Ryan Smyth, ex-Canadian national women's head coach Davidson to enter IIHF Hall of Fame

Canadian men's team veteran Ryan Smyth and women's hockey architect Mel Davidson are among the eight inductees into the International Ice Hockey Federation's Hall of Fame in 2024.

Smyth was Canada's captain for five of his eight world championships and played in two Olympic Games for Canada.

The forward from Banff, Alta., was a member of the men's team that won Olympic gold in 2002. Smyth also played 1,270 NHL games over a 20-year career.

Davidson, of Oyen, Alta., will enter the Hall as a builder. She coached Canada's women to back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2006 and 2010 and was general manager of the squads that won gold in 2014 and silver in 2018.

She became the IIHF's international coach mentor in 2011 and has served on its female hockey committee since 2010.

Smyth and Davidson join players Jaromir Jagr, Igor Liba and Jaroslav Pouzar (Czech Republic), Natalie Darwitz (U.S.), Kenny Johnsson (Sweden) and Petteri Nummelin (Finland) among the 2024 inductees the IIHF announced Monday.

The IIHF has inducted 224 members to it Hall of Fame since it was established in 1997.