TORONTO — One of the most special sporting occasions in these parts every year takes place this coming weekend in the event known as the annual Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

The Class of 2025 features such deserving former NHLers as defensemen Duncan Keith and Zdeno Chara, forwards Joe Thornton and Alexander Mogilny, and womens’ stars Jennifer Botterill and Brianna Decker.

The success each enjoyed domestically was well earned. At the same time, each left their own marks at the Olympic Games, which makes their individual body of works that much more impressive.

Consider this: Those six players being welcomed into the Hall combined to help their respective teams win eight gold and three silver medals.

Here’s a breakdown of their individual Olympic accomplishments.

D Duncan Keith, Canada

The Winnipeg native was one of the best puck-moving defensemen in the NHL during his prime with the Chicago Blackhawks and was a no-brainer selection for Team Canada for the 2010 Vancouver Games and 2014 Sochi Games.

In both instances, Canada won the gold medal. Over that span, Keith had eight points, all assists, in 13 games and was plus-12.

In Vancouver, he tied for the team lead in points among defensemen with six, all of them assists, in seven games. He also tied for the second-best plus-minus among all Canadian players in the tournament at plus-six.

Four years later, Canada adopted a more defensive blueprint, leaving Keith with just one point, an assist, in six games. His effectiveness came more in his own zone as reflected by the fact that he tied for the team lead in plus-minus at plus-six.

The British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame inducted Keith in 2011 as a member of the 2010 Olympic team, and he was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2012 along with the 2010 Olympic Team.

F Joe Thornton, Canada

The St. Thomas, Ontario native attended two Olympics as a member of Team Canada, playing at the 2006 Turin Games and in Vancouver four years later.

The gold medal in Vancouver was special for a couple of reasons. First, he’d been disappointed along with his teammates four years earlier when Canada failed to medal. Secondly, once his career was over and he’d failed to get his name on the Stanley Cup, the Vancouver Games gave he and San Jose Sharks teammate Patrick Marleau a chance to celebrate a professional championship together.

“It meant so much,” Thornton said. “And it was special to do it with him”

In 13 games at the Olympics, Thornton had five points (two goals, three assists).

D Zdeno Chara, Slovakia

No, the 6-foot-9, 250-pound giant never won an Olympic medal with his native Slovakia.

But the foundation he helped establish for his national team is a trait that has carried on to this day.

Chara played in three Olympics: 2006 in Turin, 2010 in Vancouver and 2014 in Sochi. He was the captain for each of those final two events.

The highlight came in Vancouver when he helped Slovakia to a fourth-place finish, its best showing at any Olympics to that point. That tournament featured upset victories over favored Russia and Sweden before losing to Finland.

In 17 Olympic contests Chara had six points (one goal, five assists).

For the record, Slovakia won its first-ever medal in ice hockey at the 2022 Beijing Games, a bronze. Keep in mind that NHL players did not participate in that tournament.

F Alexander Mogilny, Soviet Union/Russia

Mogilny made headlines when he defected to the United States following the 1989 IIHF World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden and made his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres on October 5, 1989.

Prior to that, however, he made his only Olympic Games appearance a successful one.

Although only 18 years old at the time, Mogilny joined the USSR team at the 1988 Calgary Games and was part of its gold medal run. He had five points (three goals, two assists) in six games on a star-studded squad that featured fellow future Hockey Hall of Famers Igor Larionov, Sergei Makarov, both forwards, and defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov.

F Brianna Decker, United States

One of the most decorated female players in U.S. history with 170 points (81 goals, 89 assists) in 147 career games with the national team, the Dousman, Wisconsin native was part of three medal-winning Olympic teams: gold at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, and silver at the 2014 Sochi Games and 2022 Beijing Games.

In 11 Olympic contests, Decker had nine points (two goals, seven assists). All those impressive numbers led her to be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024.

One year later, she’ll receive a similar honor at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

F Jennifer Botterill, Canada

A native of Ottawa who grew up in Winnipeg, Botterill grew up with a special appreciation for the Olympics.

It’s easy to see why.

After all, Botterill’s mother, Doreen McCannell, competed for Canada in speed skating at the 1964 and 1968 Games. Her best result was an eighth-place finish in the 3,000 meters as part of the long-track event at the 1964 Innsbruck Games.

Jennifer, whose brother Jason is the general manager of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, went one step further, helping Canada win three Olympic golds (2002 Salt Lake City Games, 2006 Turin Games, 2010 Vancouver Games) and a silver (1998 Nagano Games). In that span she had 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 21 games.