My Words: Nothing Prepared Me for This

I’m not the type of person that gets emotional about a lot of things, but this was definitely one of the times I did. 

I was out mowing my lawn when my phone, which I always keep on do-not-disturb mode, hummed. I let the call go to voicemail thinking that I would listen to it once I finished cutting the grass.

But when my phone immediately buzzed again, I shut down the engine and called the Toronto number. I still have a hard time believing what I heard.

Lanny McDonald and Ron Francis, two former NHL greats, were on speaker phone at the other end. They told me that I was one of eight inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

If you had a camera on me at that moment, sitting there alone on my front porch thinking about what just happened, you would have seen me tear up. I was not expecting news like that at all.

It wouldn’t surprise me if my fellow inductees in 2025 – Jennifer Botterill, Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny, Jack Parker, Daniele Sauvageau and Joe Thornton – all had similar reactions.

The same goes for the 299 players, 115 builders and 16 on-ice officials indoctrinated since 1945 into the world’s most prestigious hall of fame devoted to hockey.

Of course, that same feeling most likely existed for the 10 other women who have been inducted since the initial group in 2010, especially Cammi Granato, the first American to be so honored. 

Honestly, it was never a goal of mine to be in any hall of fame, much less this one. I’m at a loss for words that I’ll be inducted with all those incredible athletes and legendary builders of the game that I love so much. It’s probably at the top of my list as far as individual accomplishments go. I can’t think of a greater honor.

As you get older – I’m 34 now – you start thinking about the bigger picture and seeing things through a different lens. I never viewed myself as impactful a player as perhaps others have seen from me. Before I retired in 2023, I was fortunate to experience some amazing highs during my career. From winning an NCAA title with Wisconsin in 2011, an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2018, and playing on six American teams that won IIHF world championships from 2011 to ‘21. Being a member of those teams – the pride and the relationships that came to life as a result – will always mean more to me than any individual accomplishment.

It’s my belief that as soon as Hilary Knight retires, the selection committee will have her name on the next ballot. She’s more than a former teammate, a fellow UW alum and, for years, the most dominant player in the world. She’s a legend who’s getting ready to play in her fifth Winter Olympics in 2026.      

I grew up in small-town Dousman, Wisconsin, and my goal was always just to play for the Badgers. It wasn’t to play in the Olympics or for Team USA. It was to skate for my home-state school and learn as much as I could.

I did consider attending Minnesota, given that I attended a couple of Gophers games when they played UW. But underneath a Minnesota sweatshirt, I wore a Wisconsin hockey T-shirt. That’s always where my heart was.

The biggest reason I went to UW was knowing I would learn the game from somebody who’s experienced the Olympics – Mark Johnson.

He led the Americans to the gold medal in 1980, famously scoring two goals for Team USA in a shocking, 4-3 win over the Soviet Union. I wasn’t born yet, but I’ve watched the movie “Miracle’’ at least 10 times.

Mark later coached Team USA to a silver medal in the Winter Games in Vancouver. That team had seven former Badgers on it and two others won Olympic gold medals playing for Team Canada. In the last three Olympics, 15 former Wisconsin players either played or coached, including 11 who skated in the most recent Winter Games. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were more than that in 2026.

What’s stunning to me is that Mark isn’t in this Hall of Fame. His legendary dad is, Bob Johnson coached the Badgers to three NCAA titles and helped Pittsburgh to two Stanley Cups. He was inducted in 1992. Four-time Olympic defenseman Chris Chelios was the first Wisconsin player to be so honored. He was added in 2013.

I think Mark should be included based on his coaching record alone. The Badgers have won a record eight NCAA championships and he’s the all-time winningest coach in women’s hockey history. It’s hard for me to put into words how much positive impact he’s had on the lives of his players.

I was also surprised to learn that no American player from the “Miracle’’ team is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Who better to represent that unforgettable moment than the unassuming guy who led Team USA in scoring in 1980 and went on to play 11 seasons in the NHL? Mark did a lot as a player, but I believe he’s made more of a statement as a hockey coach.

One of the best things about playing for Mark is that there was always a feeling of family. It stemmed from how much he cares about his kids, grandkids and that all seemed to rub off on us. I was never playing for Mark; I played with Mark. That’s how I felt every single game.

One of Mark’s strengths was his ability to allow us athletes to be ourselves when it came to creativity on the ice. He never took away from our abilities; he only added to them. He coached us like athletes and expected us to be at the standard of any athlete, no matter the gender. Talk about empowerment.

Great coaches know how to get the best from great players. I’m not saying that I was a great player, but I think I had the right mix of talent, drive and commitment that Mark could work with -- helping instead of hindering me.

But Mark also has a way of getting his point across in a subtle, but very motivating way. This was 2011 – the year we lost only two games and won the national title – and we just played Minnesota-Duluth. It was one of those times when I played on a line with Duggan and Hilary. Little did we know that our coach was upset with the way we played. Mark said we were going to have a video session that Monday, which was very unusual.

“Some of you guys are going to be movie stars and some of you are not and today you do not want to be a movie star,’’ he said.

Every single clip showed the three of us not doing something right. It was humbling to say the least, but it was good too. I think it was his way of saying, “These three are ones we’re relying on and sometimes they’re not doing things the right way, either.’’ In short, words to motivate, not to discourage.

There’s nothing I’m prouder of than playing for Wisconsin and representing them the rest of my career. I’m sure Meghan and Hilary have felt the same way too. It’s a special place.

I don’t know what I want to do next. The one thing I’ve known my whole life is that playing hockey was always my passion and what I really love to do.

I really enjoy coaching. I love the ability to get kids to reach their goals or get to their next chapter in life, I like where my coaching career is headed.

I love the experiences I’ve had in hockey because I believe they’ve made me a better coach. I’m telling these players things I wish I heard early in my career

But nothing prepared me for this. One minute you’re mowing the lawn, the next you’re in the Hockey Hall of Fame.