Possibly the best player of the New York Islanders dynasty not yet in the Hall of Fame, John Tonelli traveled where others feared to tread. Tonelli was a grinder and was one of the few players who were just as comfortable chasing an open puck as he was digging for it in the corner. Usually, players defined by grit were not known for their scoring touch, but John Tonelli was able to rack up 834 NHL career points. Had he gone to the NHL right away, odds are he would have hit that four-digit plateau.

It is hard to call someone with the skill set of Andy Moog unfortunate, but he did emerge as a star goaltender for the Edmonton Oilers around the same time as Grant Fuhr. As such, Moog did not receive as much playing time in Edmonton as he would have liked, and despite being a valuable component in three Stanley Cup wins, he sought more responsibility elsewhere. He found it in Boston, where he enjoyed the best years of his career, posting personal highs. Moog was known for his outstanding reflexes, and despite being very well-known, he was somewhat underrated. Moog finished off his career with an impressive 372 career wins, and though he played with some outstanding offensive teams, he certainly did his part in between the pipes to earn them.

Some have said that John LeClair got off to a slow start in the NHL. There is certainly a level of truth to that, as his stint with the Habs showed his defensive skill, but not any fundamental offensive proficiency. Upon becoming a Philadelphia Flyer, LeClair began to utilize his size and mobility effectively. He was placed on a line with Eric Lindros and Michael Renberg, and the line dubbed the “Legion of Doom” became a highlight reel staple with their goals and bruising nature. LeClair became the first American to net 50 goals three seasons in a row. The question for the Hall is whether John LeClair’s tenure on Broad Street was enough to secure a spot.

In the world of the National Hockey League, you wouldn’t normally think that any player who amassed over 3,000 career penalty minutes could potentially have over 1,000 points, but the notorious Dale Hunter is currently the only player to have accomplished this feat. Hunter may not have led the league in scoring, but he was able to score 70 or more points six times in his career and achieved some level of consistency in that department. He was a tenacious player who you never wanted to face on the ice but would be glad to have on your side. He was a true leader and in many ways symbolic of many hockey players (one of the nicest guys you could meet off the ice and an absolute beast on it). His overall statistics may not show a Hall of Fame career, but Dale Hunter may have had just enough intangibles to receive a peek from the Hockey Hall of Fame committee.