Pittsburgh Penguins amateur scout Krissy Wendell-Pohl was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Monday. She received the honor in recognition of her career as a forward at the collegiate level and international stage.
With the University of Minnesota, she claimed the Patty Kazmaier Award, which recognizes the top women’s player at the NCAA level, in 2005.
Additionally, she enjoyed a prolific tenure with the United States women’s national team, helping that squad claim medals in the 2002 and 2006 Olympic tournaments.
Wendell-Pohl was hired by the Penguins in November of 2021 and scouts in her native Minnesota. At the time, she was only the third woman to serve as a scout for an NHL team.
Additionally, former Penguins defenseman Colin Campbell was inducted on Monday into the builders category for his work with the NHL.
In total, 24 people with ties to the Penguins have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Players – Red Kelly (1969), Tim Horton (1977), Andy Bathgate (1978), Leo Boivin (1986), Mario Lemieux (1997), Bryan Trottier (1997), Joe Mullen (2000), Paul Coffey (2004), Larry Murphy (2004), Ron Francis (2007), Luc Robitaille (2009), Mark Recchi (2017), Sergei Zubov (2019), Jarome Iginla (2021), Marian Hossa (2021), Tom Barrasso (2023), Krissy Wendell-Pohl (2024)
Builders (coaches or management) – Scotty Bowman (1991), Bob Johnson (1992), Craig Patrick (2001), Herb Brooks (2006), Jim Rutherford (2019), Colin Campbell (2024).
Broadcaster Mike Lange was inducted in 2001 after receiving the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award which recognizes those in the radio and television industry.
“To be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame is an incredible honor. That puts her in elite company,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said following a morning skate in Cranberry on Monday. “It’s a huge deal for her and her family, but it’s also a huge deal for the Penguins organization. It’s just one more Pittsburgh Penguin that’s in the (Hockey) Hall of Fame. Our organization has a few of them, and there’s some that will be on their way eventually. We’re all proud of her.”