Sakic and Shanahan are locks. Some might think Sundin is as well but if he waits a year or two to allow backlogged players in then so be it.
Makarov will never get in by the looks of it, neither will Middleton I am afraid. There really shouldn't be a debate with Makarov though.
If I could take a wild card it might be Vachon. I don't think either one of Vernon or Barrasso get in without him in there first. There are few people on here who dispute him as a HHOFer and I know I would vote for him
Sakic and Shanahan are locks. Some might think Sundin is as well but if he waits a year or two to allow backlogged players in then so be it.
Makarov will never get in by the looks of it, neither will Middleton I am afraid. There really shouldn't be a debate with Makarov though.
If I could take a wild card it might be Vachon. I don't think either one of Vernon or Barrasso get in without him in there first. There are few people on here who dispute him as a HHOFer and I know I would vote for him
Funny thing is, vachon was a better goalie than his contemporary, Cheevers, whose in. Shows the value of being one of the true characters of the game.
Sakic, Shanahan and Sundin are effectively locks. Sakic and Shanahan are givens, but I think Sundin is as well. 1350 points, some big international wins and he's a Leaf. I also think being the first Euro to go first overall will help.
I believe Makarov is a top-3 player not currently in the Hall, but seeing as 90% of his career was in the USSR I don't know if he'll make it.
Adam Oates could be the man. Lindros maybe too? Especially after seemingly "fixing" his relationship with hockey at the Winter Classic.
Is it possible that Shanahan might not get in this time because of his current position with the NHL? He definitely deserves to be inducted, but could it look bad if he's selected while employed by the league in a high-level position?
I fully expect Bettman to get in after he retires, but not while he's still commissioner.
Is it possible that Shanahan might not get in this time because of his current position with the NHL? He definitely deserves to be inducted, but could it look bad if he's selected while employed by the league in a high-level position?
I fully expect Bettman to get in after he retires, but not while he's still commissioner.
I hate the hall of fame. Sundin didn't do anything noteworthy in the NHL, and will get in. A guy like Corey Perry has, but won't.
It is starting to look like, in a decade from now, Perry will have the best season by either player, but Sundin would probably have the next best eight or so.
Are you making the claim that Perry is more deserving of the hall than Sundin?
Are you making the claim that Perry is more deserving of the hall than Sundin?
No, but I foresee that happening by the end of Perry's career. I also foresee him not getting in because he didn't captain the Leafs for 10 years. If Sundin played for a Southern team, he wouldn't be getting this consideration, I'm sorry. I'm sure the ridiculous 1992-93 season also helps Sundin's case. People will think, well, he didn't really have any transcendent seasons, but he did get 114 points! Boy, that's more than the scoring leader last year had!
Who has a better case for the hall? Bure or Sundin?
By the standards the Hall actually uses (career stats plus "character"), Sundin. By the standard I wish they would use ( players who defined their era / players you'd tell your grandchildren about), probably Bure.
I get that Firsov and Mikhailov are probably more deserving than any retired NHLer other than Sakic if you truly want the Hall to be representative of all of hockey. I guess I'm not that ambitious and would be happy to start with Makarov and go from there
By the standards the Hall actually uses (career stats plus "character"), Sundin. By the standard I wish they would use ( players who defined their era / players you'd tell your grandchildren about), probably Bure.
Like Kevin Morrison, Tie Domi, Joey Kocur, Tony Twist, Dennis Bonvie?
Who has a better case for the hall? Bure or Sundin?
Bure and it's not really all that close.
Bure was a tremendous sniper who lead the league in goals for three seasons and was a Hart finalist I believe in at least one season, and probably Conn Smythe if the Nucks beat NY.
Sundin has achieved nothing aside from compiling stats. Growing up in Leafs nation I was also under the spell that he was some great legend, but he wasn't.
Not that I have ANY issue with him being in, hell Nieuwendyke is so who cares right?
I get that Firsov and Mikhailov are probably more deserving than any retired NHLer other than Sakic if you truly want the Hall to be representative of all of hockey. I guess I'm not that ambitious and would be happy to start with Makarov and go from there
For me, if two players are somewhat similar in qualifications, I'd prefer to take the player who has been waiting the longest. Firsov is unfortunately gone. Mikhailov is 67 years old. If it happens, I'd like to see it happen soon.
I don't think any of those three Soviets will ever get in. If they didn't induct Makarov the year Larionov got in, then they probably never will.
Who has a better case for the hall? Bure or Sundin?
sundin supporters will say sundin because he hit milestones, played at a consistently high level, was kind of an okay leader, was pretty physical for a swedish guy, and, i don't know, could play decent defense.
bure supporters will remember things he did thirty years from now.
Like Kevin Morrison, Tie Domi, Joey Kocur, Tony Twist, Dennis Bonvie?
i'll certainly tell my grandchildren about the time gino odjick fought jason strudwick. but come on, you know what he means.
i remember things bure did in pre-season games just as well as things he did in playoff games or the olympics. i remember goals he scored in january against new jersey. i, and everyone else in vancouver who was eight years old or older in 1991, remembers his first game against the jets.
i'm not saying that makes him a hall of famer necessarily. but if it were up to me, it would be cam neely, theo fleury, and pavel bure all day every day over gartner, nieuwendyk, ciccarelli, etc.
though now that i think about it, i've always envisioned a hall of fame with a space designated for the best role players of all time. guys like tikkanen, mccrimmon, and carbonneau. maybe not a totally crazy idea to also include kocur or probert in that already crazy idea.
i'll certainly tell my grandchildren about the time gino odjick fought jason strudwick. but come on, you know what he means.
i remember things bure did in pre-season games just as well as things he did in playoff games or the olympics. i remember goals he scored in january against new jersey. i, and everyone else in vancouver who was eight years old or older in 1991, remembers his first game against the jets.
i'm not saying that makes him a hall of famer necessarily. but if it were up to me, it would be cam neely, theo fleury, and pavel bure all day every day over gartner, nieuwendyk, ciccarelli, etc.
though now that i think about it, i've always envisioned a hall of fame with a space designated for the best role players of all time. guys like tikkanen, mccrimmon, and carbonneau. maybe not a totally crazy idea to also include kocur or probert in that already crazy idea.
I do.
But the fact of the matter is the guys I've mentioned (and their ilk)were memorable. Domi and Bonvie may be the last of the true entertainers in the game.
I think Sakic, Shanahan, Oates and Makarov make it in.
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Exhibit A as to how hockey doesn't matter on ESPN:
Last night an ESPN program was discussing how the Detroit Pistons needed a hero citing the heroes on the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions and no mention of the Detroit Red Wings. All this despite the Red Wings probably being the most succesful team in Detroit right now.
