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.
While Kelly Hrudey was never an All-Star, the flashy goaltender was actually better than people remember. Hrudey was never fortunate to play for teams that stressed defensive skill, and as such, he was in the top five in Shots Against four times, including facing the most in the 1988-89 season. …
If you ask the fans of the Ottawa Senators, you already know the answer to this question. Alexei Yashin may have spurned the fans of Canada’s capital, but even they would agree that the Russian was a talented skill player. Now playing in Russia, Yashin had over 750 points in…
Alexei Zhitnik holds the distinction of being the first defenseman born in the former Soviet Union to play over 1,000 Games in the NHL. Early in his career, Zhitnik was a member of the famed Red Army, and he would join his “comrades” in North America. Zhitnik would go to…
As of this writing, Dmitri Khristich is without question the greatest Ukrainian player (born and raised there) who ever existed in the National Hockey League. The native of Kiev was a two-time NHL All-Star (1997 & 1999) and was a 70 Point scorer twice, once with the Washington Capitals and…
The son of Hockey Hall of Famer player Peter Stastny, Paul Stastny had a damned good career in his own right. Paul was born in Quebec City but spent most of his childhood in the United States, where he led the University of Denver to an NCAA Championship. Stastny was…
Honestly, it is difficult to make a Hall of Fame case for Brian Rolston, but we do tip our caps to one of the most versatile players in hockey history. Rolston was comfortable at any forward position and often quarterbacked the power play, a role usually given to defensemen. Rolston does…
They say in baseball that you still have to be a good player if you lose 20 Games because that means that they have the confidence in you to go out there, and it is unspoken between the player and coach that the team around him just wasn’t that good. …
Swedish blueliner Fredrik Olausson proved to be excellent on the offensive rush, especially on the power play, throughout 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…
With over 600 NHL Points from the blueline in the NHL, James Patrick eclipsed the 50 Point mark four times. Patrick was best known for his time with the New York Rangers, where he finished twice in the top ten in Norris Trophy voting and represented Canada at the Olympics…
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), and…
An excellent two-way forward, Simon Gagne starred for years with the Philadelphia Flyers and was one of the “glue guys” on Canada’s International wins in the 2002 Olympics and 2004 World Cup. Gagne, however, has only appeared in two All-Star Games and has never been considered for a postseason NHL…
A Washington Capital for fifteen of his seventeen seasons in the NHL, Calle Johannson was an integral part of the Capitals, making multiple playoff appearances. Johannson did not often get the credit he deserved, as Washington had many defensive stars at the time (Scott Stevens, Rod Langway, Kevin Hatcher, for…
Pit Martin is remembered by many for being at the wrong end of a lopsided trade that sent Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, and Fred Stanfield to the Boston Bruins and created a Stanley Cup Championship team, but Martin was a very highly regarded player in his own right. Martin would…
From Finland, Olli Jokinen had a long and healthy career in the National Hockey League, where he played over 1,200 Games in the most important professional league in Hockey. The Finnish star would have three straight seasons with the Florida Panthers, where he scored 70 or more Points, and he…
There really is not that many players who have competed in over 1,000 NHL Regular Season Games. Gordie Roberts is in that club, but when you throw in the fact that he had another 300-plus in the World Hockey Association, you have a 19-year veteran who had quite a long…
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).
After the 1996 World Junior Hockey Tournament, where he led Canada to its fourth straight Gold Medal, Jose Theodore, whom the Montreal Canadiens drafted, would slowly work his way up the organization’s depth chart, and in the 1999-2000 season, he would share netminding duties before becoming the main Goalie shortly…
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 Chicago Blackhawks,…
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, Huddy has not been, it does not mean that his accomplishments for Edmonton should be discounted.
Al Iafrate had the reputation of being one of the fastest skaters in the NHL, and the American blueliner with the famed skullet was not just a capable skater but was a decent scorer and hockey player. Iafrate played most of his games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it…