Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2014 Odds: Forsberg, Hasek and who?
The next class of the Hockey Hall of Fame will be announced on Monday. There are some locks, some maybes and some real wild cards.
Check out all of the eligible players here. And now, a look at some of the candidates and their odds for enshrinement.
1/1
Peter Forsberg
Dominik Hasek
Forsberg played 708 games in the NHL, which is fewer than Eric Lindros (760), which should make his head spin when Forsberg is a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
But Forsberg has the hardware (Hart Trophy, two Stanley Cups) and the accomplishments (the Art Ross in 2002-03) and the stats: Forsberg (1.25) has a higher career points per game average than all but seven players, eclipsing Lindros (1.138).
Oh, and he had a decent international hockey career too. Two words: postage stamp.
Hasek is so much a lock that when they open the doors to the Hall of Fame for induction weekend he’ll be the one welcoming people to his new home.
Six Vezina trophies, three Jennings, two Harts and two Lindsays make him one of the most decorated players, not just goalies, of all time. First all-time in career save percentage (.922) and seventh in GAA (2.20). Oh yeah: Two Stanley Cup championships as well with the Detroit Red Wings.
He even passes the “putting the fame in Hall of Fame” test by being one of the most must-see and emulated goalies in hockey history.
2/1
Mike Modano
If not this season, Modano will join the other star centers of his generation (Yzerman, Sakic) in the Hall after a career that saw him amass 561 goals in 1,499 games, putting him 23rd all-time in goals scored. (The only players above him with more goals that aren’t in the Hall are either active or Dave Andreychuk.) He’s also a Stanley Cup champion with the Dallas Stars.
If there’s a downside to Modano it’s that he never won a major individual award or led the League in any major offensive category. But Brendan Shanahan made the world safe for that kind of candidate last year.
4/1
Rob Blake
Mark Recchi
Blake was passed over in 2013 but wasn’t looked at as a first-ballot player. Another Triple Gold club member – the Stanley Cup on Ray Bourque’s Colorado Avalanche in 2001, Olympic gold in 2002 and the World Championship in 1994 and 1997. Blake won the Norris in Trophy in 1998 and had 777 points in 1,270 games, which is a higher scoring rate than either Chris Chelios or Scott Niedermayer.
Was Blake ever the best defenseman in the game? Maybe not, but Recchi certainly wasn’t ever considered best in his position either. What was he? A scoring and winning machine, leading the NHL in assists in 1999-00 while being 12th in career point (1,533) and 19th in career goals (577). Three Stanley Cups help make him a Glenn Anderson 2.0 candidate.
6/1
Eric Lindros
Jeremy Roenick
Two controversial figures and two players whose Hall of Fame cases are made beyond the stats.
Lindros is 19th in NHL history in points per game average with 1.138. He won the Hart and the Pearson in 1995. He has just 760 NHL career games, however, in a concussion-plagued career.
His case comes down to this: Was that brief time frame during which Lindros redefined the center position in the NHL and dominated the League enough for immortality? (I’ve argued yes.)
But his case this season is more complicated: Is he better than four other candidates on the ballot? It wouldn’t appear it’s his year.
Roenick never won an individual award in the NHL nor did he win the Stanley Cup. He won Olympic silver with the U.S. in 2002. Statistically, Roenick has 513 career goals (37th overall) and a 0.892 points per game average, placing him right with Hall of Famer Joe Nieuwendyk.
But the argument for Roenick has always been less Hall and more FAME. The best thing to happen to Roenick was Pavel Bure getting elected to the Hall, showing that cultural impact can matter as much as stats.
10/1
Chris Osgood
Ah yes, the great Chris Osgood case.
Three Stanley Cups, and the backstop for two of them with the Detroit Red Wings. A postseason GAA of 2.09 and a regular season GAA of 2.49. A postseason save percentage of .916, and a regular season one of .905. He won two Jennings and led the NHL in wins in 1995-96, and is 10th all time in that category.
The only thing we know is that it won’t be this season. But Chris Osgood’s Hall of Fame debate is second only to Lindros’ for stoking fan passions.
12/1
Phil Housley
Curtis Joseph
Alexander Mogilny
Owen Nolan
Doug Weight
Your “guys with Hall of Fame numbers that lack that extra thing that makes a Hall of Famer” list.
The two new additions here are Nolan, who has 422 career goals, and Weight, who has 1,033 career points.
20/1
Dave Andreychuk
Tom Barrasso
Ron Hextall
Dale Hunter
Kevin Lowe
Sergei Makarov
Markus Naslund
Bernie Nicholls
Rogie Vachon
Sergei Zubov
Legendary players that are going to each have their own rallying points – Andreychuk’s goals, Makarov’s international success – but that who may never have the majority support of the committee for enshrinement.
30/1
Rod Brind’Amour
Vincent Damphousse
Pavol Demitra
Theo Fleury
Adam Foote
Bill Guerin
Paul Kariya
Olaf Kolzig
John LeClair
Claude Lemieux
Teppo Numminen
Sandis Ozolinsh
Brian Rafalski
Mike Richter
Gary Roberts
Mathieu Schneider
Pierre Turgeon
Pat Verbeek
Mike Vernon
Players with numbers that are right on the cusp of being Hall worthy but just can’t match up with their peers.
500/1
The Field
Won’t anyone give Hakan Loob some love?
