charlie Gardiner, Eddie Gerard, Frank McGee, Howie Morenz, Tommy Phillips, Harvey Pulford, Hod Stuart and Georges Vezina) were inducted on April 30, 1945, although the Hall of Fame still did not have a permanent home.

[7] The first board of governors included hockey executives Red Dutton, Art Ross, Frank Sargent, and Lester Patrick; and journalists Abbie Coo, Wes McKnight, Basil O'Meara, J. P. Fitzgerald, and W. A.

[10] In January 1958, the NHL and the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) reached an agreement to establish a new Hall of Fame building in Toronto, and Frank J. Selke was named managing director of the project.

[21] Following Reid's retirement, former NHL referee-in-chief Scotty Morrison, who was the president of the Hockey Hall of Fame since 1986, was appointed curator.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is led by Lanny McDonald,[3] Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Denomme.

The original version of the Cup and the older rings, as well as all of the current National Hockey League trophies, are displayed in the bank vault, an alcove off the Great Hall.

[30] Newly renovated, the exhibit now contains several big ticket items including trophies from multiple North American leagues, artifacts from all Original Six arena's, and a full size Zamboni machine once used at the Boston Garden.

At the NHLPA Gametime, visitors take shots using real pucks at a computer simulation of goaltender Ed Belfour.

Visitors can also take turns playing goaltender, blocking shots from computer simulations of players like Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier.

[33] While many of the Hall of Fame exhibits are dedicated to the NHL, there is a large section devoted to hockey leagues and players outside North America.

[38][39] The zone includes the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame honour roll, listing each inductee by country and year of enshrinement.

The World of Hockey also recognizes members of the Triple Gold Club, and displays memorabilia from the "Miracle on Ice" at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

The builders' category includes coaches, general managers, commentators, team owners and others who have helped build the game.

[41] As of November 2018, the selection committee includes: chairman John Davidson, James M. Gregory (Chairman Emeritus), and committee members David Branch, Brian Burke, Colin Campbell, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Mark Chipman, Bob Clarke, Marc de Foy, Michael Farber, Ron Francis, Mike Gartner, Anders Hedberg, Jari Kurri, Igor Larionov, Pierre McGuire, Bob McKenzie, David Poile, and Luc Robitaille.

Players with less than 50% are dropped from consideration for that year and voting continues until either the maximum number of inductees is reached or all remaining nominees receive between 50% and 75%.

[43] The waiting period was waived for ten players deemed exceptionally notable; Dit Clapper (1947), Maurice Richard (1961), Ted Lindsay (1966), Red Kelly (1969), Terry Sawchuk (1971), Jean Beliveau (1972), Gordie Howe (1972), Bobby Orr (1979), Mario Lemieux (1997), and Wayne Gretzky (1999).

[44] Following Gretzky's induction, the Board of Directors determined that the waiting period would no longer be waived for any player except under "certain humanitarian circumstances".

[5] Three Hall of Fame members came out of retirement after their induction and resumed a career in the National League: Gordie Howe, Guy Lafleur and Mario Lemieux.

The Hall of Fame amended its by-laws by introducing the "three-year waiting period", which made Pronger and Weber eligible for induction since they last played in 2011 and 2021, respectively.

Although they remain separate categories, the builders and on-ice officials are considered on the same ballot and a combined maximum of two can be inducted each year.

[56] The Hall of Fame has been criticized for inducting several lacklustre candidates in the early 2000s decade due to "a shortage of true greatness".

[66] One of the most discussed potential nominees is Paul Henderson, who scored the winning goal in the final moments of the deciding eighth game of the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union.

Smythe said that it made him sick to think of Jackson alongside such Toronto Maple Leafs players as "Apps, Primeau, Conacher, Clancy and Kennedy.

[73] On March 30, 1993, it was announced that Gil Stein, who at the time had been president of the National Hockey League for nine months but had been overlooked for the new job of commissioner in favour of Gary Bettman, would be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Due to these allegations, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman hired two independent lawyers, Arnold Burns and Yves Fortier, to lead an investigation.

[74] They concluded that Stein had "improperly manipulated the process" and "created the false appearance and illusion" that his nomination was the idea of Bruce McNall.

[76] In 1989, Alan Eagleson, a longtime executive director of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), was inducted as a builder.

He resigned nine years later from the Hall after pleading guilty to mail fraud and embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the NHLPA pension funds.

[78] Originally, the Hall of Fame was not going to become involved in the issue, but was forced to act when dozens of inductees, including Bobby Orr, Ted Lindsay and Brad Park, campaigned for Eagleson's expulsion, even threatening to renounce their membership if he was not removed.