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.
Vincent Lecavalier was saddled some lofty expectations when he entered the National Hockey League and while that level of excellence may not have been met (from the view he was seen at age 19), this is still a player who had one hell of a career.
It might seem a little laughable now, but there was a time when all Russian players were considered soft. Vladimir Konstantinov may have been part of the 1980s Soviet Red Army team, but he was a man who seemed to be bred for the NHL, as he was anything but…
With 477 career NHL points (and 283 in the WHA), the professional statistics speak to a very good player, but not that of a Hall of Famer. This is very much the consensus of most hockey pundits and fans alike. However, we are all familiar with the intangible legacy of…
In 1999, Master Card named the entire Canadian Junior Hockey Team. This team featured current Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Denis Potvin, Bobby Orr, and Bernie Parent. It also featured Saskatchewan native Brian Propp, who lit up the lights for the Brandon Wheat Kings. Propp’s first…
Now we have a real test of the reduced scoring totals of the new millennium, as the career tallies of Markus Naslund do not approach many of the Hockey Hall of Fame inductees, but were among the best of his time.
Gary Suter started off with a bang, winning the Calder Trophy with the Calgary Flames. Suter continued to rack up points for the Flames, and the star was able to hoist the Stanley Cup in 1989. Year after year, Gary Suter was among the league leaders in points by a…
Without a doubt, there was a slew of phenomenal players who emerged from the Soviet Union and the formidable Red Army. One such great player is blueliner Alexi Kasatonov, who played for the elite national team throughout the 1980s, winning two Olympic Gold Medals (1984 & 1988), a Canada Cup…
In the era of star centers, it is easy to forget about Bobby Smith. As a player who once scored more points than Wayne Gretzky to win the OMJHL scoring title, Smith entered the NHL with a bang, winning the Calder Trophy with the Minnesota North Stars. Smith was a…
Arguably one of the best players to come out of the hockey-rich state of Minnesota, Neal Broten did not just come from the Gopher State; he played virtually his entire career there. Broten played his collegiate hockey for the University of Minnesota and played the bulk of his career for…
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,…
When Rick Tocchet entered the National Hockey League, he seemed to do so with the strength of his fighting skills. Tocchet still fought, but by his fourth season, he emerged as an effective scorer as well. Tocchet was as hard-nosed as they came and was the quintessential power forward of…
A two-time All-Star with a 22-year professional career, Mathieu Schneider was one of the best American-born blueliners in the game’s history. Schneider was adept on the offensive side of the game, scoring over 700 Points and internationally playing for the U.S. on their 1996 World Cup-winning team. Schneider’s Hall of…
As a skill player for the Philadelphia Flyers, the speedy and undersized Andre Lacroix was a star but not necessarily a superstar. Lacroix was one of the many who took the pay increase to join the WHA, and the more open game style worked well with his approach to play.…
Although many people have laced up the skates for the New Jersey Devils, many thought that Pat Verbeek may very well be one. Verbeek was a tough player who logged over 2,500 in penalty minutes and was as pesky a player as they came. Verbeek could put the puck in…
You have to think that if you were a kid growing up in Montreal, your hockey-related dreams might involve winning a Stanley Cup for your beloved Habs. If this was the case for Vincent Damphousse, then Mission Accomplished! Damphousse hoisted the Stanley Cup as a first-line centre for his hometown…
Although Sandis Ozolinsh played for a plethora of NHL teams, Sandis Ozolinsh was not precisely a journeyman. The Latvian was adept at playmaking and was an excellent scoring defenseman. He finished his career playing in European leagues, and though he made seven All-Star teams, there is a very good chance…
Before Doug Jarvis broke his record, Garry Unger was considered the NHL’s Iron Man. Unger played in 914 consecutive games which was a phenomenal accomplishment, considering the rough nature of Professional Hockey. Unger did not just play in those games; he was a seven-time All-Star who acquired 804 career points.…
John Vanbiesbrouck’s career may be best described as one of “missing out.” He achieved great success as a New York Ranger, but was outplayed by Mike Richter, who won the starting job, and “Beezer” was shipped out before he could see the Rangers win that elusive Cup. His best work…
Bobby Baun reminds us a lot of Paul Henderson in that he is best known for one game. Baun fractured his ankle early in Game 3 of the 1964 Stanley Cup Championship but returned to the ice to score the game-winning goal against the Detroit Red Wings and would help…
With the distinction of being the first ever Russian-born player to be drafted in the first round by a team in the National Hockey League, Alexei Kovalev did not disappoint. Kovalev would score over 1,000 Points in the NHL and is a winner of the Stanley Cup and a Gold…