Roenick to join Coyotes Ring of Honor
Feb 10, 2012, 3:57 PM | Updated: 6:54 pm
Jeremy Roenick will enter into an elite class when he is inducted into the Phoenix Coyotes Ring of Honor before Saturday’s game with the Chicago Blackhawks.
“It is very, very flattering and humbling for me,” Roenick said. “Being able to play two stints here, the fact that they are recognizing me in this kind of honor, is, whether I deserve it or not here, I don’t know if I do, but it is a tremendous honor it is one of the best honors that I have received in my lifetime.”
Roenick accumulated 152 goals and 227 assists in those two stints with Phoenix (96-01,06-07) leading the Coyotes in scoring three times.
Roenick becomes the seventh member of the Coyotes Ring of Honor, joining Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Hull, Thomas Steen, Dale Hawerchuck, Teppo Numminen, and his friend and teammate, Keith Tkachuck, who was inducted earlier this year.
“To put my number up in the ring of honor with some fantastic hockey players joining my buddy Keith Tkachuk is a huge thrill for me,” Roenick said. “Keith Tkachuk is one of the greatest teammates that I have ever played for, and has become one of the better friends that I have acquired out of the National Hockey League. He made me a better player, he made me a better person, and you don’t say that about too many people, and Keith did that for me.”
The 8th overall pick by Chicago in 1988 was acquired by the Coyotes prior to the 1996 season, and racked up 513 goals and 703 assists during his career. Roenick became the 3rd American-born player to reach the 500-goal plateau, and was an NHL All-Star nine times.
Roenick also showed a flair for the dramatic, scoring 92 game-winning and 12 game-tying goals during his 18-year career, which along with Chicago and Phoenix included time with Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Jose.
