Hall of Fame call 'beyond my ultimate dream,' says Manitoba hockey star Jennifer Botterill

Gavin Axelrod · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 24, 2025 9:36 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

One of Manitoba's astir decorated athletes volition now be capable to telephone herself a Hockey Hall of Famer. 

Jennifer Botterill — who was calved successful Ottawa but raised successful Winnipeg — was announced Tuesday arsenic a subordinate of the Hockey Hall of Fame's people of 2025. She joins 7 others who volition become Hall of Fame members astatine an induction ceremonial successful Toronto successful November.

Botterill and Brianna Decker volition go the 13th and 14th pistillate players inducted into the hall. 

"I bash consciousness similar it's the eventual honour of recognition," Botterill told CBC News Tuesday afternoon. "It's the highest designation you tin person successful the sport." 

Her hallway of fame resume is extensive.

After graduating from Winnipeg's St. John's-Ravenscourt, she starred connected the crystal astatine Harvard University, racking up hundreds of points en way to becoming the lone subordinate to triumph the Patty Kazmaier Award twice — a recognition for the apical subordinate successful women's NCAA Division 1 hockey.

Botterill besides collected golden medals astatine 3 antithetic wintertime Olympic Games with Team Canada, and is a five-time satellite champion, wherever she won 2 tourney MVP awards. 

She played professionally earlier retiring successful 2011 and present works arsenic a tv broadcaster, among different ventures.

"To beryllium inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, I think, is beyond my ultimate dream," she said.

'Tell Jennifer to reply her phone'

Botterill recovered retired astir her upcoming induction connected Tuesday, portion retired with her household and parents astatine West Hawk Lake successful eastbound Manitoba.

Her father, Cal, chuckled arsenic helium recounted however hard it was to scope her erstwhile the Hall of Fame came calling.

The household was retired for a vessel ride, helium said.

"She wasn't answering the phone, truthful we got a mates of calls from Jason, her brother, saying, 'Tell Jennifer to reply her phone,'" helium said with a laugh. 

When they got to the dock, different telephone came from Hockey Hall of Fame president Lanny McDonald and enactment committee seat Ron Francis, Botterill said.

After the call, she celebrated with her family, including her hubby and daughters, who were jumping up and down connected the borderline of the dock, she said. 

"I deliberation my bosom … conscionable felt similar it was bursting," said Botterill. "I stock this with my family, due to the fact that they've ever been truthful supportive of maine connected my journey, from a young property to my planetary career.

"And truthful to person the accidental to conscionable virtually spell implicit and stock the quality and stock hugs with them … was a beauteous infinitesimal for maine with those emotions."

'Surprised successful a precise delightful way'

Botterill has been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 2014, but she said couldn't fto herself beryllium consumed by whether the telephone would come. 

In past years, Botterill said she was filled with excitement watching the induction of immoderate of her teammates, oregon radical she played against.

WATCH | Manitoba prima Jennifer Botterill to beryllium inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame: 

"I was … spending clip with my household and not expecting that 'OK, this is going to beryllium the year,' oregon the telephone was going to travel through," she said. "So I would accidental I was amazed successful a precise delightful mode erstwhile the telephone came." 

Cal Botterill echoed immoderate of those thoughts. 

"I deliberation we felt each along, aft we saw what she was accomplishing, that 1 time she mightiness beryllium a candidate," helium said. "But it's inactive breathtaking to spot her being honoured."

Botterill was besides portion of Sport Manitoba's Hall of Fame people successful 2024 and Hockey Manitoba's successful 2017.

She said she hopes her vocation volition beryllium a root of inspiration and information for others.

"You ne'er cognize erstwhile that infinitesimal mightiness beryllium for a young athlete, to assistance them to judge successful themselves, and what mightiness beryllium possible," she said.

"If determination is immoderate tiny mode that tin supply a small root of inspiration for someone, that would beryllium the eventual honour."

Another Winnipegger, defenceman Duncan Keith, who played for Chicago Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers, was besides named arsenic a Hall of Fame inductee connected Tuesday.