NY Islanders connections highlight USA Hockey’s 2025 Hall of Fame class

USA Hockey announced its 2025 Hall of Fame class on Wednesday, and while the group represents a wide spectrum of American hockey greatness, New York Islanders fans will notice plenty of familiar ties. Former Isles forward Zach Parise, ex-assistant coach Scott Gomez, and longtime team photographer Bruce Bennett are all among the five inductees, joining Joe Pavelski and Tara Mounsey.

The ceremony will take place Dec. 10 in St. Paul, Minn.

Parise, who spent the final two seasons of his NHL career with the Islanders, brought leadership and grit to Long Island after nearly a decade in New Jersey and a long tenure in Minnesota. He scored 36 goals and 69 points in 164 games with the Isles, helping the team push into the playoffs in 2022 and 2023. Before that, Parise led the Devils to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final and won silver at the 2010 Olympics alongside Pavelski.

Gomez’s Islanders connection came behind the bench. He served as an assistant coach with the team during the 2017-18 season, working with a young core before later transitioning to other coaching and development roles. On the ice, Gomez’s own career included 756 points and two Stanley Cup championships with the Devils.

Perhaps the most enduring Isles connection in this class belongs to Bruce Bennett, whose camera has been a fixture at Islanders home games since the franchise’s earliest days. From behind the bench at Nassau Coliseum to UBS Arena, Bennett has chronicled the highs and lows of Islanders history, capturing images of dynasty celebrations, dramatic playoff moments, and everyday life around the team. Over his five-decade career, he has covered more than 5,300 NHL games, 45 Stanley Cup Finals, and six Olympics.

For Islanders Country, the 2025 Hall of Fame class isn’t just about hockey legends, it’s a celebration of figures who have directly shaped and shared in the team’s story