Tony Hand has been inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Hall of Fame.
The Edinburgh-born former player and coach will receive the Richard “Bibi” Torriani Award for an outstanding career by a player from a non-top hockey nation at a ceremony in Cologne in May.
The 49-year-old scored over 4,250 points in a 34-year playing career.
The playmaker made his debut in senior hockey as a 13-year-old for Murrayfield Racers.
He became the first British-raised player to be drafted by an National Hockey League (NHL) side when he was picked up by Canadian combine Edmonton Oilers, in 1986.
Later in his career, Hand became head coach to Great Britain and led the national side to the final qualifying stages for the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014.
The Scot said said: “I’m honoured to receive this award. This is something I will really cherish and I feel proud to be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.”
Richard Grieveson, Ice Hockey UK chairman, said: “He is a legend in UK ice hockey and has done so much for the sport in this country.”
Experienced news, business, arts, sport and travel journalist. Food critic and managing editor of a well-established food and travel website. Also a magazine editor of publications with circulations of up to 200,000 and managing director of a long-established PR/marketing company with a string of blue-chip clients in its CV. Former communications lecturer at a Scottish university and social media specialist for a string of successful and busy SMEs.
