Five local hockey greats who represent the RI Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 were inducted last weekend at the Hall’s annual Enshrinement Celebration & Dinner at historic Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet in Cranston, RI

Vin Cimini, founding chairman of the Hall of Fame, noted that the five new inductees are, “among the most accomplished our state has produced. Aside from their professional hockey careers and their play representing our nation, they each earned legendary status on the ice at their respective schools.” With their formal inductions, the number of honorees in the Hall reaches 37.

Also honored was 101-year-old Don Mellor, recipient of the Hall’s prestigious Malcolm Greene Chace Trophy, awarded for “Lifetime contributions of a Rhode Islander to the game of hockey.” Mellor, a Cranston native and father of HOF inductee, Tom Mellor, was a farmhand of the Boston Bruins as a young man. He later co-founded the legendary CLCF hockey program in his hometown, which developed many of the state’s most accomplished players in the mid-century.

The “Class of 2022” inductees are:

BOB BELLEMORE

This LaSalle and Providence College goaltending legend backstopped the Friars’ first ECAC championship and Final Four NCAA title bid in 1964. After organizing and coaching Smithfield’s first high school hockey team and serving as assistant coach with the Friars, he became the longtime goalie coach for the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. He returned to PC to coach the Lady Friars’ goaltenders for 19 years and has been honored as our nation’s Assistant “Coach of the Year” in women’s hockey.

HARVEY BENNETT, JR.

One of the stars of our state’s most famous hockey family, he led Cranston East to the Rhode Island state and New England championships before starring at Boston College and playing for 5 NHL teams over his pro career. He twice represented the USA in international play with his brother, Curt, who he will join, along with his father, Harvey, Sr., both charter inductees of the Hall of Fame in 2018.

ROBBIE GAUDREAU

A graduate of Bishop Hendricken, Robbie is the all-time goals scoring leader at Providence College. He also tied the single-season goals record with the Friars and was later selected an All-American, New England Player of the Year, and a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the USA’s best collegiate player in 1991. He has been voted one of the Top 50 players in Hockey East history. Rob went on to score the most goals of any native Rhode Islander to play in the National Hockey League. He scored the first two hat tricks in San Jose history. He will join his father, Bob Gaudreau, a 2021 inductee of the Hall of Fame.

TOM MELLOR

Tom graduated from the Cranston CLCF youth hockey program that his father, Don, co-founded. He starred at the Northwood School in Lake Placid, NY, before earning All-America honors at Boston College where his retired jersey hangs in the rafters of the Conte Forum. He played for Team USA on 3 occasions, taking home a Silver Medal at the 1972 Olympics before joining the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. He ended his hockey career by being named MVP of the International Hockey League in 1977.

RALPH WARBURTON

This former LaSalle great captained Dartmouth College to the NCAA title during its famous 47-game unbeaten streak in the 1940’s. He then became Rhode Island’s very first Olympian, scoring a remarkable 16 goals in the 1948 Games in St-Moritz before leading the Rhode Island Scarlets to our state’s first National Amateur Championship later that year. He was previously honored by the Hall of Fame in 2018 as its first Malcolm Greene Chace Award recipient for lifetime contributions to the game.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Five local hockey greats who represent the RI Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 were inducted last weekend at the Hall’s annual Enshrinement Celebration & Dinner at historic Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet in Cranston, RI

Vin Cimini, founding chairman of the Hall of Fame, noted that the five new inductees are, “among the most accomplished our state has produced. Aside from their professional hockey careers and their play representing our nation, they each earned legendary status on the ice at their respective schools.” With their formal inductions, the number of honorees in the Hall reaches 37.

Also honored was 101-year-old Don Mellor, recipient of the Hall’s prestigious Malcolm Greene Chace Trophy, awarded for “Lifetime contributions of a Rhode Islander to the game of hockey.” Mellor, a Cranston native and father of HOF inductee, Tom Mellor, was a farmhand of the Boston Bruins as a young man. He later co-founded the legendary CLCF hockey program in his hometown, which developed many of the state’s most accomplished players in the mid-century.

The “Class of 2022” inductees are:

BOB BELLEMORE

This LaSalle and Providence College goaltending legend backstopped the Friars’ first ECAC championship and Final Four NCAA title bid in 1964. After organizing and coaching Smithfield’s first high school hockey team and serving as assistant coach with the Friars, he became the longtime goalie coach for the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. He returned to PC to coach the Lady Friars’ goaltenders for 19 years and has been honored as our nation’s Assistant “Coach of the Year” in women’s hockey.

HARVEY BENNETT, JR.

One of the stars of our state’s most famous hockey family, he led Cranston East to the Rhode Island state and New England championships before starring at Boston College and playing for 5 NHL teams over his pro career. He twice represented the USA in international play with his brother, Curt, who he will join, along with his father, Harvey, Sr., both charter inductees of the Hall of Fame in 2018.

ROBBIE GAUDREAU

A graduate of Bishop Hendricken, Robbie is the all-time goals scoring leader at Providence College. He also tied the single-season goals record with the Friars and was later selected an All-American, New England Player of the Year, and a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the USA’s best collegiate player in 1991. He has been voted one of the Top 50 players in Hockey East history. Rob went on to score the most goals of any native Rhode Islander to play in the National Hockey League. He scored the first two hat tricks in San Jose history. He will join his father, Bob Gaudreau, a 2021 inductee of the Hall of Fame.

TOM MELLOR

Tom graduated from the Cranston CLCF youth hockey program that his father, Don, co-founded. He starred at the Northwood School in Lake Placid, NY, before earning All-America honors at Boston College where his retired jersey hangs in the rafters of the Conte Forum. He played for Team USA on 3 occasions, taking home a Silver Medal at the 1972 Olympics before joining the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. He ended his hockey career by being named MVP of the International Hockey League in 1977.

RALPH WARBURTON

This former LaSalle great captained Dartmouth College to the NCAA title during its famous 47-game unbeaten streak in the 1940’s. He then became Rhode Island’s very first Olympian, scoring a remarkable 16 goals in the 1948 Games in St-Moritz before leading the Rhode Island Scarlets to our state’s first National Amateur Championship later that year. He was previously honored by the Hall of Fame in 2018 as its first Malcolm Greene Chace Award recipient for lifetime contributions to the game.