Longevity is a key compoment when it comes to deciding a hall of fame career.

That box is emphatically stroked for Carmel's Jerome Engele. The now 66 year-old has numerous other credentials that made the former National Hocker League defenseman a shoe in for the 2017 Humboldt and District Hall of Fame class.

"It is, it's quite an honour to be inducted," he said from Sasktel Centre on Thursday afternoon following the Saskatoon Blades practice. "It's something you never expect playing a game you just love to play."

Engele sarted his hockey journey in Humbldt in 1962, after three years he made the jump to the Blades playing five seasons in the bridge city. following junior he began a lengthy professional career Cris-crossing North America. Included among his stops in St. Petersburg, Greensboro, Saginaw, New Haven,Fort Worth and Nova Scotia was a trio of stints in the NHL in a Minnesota North Stars jersey.

Once his professional days were expired he returned to Saskatoon and joined another team, the Saskatoon Police Service. While working for the SPS he joined the Blades as an Assistant Coach where he now is more involved than ever with some free time.

June 24th is now marked on his calendar, he will be inducted at the Uniplex that evening along with another local NHL alumni, Humboldt's Brad Lauer. Kelly Bates and Wendy Toye make up the individual class, the 2008 RBC Cup winning Broncos are the lone team this year.

"I'm really excited, it's going to be enjoyable. I've got a lot of relatives around Humboldt, it's enjoyable to be back there. I lived around there for many, many years and then farmed there for 19 years. The only thing that will be disappointing is that my parents won't be there to be part of it."

"Definitely very proud to be part of it," he humbly stated of his inductee colleagues. "I don't think I've accomplished anything really in comparison to them, they've done some great things. I feel really honoured to be part of this group."

Engele is still active in the game not just with the Blades, he skates with the Saskatoon Red Wings of the 'Over 50 League' at the Schroh Arena.

You can hear more from Engele below in his interview with Bolt FM's Clark Stork.