He retired after the brief stint with the Canucks in 2008-09.

Oates, a Toronto native, was never drafted, but signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings in 1985 after three years at RPI. He developed into an uncanny playmaker who had 341 goals and 1,079 assists, which was sixth all-time, in 19 seasons.

He said he was brought up to emphasize setting up goals rather than scoring them himself.

''My father was British and a soccer player and he idolized Stanley Matthews,'' Oates said of the English soccer great known as ''The Magician'' who played at the top level for more than three decades. `'He always said that if you're unselfish, the other players will like you.''

Oates had four 100-point seasons, including 1992-93 with Boston when he had a career-high 45 goals and 142 points. He played 19 seasons with Detroit, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Anaheim and Edmonton.

Bure defected from the former Soviet Union to join the Canucks in 1991 and won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. He became one of the most exciting goal-scorers of his time with 437 goals and 342 assists over 11 seasons.

He had back-to-back 60-goal seasons in the early 1990s and had five seasons of 50-plus goals.

''It's a huge honor,'' he said, before handing part of the credit to Pat Quinn, the co-chairman of the Hall of Fame selection committee who was his first NHL coach with the Canucks.

''I watched Pavel go from a 20-year-old,'' Quinn said, ''to become one of the greatest stars of the game.''

Quinn also coached Sundin in Toronto and Sakic with the 2002 Olympic squad.