It took long enough but Pat Burns is finally in. The former Devils Stanley Cup winning coach was elected to the Hockey Hall Of Fame earlier today. It comes four years after succumbing to cancer in 2010. A three-time Jack Adams winner, Burns won 501 games coaching four different teams (Montreal, Toronto, Boston, New Jersey).

“Pat Burns should have been in the Hall of Fame this year,” former Stanley Cup-winning coach and incumbent Conservative Senator Jacques Demers said in 2010. “Not because he was dying, but because he was a Hall of Fame coach. Five hundred wins, a Stanley Cup, three times coach of the year – to me it would have been so special for him, before he died, to be in the Hall of Fame.”

That would’ve been the right thing to do. But with the HHOF, they rarely get it right which explains why it took so long to put in Fred Shero, who finally made it last year. Even if it’s long overdue, you know Burns will be watching from upstairs proudly when he goes in during Hall Of Fame weekend in Toronto with the induction ceremony on November 17.

In 14 years behind the bench, the former police officer used his tough cop image to mold four different teams into that image. His rookie year, he guided the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final in 1988-89 where they lost to the Flames. After four seasons in Montreal, he switched allegiances to Toronto where he led two powerful Maple Leaf teams to consecutive Conference Finals in ’93 and ’94. But they weren’t able to deliver a first Cup since 1967. Burns lasted almost four years before moving onto another original six in Boston. After making the playoffs the first two seasons, they missed in ’99-00. Burns was fired after just eight games the following year.

After spending some time away, he was given another chance by Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello. Hired in 2002, all Burns did was guide them to the Stanley Cup. He took a good team that had disappointed the previous year and made them a champion. The Devils defeated the Senators in an emotional seventh game getting the winner from Jeff Friesen late in enemy territory. That he had deadline pickup Grant Marshall out for what proved to be a great set up for the series clincher was sheer genius. Under Burns, the checking line of Jay Pandolfo, John Madden and Jamie Langenbrunner flourished. So did Scott Niedermayer. Perhaps his best move was dressing Ken Daneyko for Game 7 against the Ducks. Inspired, the Devils played a perfect game winning 3-0 with little known rookie Mike Rupp scoring twice. Burns pushed all the right buttons and finally had his Cup.

It’s great to see him finally get his due. Burns enters as part of a worthy class highlighted by former Sabre Dominik Hasek. A six-time Vezina winner and two-time Hart recipient, the Dominator turned the Sabres into a Cup contender despite little talent. They reached the final in ’99 losing on a controversial goal scored by Brett Hull. His foot was in the crease on the winner in Game 6. But it was too late. The Sabres never had enough talent for Hasek to win. So, he moved onto Detroit and won a Cup in ’02 pitching six shutouts.

The amazing aspect is he was taken by Chicago in the 10th round in 1983. The 207th overall pick from the Czech Republic didn’t debut until ’90-91 when Mike Keenan stuck him in against Pittsburgh. Eventually, the Blackhawks foolishly traded him to the Sabres for Stephane Beauregard and a ’93 fourth round pick that became Eric Daze. At least Daze had some good years before injuries finished him. Hasek went onto become one of the best goalies winning 389 games posting a 2.20 goals-against-average, .920 save percentage and 81 shutouts. His best years came in Buffalo where he won all six Vezinas and two MVPs. There was also that magical moment when he stoned Canada in Nagano en route to Olympic gold leading the Czech Republic past Russia.

After retiring in ’02, he returned for one last go round. Hasek spent a year with Ottawa before coming back to Detroit for the final two years winning another Cup as a backup to Chris Osgood. Amazingly, he kept playing until 2011 after spending a year with Spartak of the KHL putting up respectable numbers. The thing that’s astonishing about him is how he was able to make ridiculous saves playing an unorthodox style throwing around a generously listed 6-1, 166 frame like a slinky. Believe me, he’s no taller than 5-11 and was probably more like 155. I remember when the Sabres visited the Devils for a blizzard game in February 2001. I stood next to him. As it turned out, that was his final season with the Sabres going out in style with another Vezina winning 37 games with a 2.11 GAA, .921 save percentage and 11 shutouts. They lost in epic fashion to the Pens. I can still remember watching it at Brian’s in Sayreville. Darius Kasparaitis. Just one of the many names who drove him over the edge.

Joining Hasek and Burns are Peter Forsberg, Mike Modano, Rob Blake and former referee Bill McCreary. Forsberg makes it in his first try due to having the hardware (2 Cups, Hart, Gold) along with a great points-per-game (885 in 708). I have no qualms here except that Eric Lindros deserves inclusion. He was passed over for Blake, who by all accounts was a very good defenseman who won a Norris and Cup. He wasn’t better than Lindros, who I wonder if he’ll ever get favorable treatment due to all the off ice distractions. Next year, Nick Lidstrom and Sergei Fedorov headline it. Modano is a no-brainer as the highest scoring American with 561 goals and 1,374 points. He led the Stars to a Cup in 1999 and played hurt against the Devils the following year even scoring a triple overtime winner in Game 5. A series New Jersey won in six on Jason Arnott’s double overtime clincher. McCreary was a good official. Not much more to it.

Overall, it’s an excellent class. Congrats to all inductees.