First hall of fame inductees

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Native hockey stars Jim Neilson and Fred Sasakamoose were made the first inductees into the Canadian Native Hockey Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Onion Lake, Sask., on Jan.5. The presentation took place after the International Challenge exhibition game between the Native All-Stars and the touring Russian 18 "Selects".

"Fred Sasakamoose was the first treaty Indian in the NHL," said Gordon Hum, founder of the hall of fame and commissioner of the Canadian Native Hockey Federation. "Jim Neilson played in the NHL for 15 years. They're the two first selections because of their careers, and because the ceremony was held in Saskatchewan and they're both from there."

Sasakamoose is from the Sandy Lake Reserve in northern Saskatchewan. He started playing hockey when he went to St. Michael's in Duck Lake, then went on to play Junior hockey in Moose Jaw. The small forward had a cup of coffee in the old six-team NHL with the Chicago Black Hawks, then went on to star in semi-professional and minor pro leagues, including stints with the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League and the Saskatoon Quakers of the Western Canadian Hockey League.

Jim Neilson is from Big River Sask. He played more than 1,000 NHL games, mostly with the New York Rangers. The steady blueliner also suited up in the NHL for the Cleveland Barons and the California Golden Seals, and ended his playing career with the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association. He now lives in Winnipeg.

Sasakamoose was inducted into the hall of fame by Hum, who has been an aggressive advocate of Native participation in minor hockey across Canada, as well as of opening doors for Native youth to play at a higher level more easily. Neilson's inductee was Willie Littlechild, Hobbema lawyer, athlete and one of the founders of the North American Indigenous Games movement.

Hum announced that the hall of fame will eventually find a permanent home at the Tsuu T'ina First Nation immediately west of Calgary.