Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Pronger headline 2015 Hockey Hall of Fame class

The Hockey Hall of Fame accepted the beauty along with the beast when Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Pronger were announced as part of the 2015 induction class.

Lidstrom and Pronger were two of the most dominant defensemen of this era, and yet they could not have been more different in their approach.

Detroit Red Wings great Lidstrom is considered one of the most skilled, gentlemanly and classy performers in recent NHL history and Pronger will be remembered as one of the game's most ruthless competitors. Lidstrom was quiet and reserved and Pronger was outgoing and sassy.

Lidstrom will remembered for winning seven Norris Trophies and Pronger might be remembered for being suspended eight times, even though he won the Norris and Hart Trophy during his career.

Joining Lidstrom in the player category are Phil Housley, the highest-scoring American defenseman in NHL history, and center Sergei Fedorov who also won three Stanley Cups and a Hart Trophy while playing for the Red Wings.

Angela Ruggerio, a top defender in women's hockey history, also was elected. She was the youngster player on the U.S. Olympic team that won a gold medal in 1998. She also played one game on a men's team, the Tulsa Oilers, in 2005.

In the builder category, Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos was inducted for his work in the league and developing hockey in the United States through his sponsorship of youth hockey in Michigan. Also inducted in the builder category: long-time Hockey Canada, Calgary Flames and Hall of Fame executive Bill Hay.

Lidstrom is generally considered one of the top five defensemen in NHL history. Because Lidstrom was both an offensive and defensive force, you can make an argument that he is second behind Bobby Orr as the greatest defenseman in NHL history.

In 20 NHL seasons, he never missed the playoffs and won four Stanley Cups and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

He was a highly effective one-on-one defender, and he was always among the NHL's best power play point men. He had an uncanny ability of preventing his shots from being blocked. Some say it was a quick release and others say he simply had exceptional timing. He averaged 13 goals per season.

Lidstrom was masterful at tying up players without drawing a penalty. Opponents said that would change when the NHL cracked down on defenders holding up opponents entering the zone in 2005. But Lidstrom simply adjusted his game and remained one of the league's best defensive players until the day he retired in 2012.

Other than goalies, not many players in NHL history could impact a playoff series the way Pronger could with his blend of size, skill and meanness.

At 6-6, Pronger had a wing span that seemed to allow him to cover most of the defensive zone with the sweep of his stick. He was a more talented offensive player than most fans realized. He played with five different teams (Hartford, St. Louis, Edmonton, Anaheim and Philadelphia) and had 10 or more goals nine times.

But what earned the most praise was his warrior-like mentality during the playoffs. He often played on the edge of the rules, delivering vicious checks and high hits.

The same people who would celebrate his reputation as the ultimate playoff performer would then say he was a dirty player when he would cross the line and earn a league suspension.

When the Anaheim Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007, he was suspended on two different occasions during the playoffs- once for a hit against Detroit's Tomas Holmstron and again for an elbow to Ottawa's Dean McAmmond. It was clear that his intimidating style was part of the Ducks' dominance.

He was an easy choice for Team Canada and he helped the Canadiens win gold medals at the 2002 and 2010 Olympics. Pronger always had a fascinating relationship with the media. He seemed to enjoy jousting with them. He was quick-witted and would have to be considered one of the league's most colorful characters. In addition to being remembered for being a tough performer, Pronger will be remembered as a winner.

Pronger had to retire prematurely because of concussion issues, but the Flyers were still paying until Saturday when his contract was traded to the Arizona Coyotes. This was done to reduce the Flyers' salary cap hit and increase Arizona's hit. He currently works for the league's office of player safety and has no intention of coming back.

Although Fedorov was often overshadowed by Steve Yzerman in Detroit, he was dominant enough to make fans notice.

He was a brilliant skater and could be unstoppable at times. He once scored five goals in a game against Washington and won the Hart Trophy in 1994 when he scored 56 goals and totaled 120 points. He scored 30 or more goals 10 times.

Fedorov was always considered among the NHL's best defensive forwards, winning the Selke Trophy twice. He was a highly entertaining player.

Housley was like America's answer to Paul Coffey. He was a lightning-fast defender who could carry the puck coast-to-coast. He was a dazzling performer who scored 31 goals in his second NHL season in 1983-84. He was only 18 when he played his first NHL game.