gold star for USAHOF

Hockey

Established in 1943, and currently based in Toronto, the Hockey Hall of Fame is a quite simply a tribute to those who achieved excellence in hockey.  Criticized by some for their failure to recognize international stars, the WHA, women and the high amount of players inducted from the Original Six era, the Hockey Hall of Fame is still one of the most impressive facilities despite its lack of size.  The rich history of hockey is certainly well represented there.  For our list, we have focused on players as opposed to the builders and journalists categories; although we have included some people whom we felt could not be ignored.  Current enshrinement for players is based on receiving fourteen votes out of an eighteen member committee.  In terms of NHL players, it is based on being out of the league for three years.  We have selected one hundred figures of hockey (though honestly only a handful really has a reasonable shot) and again we encourage debate as to who you feel deserves enshrinement in Toronto.

 Until Then, keep your stick on the ice.

 Sincerely,

 The Not in Hall of Committee.

Born in Berlin (Ontario, Canada that is) Ehrhardt “Ott” Heller played all of his Games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers.  Heller provided a solid defensive presence for many years helping the team from Broadway win the Stanley Cup in 1933 & 1940.  Heller was a…
In terms of the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jean Pronovost would make franchise history as the first player to score 100 Points and 50 Goals in a season.
From the Czech Republic, Martin Straka had a long career in the NHL.  Straka had a pair of 80 Point Seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins and two 70 Point Seasons for the New York Rangers over his career and he would tabulate 717 Points overall in his career.  Straka was…
Arriving to the NHL at the age of 28, Mark Streit arrived as a brilliant swing player whose offensive sensibilities from the blueline position made him a very effective two way player. Streit would really come into his own as a member of the New York Islanders and would earn…
Glen Harmon played all none of his NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadiens where he assisted the Habs in winning the Stanley Cup in 1944 and 1946.  Harmon was a very efficient player who twice was named a Second Team All-Star but in terms of a modern look he more…
In a 15-year NHL career Jyrki Lumme enjoyed a lot of blueline success.  Lumme, who played nine of his seasons with the Vancouver Canucks was often regarded as the team’s top defenceman and he would have four 40 Point seasons with the team.  Lumme was never an All Star, though…
Wade Redden is best known for his long tenure with the Ottawa Senators, where he anchored their blueline expertly for years.  With excellent two-way skills. Redden would receive Norris Trophy votes six times and was also an All Star in 2002.  Much of the success of Ottawa’s excellent teams of…
Swedish blueliner Fredrik Olausson proved to be excellent on the offence rush especially on the power play through his career.  A Winnipeg Jet for the first eight seasons of his NHL career, Olausson would reach 50 Points four times and would hit that mark much later in his career with…
Falling six points shy of 800 over his NHL career, Ed Olczyk would play for six teams in the league, the best of which was when he would score 75, 90 & 88 Points respectively in his three full seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1987-88 to 1989-90). 
While Ted Harris was not a goal scorer by any means (he never had a 10 Goal Season) he provided rugged defense and a physical presence over his career.  Five times an All Star, Harris would win five Stanley Cups over his career (four with Montreal and one with Philadelphia)…
Charlie Huddy was a member of all five Stanley Cup wins for the Edmonton Oilers and while many of those Oilers stars are inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and Huddy has not been, it does not mean that his accomplishments for Edmonton should be discounted.
Scott Hartnell was a very popular and tenacious player over his National Hockey League career who would be named an All Star in 2012 when he was a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.  It was when he was with Philly that his career was at its apex as he would…
Marvin “Cyclone” Wentworth was known for being a steady rock on the defensive corps rarely missing games and even more rarely being penalized.  Wentworth began his career with the Chicago Blackhawks where he would eventually be named the team captain but he would be traded to the Montreal Maroons where…
Along with Ulf Nilsson, Anders Hedberg would become one of the first European stars in the North America when the pair joined the Winnipeg Jets who were then with the World Hockey Association.  Hedberg would be named the Lou Kaplan Trophy winner as the WHA’s version of the rookie of…
Bob Murray played his entire NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks where he was named a two-time All-Star.  Murray was never ever considered among the upper echelon of NHL Defenceman but this was a hockey player who was in the league for 1,008 Games and it was all with one…
Real Cloutier was an absolute phenom in Quebec and rather than wait for the age restricted National Hockey League he would went directly from the Quebec Ramparts of the QMJHL to the Quebec Nordiques of the WHA where he could play professionally as an 18 year old.
One of the most physical players of his day (which says an awful lot!) Phil Russell was also a very capable playmaker.  One of the few players to play over 1,000 Games with 2,000 Penalty Minutes, Russell was a power play expert who knew how to use his strength and…
From Czechoslovakia, Robert Lang had a very good career in the National Hockey League although it took him some time to really find his groove.  In his late 20’s, Lang came into his own when he was with the Pittsburgh Penguins and in his third season there at age 30,…
Carson Cooper would silently be a force in the National Hockey League where he would rarely be penalized and prove himself as a productive offensive force.  In his second season in the NHL he was Point per Game player with 36 Points with the Boston Bruins and would put the…
The younger brother of Hockey Hall of Famer, Tiny Thompson, Paul Thompson was a star player in his own right.  Three times Thompson would hoist the Stanley Cup and he would be named to two post season NHL All Star Teams.  Thompson’s best seasons as a player were with the…