Two North Vancouver residents are receiving the province’s highest honour for achievement in sport.
NHL veteran Ray Ferraro and sports psychologist Saul Miller are being inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame class of 2025.
“Honouring the past – and inspiring the future – is at the very heart of the mission of the BC Sports Hall of Fame,” organization chair Tom Mayenknecht said in a statement. “This year’s honourees truly exemplify the best of sport in this province and beyond.”
Mayenknecht said he looks forward to honouring the inductees in person at a gala scheduled for May of next year.
While you might recognize his broadcast personality filling the airwaves during Vancouver Canucks games, Ferraro’s professional hockey career spans decades.
During his 18-season NHL career (1984-2002), he was among the most-consistent goal scorers ever who were born and raised in B.C.
Playing for six teams – the Harford Whalers, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers and St. Louis Blues – he topped 20 goals in 12 seasons and 40 goals in two.
Compared to other B.C.-born players, his 1,258 NHL regular season games, 408 goals and 898 points rank fourth, fifth and seventh of all time.
Ferraro’s best season was 1991-92 with the Islanders, scoring 40 goals and 80 points in 80 games, earning an appearance in the 1992 NHL All-Star Game.
He represented Canada three times at the IIHF World Ice Hockey Championships, helping Canada to silver medal finishes in 1989 in Sweden and 1996 in Austria. Before that, he was named the WHL’s Player of the Year in 1984 after scoring a league record 108 goals in 72 games with the Brandon Wheat Kings, a record that still stands to this day.
Since 2002, he’s been an on-air analyst and colour commentator for various NHL broadcasts, most recently on Sportsnet covering Canucks games.
Meanwhile, Miller has earned world renown as an influential sports psychologist, working with athletes and teams in B.C. and internationally for more than 40 years.
The author of 10 books on athletic performance and well-being, he’s been credited with helping to raise the profile of sport psychology worldwide.
Over his career, Miller has consulted with Canadian national teams and athletes in various sports competing at the Olympics, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games.
He’s also worked with professional teams from the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA, USFL and pro hockey teams in Europe.
In B.C., Miller has worked closely with the Vancouver Canucks, BC Lions, Vancouver Canadians, Vancouver Giants, UBC hockey and the Vancouver Grizzlies.
He’s well known locally as well, helping athletes in many community and high school teams in North Vancouver.
Since 1966, the BC Sports Hall of Fame has inducted 452 individuals and 69 teams to its Hall of Champions, with the goal of those legacies inspiring future generations.
Details on the 2025 gala will be released in the coming months.
Exciting to be remembered..proud to share with my family...🙏 https://t.co/bvx5OpI0Hu
— Ray Ferraro (@rayferraro21) October 16, 2024
