Hockey Hall of Fame Candidates

[SubtropicalPenguin]

Hockey Hall of Fame will be announcing inductees on Tuesday. Looks like a pretty solid group this year, and I think some deserving players will be left out. Any thoughts on who gets in?

Here is a list of some of the best eligible players:

Scott Niedermayer
Brendan Shanahan
Rob Blake
Chris Chelios
Sergei Makarov
Rod Brind'Amour
Paul Kariya
Markus Naslund
Keith Tkachuk
Eric Lindros
Phil Housley
Dave Andreychuk
Tom Barrasso


I'm sure there are some solid players not included on this list. Personally, I think it is going to be Niedermayer, Shanahan, Blake, and Chelios. That being said, there are some really interesting players on this list who deserve consideration. I know there is a strong argument for Makarov, given that this is the Hockey Hall of Fame, not just the NHL Hall of Fame. I don't have a strong opinion on him one way or the other.

Lindros is always a tough call - one the one hand, he was outstanding for a few seasons before injuries really de-railed his career. If he had stayed healthy, no doubt he was a hall of famer. On the other hand, he just couldn't stay on the ice. He had a Hart Trophy in 94-95, and winning one of those is ALMOST a ticket to the HOF. In the end, I think he's on the outside, looking in.

I always really liked Paul Kariya and would love to see him make it someday, but I just don't think he quite has the numbers to make it. However, he was (exactly) a point-per-game player, and among the most exciting players for the last half of the 90s. He also made the all star team 7 times. I hope I'm proven wrong on this one, and he does make it. Loved watching this guy.

Rod Brind'Amour was always underrated. 1,184 points in his career and 2 Selke trophies to his credit. His points per game is not particularly impressive, however, and I don't think he gets in this season. Maybe down the road if there are any weak classes.

Barrasso - as much as I'd love to see him get in to the HOF, I just don't think it will ever happen. He has a Calder and a Vezina. He also has 2 Stanely Cups. Problem is, the Calder and Vezina came in the same season, and I just don't think he was generally considered one of the best of his era (he had to compete with players like Brodeur, Roy, Hasek, Belfour). Also, injuries cost him basically 2 seasons and a number of wins that could have helped his resume.

[mikey287]

Like Mark Howe before, Sergei Makarov is the giant piece broccoli stuck in the HHOF's teeth right now...he's a lock now, just like he was last year, just like he was the year before...I believe Igor Larionov is involved on the committee right now, so hopefully he's got enough pull to make it happen...

Chelios is by far the best NHLer on that list and it's not particularly close...he's a slam dunk...

Then I'd go Shanahan and the overrated Niedermayer...

Rob Blake should probably eventually go, but maybe we ought to let it set in a minute before we just jump right to that...Lindros should probably go in a little bit because he changed the game...

The rest really don't need to be in...when the Hall of Very Good forms you have some top notch names...I mean, Kariya and Naslund were two of the best of their positions in their primes...I think Naslund is one of the few 3x First-Team All-Stars that's not in, I think J.C. Tremblay is another, but as I recall, he's still being punished for jumping to the WHA, just like Howe was...

Kariya was gonna be a lock for the HHOF until what's his face got him...was it Gary Suter? Kariya was going to be up in that Jagr/Forsberg tier when he played in his prime, but instead it didn't work out unfortunately...but Kariya was going to be one of the best of his era it seemed...

Brind'Amour is underrated...maybe if he got that Conn Smythe that I thought he deserved in 2006 maybe then he's got a case, but I'm not sure I can justify it right now...

Barrasso was just way too inconsistent to make it and he was a **** so with humans voting on this, I doubt it will happen...would rather see Rogie Vachon or Curtis Joseph before Barrasso...

Andreychuk doesn't belong, Housley doesn't belong then a small break and then Tkachuk almost certainly doesn't belong, in my opinion...

[Godric]

Like Mark Howe before, Sergei Makarov is the giant piece broccoli stuck in the HHOF's teeth right now...he's a lock now, just like he was last year, just like he was the year before...I believe Igor Larionov is involved on the committee right now, so hopefully he's got enough pull to make it happen...

Chelios is by far the best NHLer on that list and it's not particularly close...he's a slam dunk...

Then I'd go Shanahan and the overrated Niedermayer...

Rob Blake should probably eventually go, but maybe we ought to let it set in a minute before we just jump right to that...Lindros should probably go in a little bit because he changed the game...

The rest really don't need to be in...when the Hall of Very Good forms you have some top notch names...I mean, Kariya and Naslund were two of the best of their positions in their primes...I think Naslund is one of the few 3x First-Team All-Stars that's not in, I think J.C. Tremblay is another, but as I recall, he's still being punished for jumping to the WHA, just like Howe was...

Kariya was gonna be a lock for the HHOF until what's his face got him...was it Gary Suter? Kariya was going to be up in that Jagr/Forsberg tier when he played in his prime, but instead it didn't work out unfortunately...but Kariya was going to be one of the best of his era it seemed...

Brind'Amour is underrated...maybe if he got that Conn Smythe that I thought he deserved in 2006 maybe then he's got a case, but I'm not sure I can justify it right now...

Barrasso was just way too inconsistent to make it and he was a **** so with humans voting on this, I doubt it will happen...would rather see Rogie Vachon or Curtis Joseph before Barrasso...

Andreychuk doesn't belong, Housley doesn't belong then a small break and then Tkachuk almost certainly doesn't belong, in my opinion...

Andreychuk. Hm. He goes in the "HOVG"

You really believe Neids was overrated?

[Idoit40fans]

Chris Chelios
Scott Niedermayer

Brendan Shanahan

Maybe Lindros.

I'll be pretty surprised if Shanahan goes another year.

[mikey287]

Yeah, Andreychuk, despite the gaudy power play totals and all that, is definitely HOVG for me...he was only really capable of one dimension at a time it seemed...the only thing he really has going for him is his lasting career image: Lifting the Stanley Cup as the captain in 2004. As oppose to Lindros' lasting career memory: Stevens shutting out the lights for him in game 7 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals.

Re: Niedermayer. I mean, overrated is a relative term of course, but generally speaking, yes I do. There are some people that believe he's a top 5 or 10 defenseman ever. It seems many think Niedermayer is the slam dunk and Chelios also has a "decent case", but it's the opposite. Chelios is much closer to being a top 10 defenseman of all time and Niedermayer has a "decent case" (well, slightly better than that, but I'm going for parallelism) to get in...

Don't get me wrong, Niedermayer was really good and all, really really good...was he ever the best player on a Cup winner though? No. Was he ever the best d-man on a Cup winner? No, probably not. The Conn Smythe in 2007 was on the weaker side, IMO, probably could have gone to Pronger or center Pahlsson who was remarkable. But, fine, let's give it to Nieds anyhow...it's still not an amazing individual resume. That said, it's not a surprise that he wins everywhere he goes, he's a really good player. But he's not this untouchable force by any stretch. No question that both Stevens and Pronger are a whole atmospheric layer above him.

[the wicked child]

I have a hard time seeing Naslund as a HOFer. I mean he had about a 5 year span where he was very good... but did he really do enough in that time to make the hall? I don't really think so.

[brwi]

Chelios
Shanahan
Blake
...........

I agree with mikey that Niedermayer was overrated. There are a lot of guys on this list that have no business being mentioned for HOF(Naslund, Kariya, Tkachuk, Brind'Amour) to begin with.

I guess for the 4th spot I'd have to vote Lindros or Andreychuk, but I really feel there are only 3 worthy of HOF this year.

[Idoit40fans]

Thinking someone is overrated is not a reason they wont get in. Its an argument that they will. I bet Niedermayer is in before all but Chelios.

[JS©]

Niedermayer, Chelios, Shanny, Geraldine Heaney (Canadian national team defenseman), and Fred Shero all get the nod.

[SubtropicalPenguin]

Well, the first three are no surprise to me. I must claim ignorance with Geraldine Heaney. I haven't followed women's international hockey over the years. As for Fred Shero - do you all think GMRS will stand in for him posthumously?

[penny lane]

Many teams can celebrate between chelios and shanahan.
One of the great line for a season or 1 ~ shanahan-oates-hull. I forget who held out first... oates or shanny.

[columbia]

Fred Shero:
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/spo ... ee-694802/

[mikey287]

Pretty satisfied with this. Good for Shero to finally get in, that was pretty well deserved. The most glaring oversight right now has to be Sergei Makarov.

[Kaizer]

Suck it, lindros.

Through a straw.