Legendary NHL photographer Bruce Bennett will be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame as the first in his profession. The class of 2025 ceremony takes place Wednesday night in St. Paul, Minnesota. Bennett has captured iconic hockey moments for over five decades.
Bruce Bennett, a pivotal figure in sports photography, is poised to etch his name in hockey history as the first photographer enshrined in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Known for his work with the New York Islanders and beyond, Bennett's induction highlights his unparalleled contributions to documenting the sport.
Bennett's journey started at age 12 with a Kodak Instamatic camera borrowed from his father during a Bronx Zoo trip. By 18, he was shooting hockey from the blue seats at Madison Square Garden and Nassau Coliseum, eventually securing a role with The Hockey News in 1974. This opened doors to covering teams like the Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers.
Over his career, Bennett has photographed 6,000 hockey games, six Olympic Games, and 45 Stanley Cup-deciding games, amassing over 2.5 million images. Standout shots include a black-and-white portrait of 18-year-old Wayne Gretzky, Denis Potvin's hip check on Guy Lafleur, and Bob Nystrom's 1980 Stanley Cup-winning goal. In 1982-83, he became the Islanders' de facto team photographer during their dynasty era and now serves as Director of Photography at Getty Images, still covering home games.
This marks his second major honor this year, following induction into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame over the summer. He joins inductees Scott Gomez, Zach Parise, Joe Pavelski, and Tara Mounsey—all players he has photographed.
"It's kind of strange to be the first photographer in US Hockey Hall of Fame," Bennett said. "To earn a living taking hockey photos is kind of bizarre, and then to be rewarded after all these years, that's even stranger."
"I’m super excited," he added. "The class is great. I've shot Gomez, Parise, Pavelski, and Mounsey."