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Niedermayer, Shanahan Lead 2013 Hockey Hall Of Fame Class

TORONTO, ONTARIO (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Hockey Hall of Fame elected five new members on Tuesday.

Three players are entering the Hall of Fame in 2013. Long-time defensemen Scott Niedermayer and Chris Chelios were elected along with forward Brendan Shanahan.

Former Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers head coach Fred Shero and female Irish-Canadian defenseman Geraldine Heaney were elected from the builders category.

Niedermayer was a four-time Stanley Cup winner. He lifted three Stanley Cups with the Devils and another with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. He spent 13 of his 18 seasons with the Devils before retiring in 2010.

"I was part of an era, Chris was part of a few," Niedermayer joked.

Shanahan began his career with the Devils in 1987 and joined the New York Rangers for two seasons in 2006 after various stops including Detroit where he won three Stanley Cups. He re-joined the Devils in 2008 and retired in 2009 after a 21-year career.

"When you got to play with them, it was a thrill," Shanahan said. "I spent some years playing with Cheli, and there's not another guy that you would want to go into a tough situation looking out for you.

"It absolutely makes it more special to go in with people I not only played against, but played with and got to know well."

He finished his career with 656 goals and 698 assists. Shanahan won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, an Olympic gold medal and was the quintessential scoring power winger of his era.

Shero guided the Flyers to two Stanley Cup Championships in back to back seasons in 1973-74 and 1974-75. He was selected posthumously in the builder category.

"There's no sense looking back as to why it didn't happen sooner, because today's a happy day to celebrate the fact that a guy that deserves it immensely has finally been elected to the Hall of Fame," Flyers chairman Ed Snider said.

The induction ceremony is scheduled for November.

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