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The International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame inducted a procession of hockey greats in May. The honourees included former NHL stars Joe Sakic, Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu and Uwe Krupp, as well as Angela Ruggiero, one of the most decorated players in women’s hockey.

But no one made as memorable an entrance as Tony Hand, who stepped toward the podium that night in Cologne, Germany, dressed in traditional Scottish Highland regalia — an argyle jacket, knee-high socks and a kilt.

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Hand, who may be Britain’s lone hockey icon, received the Richard “Bibi” Torriani Award, which is given to players from lesser-known hockey nations.

But he might have become well known in North America if a 1980s tryout with the powerhouse Edmonton Oilers had panned out.

“I went and met the queen and had a chat, which was quite nice,” Hand, 50, said in a phone interview from Edinburgh, Scotland. “Even if you look at the career, over here I’ve been fortunate enough to have helped the sport any way I can. I have had a decent career and I’ve got a good family here and a lot of friends. So I’m not sitting back sulking. But it would have been nice to see what could have happened.”

Hand is an accomplished coach in the English Premier Ice Hockey League and with the national program, but his most impressive achievements came during an unrivalled 34-season playing career.