Gillies, Nielson Among Hall Inductees

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"You don't get here by yourself," Gillies said. "I was fortunate to play with two great linemates, Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy, who are in the Hall of Fame."

The three helped the New York Islanders win four consecutive championships from 1980-83. Bossy was inducted in 1991, and Trottier in 1997.

"To be recognized as one of the great lines that was ever put together is very special," Gillies said.

Neilson, 68, head coach of eight NHL teams and now an assistant in Ottawa, was inducted in the builders category.

"I've been really lucky to be able to be in hockey all my life doing the thing I love," he said.

Langway, 45, was a defensive defenseman who twice won the Norris Trophy as the league's top blue-liner. He played 15 seasons, tallying only 51 goals, the last 11 years with the Washington Capitals after starting his career with the Montreal Canadiens.

"It's a great honor, I can't believe it," said Langway. "Everyone says the same thing, but it is something special and it's just the icing on the cake for my career."

Federko, 46, played 13 seasons with the St. Louis Blues, then his last with the Detroit Red Wings. He had four 100-point seasons and reached 1,000 career points in 1988 -- two seasons before he retired.

"I was looked to as a guy who could carry the torch and I was proud to carry it for 13 years," said Federko, a TV commentator for the Blues. "As a player, you dream about winning a Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, we didn't get that but it wasn't for lack of trying. I just tried to be the nucleus of that hockey club for as long as I could."