The IIHF Hall of Fame was founded in 1997 with an inaugural Induction Class of 31 Players, Builders, and Officials at a ceremony in Helsinki, Finland, during that year’s World Championship. Since then, the IIHF has inducted more than 200 individuals from 26 countries who have contributed to the game’s success on ice and off.
 
In addition to these Honoured Members, the IIHF also honours one Paul Loicq Award winner every year for outstanding service to international ice hockey. And, since 2015, another trophy, the Richard “Bibi” Torriani Award, has been given annually to a player who has made outstanding contributions to his or her national team in IIHF competition.
 
The permanent headquarters of the IIHF Hall of Fame is located at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada, where artifacts and memorabilia from around the world are displayed. The IIHF Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony typically takes place on the afternoon of medal day of the Men’s World Championship.