NHL FanHouse

Brett Hull Shows Michael Jordan How to Give Hall of Fame Speech

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame, NHL Videos

In September, former NBA superstar Michael Jordan raised more than a few eyebrows. The speech he gave at his Hall of Fame induction quickly turned into a vengeful gong show in which His Airness blasted virtually anyone who he even perceived to be guilty of a slight.

Monday night, the Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed its class of 2009. The ceremony's very first acceptance speech was given by former St. Louis Blue, Dallas Star, and Detroit Red Wing Brett Hull. It was a stirring example of how to give a Hall of Fame speech.

Here is the video of Hull's speech.

In case you've forgotten, here's MJ's idea on a Hall of Fame address. You'll notice a stunning difference in the attitudes shown by both.

Hull was followed by Brian Leetch, Lou Lamoriello, Luc Robitaille, and Steve Yzerman, all of whom gave similarly classy and dignified acceptance speeches.

Hockey players have generally developed a positive reputation over the years by showing a great amount of respect for their sport and its wonderful history. It's the kind of behavior that makes events like Monday's so much fun to watch. While these guys are all legends, there's an obvious acknowledgment of the honor they have received. It's a concept people like Jordan apparently don't understand. If they do, they have a weird way of showing it.

Brett Hull Shows Michael Jordan How to Give Hall of Fame Speech originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brett Hull: Bulldog, Blues and Beyond

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blues, Stars, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame, College Hockey

In 1984, a kid with a famous name and loads of potential in his game showed up on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth. The Calgary Flames had drafted the kid, but they knew he wasn't ready to play.

After two years at UMD, Brett Hull -- son of the great Bobby Hull -- was ready to tear up the NHL. Boy, did he ever do that.

Turns out Hull was quite the impact player at every level he ever played at. He finished his career as the only player to ever score 50 goals in college hockey, the minors, and the NHL.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

With his 2009 Hockey Hall of Fame induction, Brett joins Bobby as the only father-son combination to be inducted into the Hall. One year ago, the pair became the first father-son tandem to make the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, as Brett was inducted.

Before signing with the Flames, Hull set records that will never be touched at UMD. He scored 32 goals as a freshman, then answered that with a 52-goal season as a sophomore. With Hull on campus, the Bulldogs went an incredible 62-22-6, making the Frozen Four in 1985. It was unprecedented success for the program at the Division I level, as UMD qualified for back-to-back Frozen Fours. They wouldn't make another one until 2004.

Kids who grew up in the 1990s likely tried to emulate Hull's huge shot in their driveways, basements, and at the local rinks. When it came time to choose numbers on youth hockey teams, they always wanted No. 16 more than anything, because Hull was their favorite player. While Hull would go on to great professional success, most of his teammates weren't so lucky. While Norm Maciver (500 games) and Jim Johnson (829 games) had long careers in the NHL, they were the only ones to come close to Hull's long run as a pro. No one on that UMD team could claim the kind of fame Hull enjoyed in the NHL. The stigma in the 1980s was that college players were not good enough to make it in the NHL. Fans who think the major junior/NCAA debate is bad now should have been around back then, when there really was no debate to be had.

Everyone knows Hull's impact on the NHL. Over 21 years in the league, Hull amassed 741 goals, nearly 1,400 points, scored over 100 career playoff goals, and was one of the most entertaining players in the sport -- both on and off the ice. Hull's willingness to share his opinions on any subject left him equal parts loved and disliked. When he felt unwanted on the Canadian national team, Hull instead became a mainstay on United States international teams. He took part in two Olympics, two World Cups, and one Canada Cup, all for Team USA.

His 86 goals in the 1990-91 season rank him second all-time to Wayne Gretzky. Two times, Hull matched Gretzky's achievement of 50 goals scored in 50 games or less. He and Gretzky, who did it three times, are the only players to score 50 goals in 50 games more than once.

Fans would find it difficult to not respect Hull's game. Everywhere he went, he scored goals. Hull practically patented the one-timer, using his deadly release to be an absolute force on the ice. He was the kind of player you could never truly stop, because he could launch a hard shot from just about anywhere in the offensive zone. Sometimes forgotten in all the talk about Hull's ferocious shot was his accuracy. In his prime, Hull shot the puck where he wanted it to go. When he missed, it was still effective.

Kids who grew up in the 1990s likely tried to emulate Hull's huge shot in their driveways, basements, and at the local rinks. When it came time to choose numbers on youth hockey teams, they wanted No. 16 more than anything, because Hull was their favorite player.

In 2006, after his playing career had ended, UMD became the first team to retire Hull's jersey number. He wore No. 29 during his years at UMD, and it now hangs in the rafters at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. Hull has spoken highly of the Duluth area ever since he left, and he still maintains a home at a lake near the city. Proving his tremendous impact on the game, Hull has since had his jersey retired by the St. Louis Blues, and he is a well-known figure in the Dallas Stars organization.

Hull played a long time -- and achieved a lot of individual success -- before ever achieving the ultimate team goal. His first college team fell painfully short of a national title, and he never was able to get the Blues to the Stanley Cup Finals. In 1999, the Stars had a special season under coach Ken Hitchcock. They made the Finals against Buffalo, and rallied nicely after losing the series opener at home. With a chance to clinch the Cup in Buffalo in Game 6, the teams battled into a third overtime before Hull scored a controversial goal. He appeared to have his skate in the crease before the puck was there, but the play was allowed to stand, and Hull had his first championship. After moving to Detroit, Hull added another Cup title in 2002. He retired while a member of the Phoenix Coyotes after the 2004-2005 lockout.

Players on the team that wins the Cup are allowed to have the trophy for a single day.

Both times that Hull played for a championship team, he brought the Cup back to Duluth.

Brett Hull: Bulldog, Blues and Beyond originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve Yzerman: Most Gracious Superstar

Susan Slusser — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame

In an age of look-at-me professional athletes, full of boasting, silly taunting and big celebrations over routine plays, Steve Yzerman is a reminder that the best and most talented shine all the brighter for humble behavior.

The longtime Red Wings captain, and a three-time Stanley Cup winner as a player, enters the Hall of Fame as a winner on the ice and off, a gentleman respected by his peers and adored by his fans.

Yzerman was, and is, classy and understated, the embodiment of old-fashioned values of sportsmanship and personal accountability.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

He was also an outrageously great hockey player: the sixth all-time scorer in NHL history, a skilled skater and puck-handler with a sharp shot and beautiful passing ability, plus smarts and savvy. That alone would be enough to earn him Hall of Fame honors. His long service with one club, which includes the longest stint as team captain in North American sports history and those three championships, is equally impressive.

For sheer graciousness, nothing tops Yzerman's speech the night his jersey was retired at Joe Louis Arena. I was there, on Jan. 2, 2007 and remain struck at how in 20 minutes, seemingly straight from the heart and unrehearsed, Yzerman simply thanked others and repeatedly emphasized how lucky he was to have represented such a great organization. He said "grateful" over and over.

He's thoughtful and deliberate, and Canada could not have made a better choice. Nor could the Hockey Hall of Fame. Endearing himself to the Red Wings' faithful even more that evening, Yzerman appeared most overcome when thanking the fans, halting briefly and needing a sip of water before continuing. Several lengthy ovations brought a tear to his eye, too.

This is one superstar athlete who absolutely gets the connection with fans -- and he understands that many of the most dedicated are hyper-critical and driven to win. Some players and team officials don't appreciate that, resenting criticism from any corner, but in his speech, Yzerman acknowledged the Red Wings' rabid fan base for inspiring him. Then he went on to urge the Detroit fans to "keep demanding excellence."

Yzerman did put up with some brief criticism in Detroit, particularly as a young player whose offensive skills were obvious but who had not honed an all-around game. The Red Wings once came close to trading him, unthinkable as it sounds now. When Scotty Bowman came in and urged Yzerman to become a more selfless player, he did so, and that's when Detroit climbed into the upper level of the league and remained there for more than a decade. Yzerman became such a strong defensive player that he won the Selke Trophy in 2000; he was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 1998 as the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

In 23 years in the league, Yzerman had his share of injuries and played through severe pain, like all hockey players, and he fought back from a few problems that might have ended others' careers. After participating in the Red Wings' 2002 Cup-winning campaign on a right knee that barely functioned, Yzerman had an osteotomy, a procedure rarely done on active athletes; Yzerman likened it to having his leg sawed in half and repositioned. Then, during the playoffs in 2004, Yzerman took a puck to the face and nearly lost the vision in his left eye. He didn't return for the rest of that run, but he did play one more season before retiring in 2006.

Now he's part of Detroit's front office, trying to fulfill those fan demands for excellence from that spot. Yzerman is also Team Canada's general manager, charged with one of the biggest task of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, selecting the players for the host country's national sport. He's thoughtful and deliberate, and Canada could not have made a better choice. Nor could the Hockey Hall of Fame.

One last note: a fellow sportswriter tells a story about once flying to Detroit to do a story on Yzerman, who was pleasant and helpful, if typically self-effacing.

Afterward, the reporter was standing in the parking lot at the Joe, waiting for a taxi that was late and getting anxious about missing his flight. Yzerman exited the building and asked him what he was doing. When the writer said he was waiting for a cab to go to the airport, Yzerman said, "Oh, that's no problem, I'll take you," and whisked him off to his flight.

That's not superstar behavior in the sense most of us know it; most superstar athletes have little but contempt for sportswriters. But it's superstar behavior as a person. Typical class from the Captain.

Congratulations, Stevie, for this latest honor in a career defined by excellence. It's a well-deserved moment for celebrating your personal achievements -- not that you ever would.

Steve Yzerman: Most Gracious Superstar originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Luc Robitaille: The Ultimate Steal

Adam Gretz — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kings, Penguins, Rangers, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame

It doesn't matter how good your team's front office is, the NHL draft can still be a complete shot in the dark in which the most highly-touted, can't miss prospect can miss, and ninth-round picks that sneak under the radar because of concerns about their ability to skate at an NHL level can end up scoring over 600 goals and tallying nearly 1,400 points in a 19-year career -- kind of like Luc Robitaille.

Robitaille was passed over 170 times during the 1984 NHL Entry Draft (a class that featured Mario Lemieux going No. 1 overall, and fellow 2009 Hall of Fame Inductee Brett Hull being taken at No. 117) before being selected in the ninth round by the Los Angeles Kings.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

Twenty-five years later, "Lucky Luc" is going into the Hall as the NHL's all-time leading scorer among left-wingers, and should forever be remembered as one of the greatest draft steals in the history of the sport.

Since the draft was implemented in 1963, there have only been two players selected in the ninth round (the NHL draft is now only seven rounds) or later and went on to record at least 1,000 points in the NHL, and they were both picked by the Los Angeles Kings: Dave Taylor, who scored 1,069 points after being taken 210th in 1975, and Robitaille, who finished his career with 668 goals, 726 assists and 1,394 points.

A quick look at some of the players (and we'll limit it to forwards, just to keep the comparison simple) who can challenge for the title of greatest draft steal:

The Greatest Draft Steals
Player	Pick	Goals	Assists	Points
Luc Robitaille	171	688	726	1,394
Theo Fleury	166	455	633	1,088
Dave Taylor	210	431	638	1,069
Doug Gilmour	134	450	964	1,414
Daniel Alfredsson*	133	357	568	925
Peter Bondra	156	503	389	892
Igor Larionov	210	169	475	644
Henrik Zetterberg*	210	183	225	408
Pavel Datsyuk*	171	171	353	524

(* still active, and what's the deal with pick No's. 171 and 210? )

Robitaille is best known as a member of the Kings, having spent three different stints in Los Angeles from 1986-1994, again from 1997-2001, and finally 2003-2005. He's still the franchise's second-leading scorer (trailing only the legendary Marcell Dionne) with 1,154 of his career points coming as a member of the Kings. No small feat considering a man named Gretzky spent parts of eight seasons as a member of the Kings.

The only thing his career is lacking is league-issued, individual hardware, having only the 1986-87 Calder Trophy as the league's rookie of the year. Considering that he played in an era with the Gretzkys, Lemieuxs, Hulls, and Yzermans, that's not much of a surprise, and it doesn't take away from the fact that no left wing has ever scored more goals or totaled more points.

As a member of the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings (which could have given that year's All-Star teams a run for their money in terms of pure talent) he became a Stanley Cup Champion for the first time, while he finished his career as an eight-time 40-goal scorer, a three-time 50-goal scorer, and netted a career-best 63 goals during the 1992-93 season. He finished in the top-10 in goals scored nine times, and is currently 10th on the all-time list.

Luc Robitaille: The Ultimate Steal originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brian Leetch: Pride of the Rangers

Christopher Botta — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Rangers, NHL Hall of Fame

The main press box for Rangers games at Madison Square Garden is in the lower bowl, behind one of the goals. It is here where the perfect imagery can be found to illustrate the magical play of Brian Leetch, who enters the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday.

In this press box sit men and women, some who have been to thousands of games, some perhaps new to the hockey beat. Either way, it can often be a jaded lot. But when Leetch plied his craft as a defenseman for the Rangers from 1988 until 2004, there were countless moments when his artistry made those four rows of tables one of the grandest places to be in sports.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

Whether the kid from Connecticut was skating towards your end of the rink or just gathering speed while sailing away from you, a Brian Leetch end-to-end rush was a treat. And every time he crossed the first blue line, then the red, then the second blue, most of those reporters could not defy gravity. Subtly, their hind quarters left their seats just like the 18,000 in the barn.

Leetch had that kind of lifting effect on New York. He is being inducted into the Hall of Fame on Monday because he had every gift imaginable and never took them for granted.

Vision: His 80 assists in 80 games in 1991-92 -- along with 22 goals -- made him the NHL's last defenseman to score 100 points in a season. We may have to wait a long time before we see another one.

Hands: Five seasons of 20 or more goals. Don't think defensemen can be regarded as finishers? Watch the biggest goal of his career -- in Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final against Vancouver.

By the sum of his career, Brian Leetch is the greatest New York Ranger of all time. Finesse and Power: Like all the great defensemen in NHL history, Leetch could beat you by playing physically and by dancing around you.

Leadership: While Mark Messier will always be known as The Captain at Madison Square Garden, Leetch's character and leadership ability were strong enough to be Messier's ideal deputy.

And then there were his remarkable pair of wheels, as we say in hockey, which enabled Leetch to make those end-to-end rushes or help shut down the best forwards of his generation.

He put everything together with work ethic and an intense determination to improve each season. Rangers staffers are quick to tell tales of how much Leetch demanded of himself, how much extra time at the rink he put in to maximize those enormous talents.

By putting it all together, Leetch won the Calder Trophy in 1988-89, the Norris Trophy in 1991-92 and 1996-97 and the Conn Smythe Award in 1994 and played in 10 NHL All-Star games.

By his actions as the consummate team player, Leetch earned a Stanley Cup ring in 1994, a gold medal with Team USA at the World Cup in 1996 and a silver medal at the 2002 Olympics.

By the sum of his career, Brian Leetch is the greatest New York Ranger of all time.

In the final stanza, he became cherished not just as an all-world player but as a citizen of New York. He dedicated himself to local charities and became one of New York sports' most visible athletes after September 11, 2001, when he lost a dear friend in the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Maybe New York embraced him so much because he was such a decent fellow. He loved going to concerts, shows and sporting events around the city and never played the role of a big-timer. When the old Yankee Stadium hosted its final MLB All-Star Game in 2008, Leetch and his buddies could be found wearing jeans and Yankees caps, sitting all the way down by the right field foul pole. You wouldn't have known he was a New York sports icon if it wasn't for his grace in signing hundreds of autographs from the first inning through the 15th.

Another testament to Leetch's class as a player and a man is that even New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders fans could not muster up a healthy hatred for the redhead. As Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said the other day about the one-month treat of having Leetch on his side at the 1996 World Cup, "Brian haunted me before that tournament, and he haunted me after."

Supporters of the Rangers' biggest rivals can now rest easily, for Brian Leetch has made it to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first season of eligibility.

Brian Leetch: Pride of the Rangers originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lou Lamoriello: A Man All His Own

Tom Mantzouranis — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Devils, NHL Hall of Fame

As anyone who struggled to get the new health care legislation passed over the weekend can attest, it's hard to make systemic changes. The momentum of history carries us along, forcing the boldest and most tenacious of us to aggressively fight the tide in the name of progress.

It may not be nearly on par with lowering the unemployment rate or giving our education system a breath of fresh air, but in the world of this lovely escape we call hockey, few in recent history have had as big of an impact in these terms as Lou Lamoriello. It's entirely appropriate that he's being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night as a "Builder," because he built a dynasty out of a doormat as well as a hockey nation out of a nation with just a curious interest in the sport.

But when I think of what makes Lou Lamoriello great, I don't think about what he's done. I think about the character and personality that drove all that success.

The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of '09:
Steve Yzerman | Brian Leetch | Brett Hull
Luc Robitaille | Lou Lamoriello

Lamoriello's resume doesn't need to be repeated here, laudatory accounts of his work in college hockey, with the New Jersey Devils and as a key figure in USA Hockey are easy to find.

But more interestingly, in a world in which it's hard to find people who are true individuals, there is only one Lou Lamoriello. He's a man of his word, something you have to respect whether the word is good or bad. He's the oldest-school possible, a guy who believes in adherence to the collective one and his system over any of the individuals who contribute to it.

He's a fair man. But he cares about team success. A lot. And you come with him or you can get left behind, but there's no in between. Lamoriello, unknown in the professional hockey world upon his hire, came to New Jersey with a plan. That's the same plan he uses today, and the conviction behind that plan is more concrete than the walls that make up The Rock.

His way is not for everybody; there are some who for not even the Stanley Cup could put up with his personality and expectations. But those who respond positively to it do so in spades, will give up the individual excesses to contribute to the team. Since 1987 when Lamoriello took over the "Mickey Mouse operation," as Wayne Gretzky referred to the Devils in 1984, not only has the Devils logo been nearly synonymous with on-ice greatness but it has represented a selfless style of hockey.

Say what you will about his sometimes cutthroat maneuverings -- the coaching fires, the chord-cuttings with prominent players, his shrewd conduct in contract negotiations -- but there's a reason that Jacques Lemaire came back to coach this year, why Larry Robinson has remained on staff in different roles after his departures as head coach. There's a reason that longtime players John MacLean and Bruce Driver came back after retirement to work with the franchise and so many others have returned for second stints as players. There's a reason why Scott Stevens and Martin Brodeur routinely took less money than they could get as free agents to stay in New Jersey.

He demands a lot from the people around him, but puts in just as much himself. He's a fair man. But he cares about team success. A lot. And you can come with him or you can get left behind, but there's no in between.

There's a story he and Ken Daneyko like to tell, in which (and I'm paraphrasing here) Daneyko approached Lamoriello early in the rugged defenseman's career about a more offensive role with the team. Lamoriello explained to Daneyko that the Devils were an orchestra, and that Daneyko was one of its drummers. And he gave Daneyko an ultimatum: if you'd like to be a violinist, that's fine, but we don't need a violinist, so I'll have to find another team that does. Daneyko decided that he wanted to be a drummer in New Jersey, and wound up playing in over 1,400 total games as a Devil, winning three Cups. When he went through a turbulent bout with alcoholism later in his playing career, Lamoriello stuck by his close friend Daneyko, not giving up on the player now known as Mr. Devil, one of the only two players to have his number retired by the team.

Mr. Devil ... that's a nickname Lamoriello probably likes, because it represents celebrating an individual within the context of his contributions to the team. My guess is, if he could be inducted under the general guise of the franchise he's built, Lamoriello would prefer that. In this case, though, he'll just have to deal with being honored as an individual. One who's done it well, and entirely his way.

Lou Lamoriello: A Man All His Own originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lou Lamoriello's Creed: Competence, Loyalty and Work Ethic

Christopher Botta — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:25:00 EST

Filed under: Devils, NHL Hall of Fame

New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello will be inducted into the builders section of the the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday. The architect of three Stanley Cup-winning teams was the guest on a media conference call on Friday afternoon. Some highlights ...

His reaction to the call from the Hall:

"It was surprising. I wasn't thinking of it in any way. I wasn't even aware the selection committee was meeting. When they first called, I was in a meeting with Slava Fetisov and had no idea why (the Hall of Fame) was calling. When I called back, that's when I got the news.

"No question it's touching. It's a flashback of how fortunate I've been. I've had the opportunity to work in two organizations (Providence College and the Devils) with such quality people. This honor is the result of so many of the people around me."

Lamoriello's business philosophy:

"You have to have a philosophy that you believe in yourself and practice on a daily basis. Competence, loyalty and work ethic are vital. Find the people who believe in what you believe and have those characteristics. Get strong people. Don't let the media and fans distract you from the information you have. You just hope that you don't make more mistakes than things you get right. Stay the course.

"That's why there is the logo on the front and the name on the back."

Career highlights:

"Nothing surpasses the three Stanley Cups. Nothing. If you had to look for one highlight beyond the Cups, I would say John MacLean's shot in 1987 [in overtime on the last day of regular season for New Jersey's first playoff berth]. That was the turning point, getting to the playoffs and setting the stage for everything else to come.

"There was also the 1996 World Cup [gold medal with Lamoriello as GM]. Also, watching the success of our players. Watching Scotty Stevens go into the Hall of Fame last year."

Fellow class of 2009 inductees Brian Leetch and Brett Hull:

"I'm touched to be going in with them because I have experiences with both Brett and Brian going back to college. I played in college for years against [Leetch's] father. I tried to recruit Brian, but I think he followed his dad's influence to Boston College.

"Brett and Brian were big parts of our World Cup team. That was a special group. We brought them to Providence College for a few weeks to try and build a team. The coaches were Ron Wilson, Paul Holmgren and John Cunniff. They worked hard and were a big part of it. Brian was our captain. He haunted me before that tournament and he haunted me after."

Present-day challenges of being a GM:

"The core challenges are still the same. The biggest challenge is the Collective Bargaining Agreement today and having free agency at such an early age. The challenge now is maintining success over a period of time.

"Every challenge is different in every organization. Where it's the same is making the judgment on players at an early age. Bad decisions today will stick with you in this system through a long period of time. The chemistry, what goes on in that locker room, is always carried out on to the ice."

Lou Lamoriello's Creed: Competence, Loyalty and Work Ethic originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2-on-1: Present-Day NHLers Bound for the Hall of Fame

Christopher Botta — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Awards, NHL Hall of Fame

Every Monday during the season two of our hockey writers will debate one topic. It's the 2-on-1. This week, Susan Slusser and Christopher Botta discuss which current players are bound for the Hall of Fame.

Chris Botta: With the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony a week away, I thought it would be fun to discuss which current NHLers are locks and possibilities for the Hall after they retire.

I'll tell you my formula, Susan, whether it's the Hockey Hall of Fame, baseball or any other sport. To me, if you have to ponder for a while if someone is a Hall of Famer, most likely they're not. That said, I know some guys have extraordinary numbers and they will get in whether or not we think they should.

Using my criteria, let's start with the older players I believe are locks. Right off the top of my head ...

Niklas Lidstrom
Mike Modano
Chris Chelios
Scott Niedermayer
Teemu Selanne
Chris Pronger
Mark Recchi
Martin Brodeur

Let me know what you think of those, Susan, and if you think I missed a slam-dunker. Then I'll list a bunch of players most would regard as close calls so I can get your opinion on them.

"No-brainers only. No one borderline. No one who requires any debate. If it's debatable, why would they be in the Hall of Fame? That's reserved for the best of the best, not all of the best. There are a lot of people I'd take out of most Halls of Fame."
-- Susan Slusser Susan Slusser: I'm a voter for the Baseball Hall of Fame since I've been in the baseball writers' association more than 10 years, and my criteria for that is much the same as yours, only stingier. No-brainers only. No one borderline. No one who requires any debate. If it's debatable, why would they be in the Hall of Fame? That's reserved for the best of the best, not all of the best. There are a lot of people I'd take out of most Halls of Fame.

So if anything, I might go smaller with my list than you have. Lidstrom, slam dunk. Can I vote for him twice? Brodeur, definitely. Chelios -- I'd forgotten how great he was earlier in his career looking back. The rest .... well, deserving, but I'd stick to putting in two guys a year, roughly. (Except for this week -- tough to figure out anyone that doesn't belong from that bunch. Talk about no-brainers!) I'm pretty sure your whole list goes in, and I'm glad you got Modano and Selanne.

Chris Botta: Do you think I missed anyone? I have no doubt our readers will!

Susan Slusser: I can think of two players who may be retired. If you're going by the kinds of numbers these guys have and similar career arcs, you'd have to consider Brendan Shanahan and Mats Sundin, too. Shanahan's 11th on the all-time goal scoring list and he's won some titles ... I'd give him a little edge.

Chris Botta: Good catches, Susan. Shanahan and Sundin are in. So is Joe Sakic of the recent retirees. (The way Colorado is playing, I sense a Sakic comeback!) Add Sergei Fedorov to the list. And you never know if Jeremy Roenick will come back.

Susan Slusser: I'm big on championships, which is where I love Scott Niedermayer -- every international championship available, really, and a Conn Smythe and a Norris Trophy. That's a Hall of Famer. Show me something in the postseason or take home some postseason trophies or you're not in.

I remember we had some discussion during the Finals last year -- Chris Osgood, Hall of Famer? If the Red Wings had won that series, yes. Three Cups? That would do it for me. Now .... well, that third might be elusive.

Chris Botta: I love Chris Osgood. Had a brief chance to get to know him when he was an Islander. Battles like a son of a gun. I just don't think he's a Hall of Famer. Those Stanley Cup rings will have to suffice for Ozzie.

Here's my list of veterans that are not locks, at least as of now. Some have a few more good years to make their case. I'd like your opinion on them as candidates, Susan.

Rob Blake
Keith Tkachuk
Daniel Alfredsson
Alexei Kovalev
Adam Foote (in a Kevin Lowe sort of way)
Rod Brind'Amour
Paul Kariya
Martin St. Louis

And, of course, please add to the mix anyone over 32 you believe merits consideration.

Susan Slusser: I love guys like Foote, Blake, Brind'Amour, warriors all. Good candidates, but I'm not sure the absolute creme de la creme. Martin St. Louis ... very intriguing, but he needs to avoid sputtering out in the back half of his career.

Every time I see Paul Kariya, seems he's scoring a clutch goal. His numbers alone might not quite put him at the top, but just on a sheer personal basis, I've never seen him be anything but nails. Not enough to say 'yes' here -- yet -- but man, do I love watching him play.

I could probably say that about most of these guys -- I always wish I saw more of Alfredsson, for instance, because he's so solid. That's the danger of a generous Hall of Fame, you want to err toward the side of "Wow, that guy was good, let's put him in."

If there's a Hall of Very Good, I would stick all these guys in it.

Chris Botta: Jason Arnott, Owen Nolan, Bill Guerin, Jere Lehtinen, Doug Weight and Shane Doan are perfect candidates for the Hall of Very Good.

I realize we're actually talking about two things here, Susan. There's who you and I think will go in and then there are the players who will make the Hall of Fame whether or not we think they're true HoFers.

Of the fence guys I ran by you, Rob Blake has a good shot, especially if he can close out his career strong. More than 1,200 games, a Norris Trophy. I agree with you that a career like Blake's doesn't make him an open-and-shut Famer, but hockey seems to be like football where a lot of really, really good players get in -- not just legends.

The guy to watch out for on the list of fencers is Alfredsson. By the time Daniel is done, he'll have played more than 1,000 games and scored more than 1,000 points. He's highly respected "in the game," as we say and -- the kicker -- he's done it all in the capital of Canada. I think that will count for a lot.

Susan Slusser: I like the way you think, Chris, which might not make for a great TV shout-fest roundtable, but we're definitely on the same page. Blake, yes. And much like with your Alfredsson argument, he's enormously well-respected and well-liked. Ryan Smyth is a fun possibility. He might need to brush off the residue of a less-than-ideal stint with Colorado, but he's doing some great stuff in LA so far.

Chris Botta: Before we move on to the "kids" like Crosby and Ovechkin, let's take a look at some veterans in their prime who seem to be on their way to the Hall. In the 27-32-year-old range, I have:

Joe Thornton
Jarome Iginla
Zdeno Chara
Pavel Datsyuk
Henrik Zetterberg
Roberto Luongo

Only the Red Wings players have Cups. A championship would put the rest over the top. But you have to like their chances. A player like Ryan Smyth -- so beloved in Canada -- could also make it with a great finish to his career.

Susan Slusser: The Wings guys have the edge, you're right, with those titles. I might be biased, being a Detroit fan, but hey, if it's close, the guy with the Cup gets the boost, right? Luongo looks every bit a future Hall of Famer to me but he has to follow through. Iginla has the same look to me. He's a stud. These guys all are on the right track.

Chris Botta: Speaking of Detroit, Brian Rafalski has been a big part of the bluelines of three Cup teams. Who else do you have?

Susan Slusser: I'd throw Ilya Kovalchuk and Dany Heatley onto your medium-age/experienced guys, both over 500 points seven seasons into their careers. And can we make one entry for the Sedins and say they're in as a combo package?

Chris Botta: Good bets, especially Kovalchuk and Heatley. Since they're way under a point a game, the Sedins will need championships, in my opinion. Marian Hossa has a shot -- if he can get on the right side of a Game 7!

Susan Slusser: The young guys ... there is so much great young talent in the league right now, it could be a long list. That's why longevity and team success wind up being the difference makers, but some of these players are so obviously potential future HoFers that anyone who casually follows the game could tell you their names, That's a tipoff right there that there's some true greatness and not just hype and PR. And three years in a row, the Hart and the Ross have gone to one or the other of the big three.

Ryan Getzlaf isn't quite in that class, but I think he could be an MVP type at some point and build a Hall career. Could Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews wind up being that kind of player? One of this year's high profile rookies? How about goalies like Steve Mason and Cam Ward? The influx of great talent in the league is so exciting.

Chris Botta: Agreed. It seems each year brings at least a half-dozen special talents, and they come from all over. Of the youngsters, besides Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, Kane and Toews will have a great chance. Whether they're able to bring a Cup or two to Chicago may ultimately determine their legacy. Evgeni Malkin is right there with Crosby and Ovechkin as players in their early to mid-20s just starting Hall of Fame careers. In the last couple of weeks, Steven Stamkos has looked like a future Hall of Famer.

I was thinking of listing many more young players like Eric Staal and Henrik Lundqvist, Rich Nash and Mike Green, Zach Parise and even John Tavares, but then I figured let's not over-analyze everyone of all ages who has a chance. No doubt the readers will tell us about which players we forgot, disrespected or overrated.

2-on-1: Present-Day NHLers Bound for the Hall of Fame originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ray Shero on His Father, an Icon

Adam Gretz — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Fans, NHL Hall of Fame, FanHouse Exclusive

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero was kind enough to spend nearly an hour on the phone with FanHouse's Adam Gretz discussing a variety of topics. This is the first of a three-part series that will run throughout the remainder of the offseason. Wednesday's entry: Ray Shero discusses the impact his father -- former player and Stanley Cup winning coach Fred Shero -- had on the game of hockey, as well as Fred's chances for induction in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

A decade ago, the Philadelphia Daily News polled its readers and the fanatical sports fans in the city of brotherly love in an effort to name the greatest coach in Philadelphia's storied sports history. In a town that has housed Connie Mack and Dick Vermiel, just to name a select few, it was former Flyers head coach Fred Shero that came out on top. Shero was the bench boss for the Broad Street Bullies from 1971 through 1978, leading the franchise to its only two Stanley Cup championships during the '73-'74 and '74-'75 seasons. During that time Fred's son, Ray Shero, spent a large portion of his childhood hanging around the club.

FanHouse Chats With Ray Shero:
Part 1: On His Father, an Icon
Part 2: On the Anatomy of a Trade
Part 3: On Building the Pens, Defending the Cup

"I was a huge Flyers fan growing up and it's hard to say that now that I'm the Penguins manager," laughed Ray.

"Bobby Clarke was probably my idol growing up. They had some really good players and a number of Hall of Famers that played on that team: Billy Barber, Bobby Clarke, Bernie Parent, some really, really good players. They could all really play, but Bobby Clarke was the guy I really liked the best growing up."

"I really think he's due some serious consideration for what he's provided the sport and the mark he made on it. ... I've actually had some people in the past really heavily involved in the sport who thought my dad was already in the Hall of Fame. They were surprised he wasn't."He continued: "It was great in those years, it was such a big impact on that city. Those teams that won the Cup, even now, those guys are held in the highest regard."

Twenty years after he coached his final game in Philadelphia (he coached parts of three seasons with the Rangers following his stint with the Flyers), Fred Shero is still the winningest coach in team history, compiling a 308-151-96 record with the Flyers. Overall, he won 390 games in the NHL, two Stanley Cups, coached in the Finals four times, won the Jack Adams award as coach of the year, and won multiple championships in the minor leagues prior to his NHL coaching days.

While the win totals and hardware are impressive, they only scratch the surface when it comes to his contributions to the game and the argument for his enshrinement in Toronto.

******

Prior to 1972, assistant coaches were relatively unheard of in the NHL. During that season, Fred Shero hired former Hershey Bears legend, and AHL Hall of Famer, Mike Nykoluk as the first prominent assistant coach in league history.

"He just had a really big impact on the sport," said Ray Shero. "As for the assistant coach thing, it's funny. There's so many assistant coaches now, and goaltender coaches, he was the first one to have an assistant and back in 1972 when that happened it was ... well, the question was 'this guy can't be very smart if he needs help.' And now it's unheard of to think a coach won't have an assistant, or two, or three, or four of them. It was great, and I always ask our assistant coaches and people, I ask them, 'do you have any idea who the first assistant coach was in the NHL?' And a lot of people don't know who that was. And that's kind of a shame, too."

It should be pointed out that Adam Proteau of The Hockey News unearthed an old letter to the editor in November, 2008, that disputes Nykoluk's status as the first assistant in the NHL, and instead gives the title to Doug Harvey during the 1968-69 season with the St. Louis Blues under then-head coach Scotty Bowman. Harvey was actually a player as well that season. Regardless of who was first, there's no denying that when Fred Shero hired Nykoluk, he was making a rather bold and unconventional move that few -- if any -- other coaches in the NHL had contemplated at that time. Beyond that, he also broke down game film, implemented systems on the ice, studied the systems being used in Russia at the time -- his '76 Flyers team defeated the Red Army team -- and had his players take part in in-season strength and conditioning training. While he's yet to get the honor of being named to the Hall of Fame, the fact every team in the NHL -- every team at every level of hockey, actually -- still uses all of these philosophies and strategies has to be considered the ultimate compliment.

Back in July, Tim Panaccio of CSN Philadelphia had a two-part series on Fred Shero going into far greater detail on all of these subjects, and also campaigning for Shero's induction in Toronto. There's also some online petitions floating around the internet in an effort to help get him in.

"I wasn't really aware of that," said Ray Shero regarding the petitions. "But I was well aware of the fact there have been some writers that have really made a big push. I know the Flyers made a big push, and from my standpoint, and my mom's standpoint we certainly appreciate it.

So what's it going to take to get him in?

"I really think he's due some serious consideration for what he's provided the sport and the mark he made on it," said Ray Shero. "Certainly that goes to the Hockey Hall of Hame committee, but just from a personal standpoint we really appreciate that everybody has brought this back to the forefront. I've actually had some people in the past really involved heavily in the sport who thought my dad was already in the Hall of Fame. They were surprised he wasn't."

"We're just very appreciative of the fact people are making the push."

Ray Shero on His Father, an Icon originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Hockey Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2009

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:15:00 EST

Filed under: Blackhawks, Canadiens, Flyers, Penguins, NHL Hall of Fame, Team USA, Olympic Hockey

It's not the more prestigious Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, but the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame has been around since 1973, honoring top American-born hockey players, coaches, and contributors.

The Hall has been through some tough times, as its facility in Eveleth, Minn., was scheduled to close due to low attendance in 2006. The building remains open in Eveleth, and they are still actively inducting new members. The 2009 class features some famous NHL stars, an inventor, and a pioneering group of ladies who changed the face of the sport.

Three players who made their mark in the NHL are part of the Class of 2009. Two of them -- goalie Tom Barrasso and forward John LeClair -- have their names etched on the Stanley Cup. Barrasso was part of the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, and he leads all American-born players with 61 career playoff victories.

LeClair won the Cup in 1993 with Montreal, but may be more famous for his work in Philadelphia. While part of the well-known "Legion of Doom" line, LeClair amassed 50 goals in three straight seasons. He was the first American-born player to accomplish that.

The other NHL star who is part of this year's group is former Blackhawk Tony Amonte, who is perhaps best-known for scoring the game-winning goal during the 1996 World Cup of Hockey final against Canada, a game played in Montreal. In 15 NHL seasons, Amonte totaled 416 goals.

Also in the Class of 2009 is a gentleman who never played the sport, but made an incredible impact on the game nonetheless. Frank Zamboni's name should ring a bell, as that last name adorns ice-resurfacing machines all over the sport. Zamboni and his family developed the first machines of that kind, and eventually brought them to the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley. There have been over 8,500 Zambonis produced. Frank Zamboni will be inducted posthumously, as he died in 1988.

The last member of the class is not a single person. Instead, it's an entire team.

In 1998, the United States sent an elite group of women's hockey players to Nagano, Japan, for the Winter Olympics. This team, coached by Ben Smith, blew through its competition, outscoring opponents 36-8 and twice beating rival Canada. The second win over the Canadians came in the gold-medal game. This team was captained by 2008 U.S. Hockey Hall inductee Cammi Granato. It featured star players like Katie King, Jenny Potter, and Karyn Bye (pictured above).

This team didn't just win a gold medal. It paved the way for women's hockey to grow in this country. As more and more colleges pick up the sport, you see girls' hockey growing across the country. When it comes to pioneers in their sport, the 1998 U.S. Olympic team will always have a place on that list.

The Hall has not announced plans for induction ceremonies this year. Last year's ceremony was held in Denver, in conjunction with a Notre Dame-Denver men's college hockey game.

US Hockey Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2009 originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joe Sakic to Announce Retirement

Kevin Schultz — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:18:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, NHL Hall of Fame

After 20 seasons in the NHL, Joe Sakic is expected to officially announce his retirement at a press conference on Thursday, according to the Denver Post.

Sakic was originally taken with the 15th pick in 1987, when the franchise was still in Quebec, and spent his entire career with the organization -- a career that will certainly be honored with a Hall of Fame ceremony in the near future.

The past two seasons were a challenge for the 40-year-old, as a multitude of injuries held him to only 59 of a possible 164 games. Sakic had surgery on a hernia two years ago and last season missed time due to a herniated disc and broken fingers from an incident with a snowblower. But regardless of the injuries, he was almost a point-per-game player until the end, amassing 52 points during those injury-plagued seasons.

Recent injuries aside, Sakic had a great ability to stay healthy and play through pain for most of his career. His final numbers through 20 seasons are 1,378 games, 625 goals, 1,016 assists and 1,641 points. Those give him an average season stat line of 69 games, 31 goals, 51 assists, and 82 points -- exceptional numbers without a doubt. He retires as the franchise leader in all four of those categories.

In NHL history, Sakic is up there with the greatest. He retires ranked eighth all-time in points, 11th in assists, 14th in goals and 12th in power play goals. Sakic won two Stanley Cups with the Avalanche, in 1996 and 2001, in addition to helping Canada win a gold medal at the 2002 Olympics.

Sports Retirements

Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic is finally retiring after 20 memorable seasons in the NHL, which included two Stanley Cup victories and 13 All-Star Game selections. Click through to see sports stars who hung it up recently.

Jack Dempsey, AP

June 8: Dan Morgan, a first-round pick in the 2001 draft, announced his retirement for the second time after an inability to overcome numerous injuries.

Doug Benc, Getty Images

May 6: Holly McPeak, who won 72 career titles, called it quits from the Association of Volleyball Professionals Tour.

Streeter Lecka, Getty Images

April 21: "For me, basketball is over," Dikembe Mutombo said after a knee injury knocked him out of the Rockets' playoff game against the Trail Blazers. The 18-year veteran was the NBA's oldest player at 43.

Sam Forencich, NBAE/Getty Images

April 14: Oscar De La Hoya calls it a career after winning an Olympic gold medal and 10 world titles in six divisions.

John Gurzinski, AFP / Getty Images

March 23: Pitcher Curt Schilling announced on his blog that he's retiring after 23 years with "zero regrets."

Winslow Townson, AP

Dec. 11, 2008: Cuttino Mobley announced he was forced to retire because of a heart disease.

NBA/Getty Images

Dec. 8: Morten Anderson, who scored 2,437 points during his career, retired from the NFL at age 48.

Doug Benc, Getty Images

Dec. 8: Four-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux officially announced his retirement. The 42-year-old legend, who earned a record 18 Gold Gloves, finished eighth on the career wins list with 355.

Kevork Djansezian, AP

Nov. 20: Mike Mussina, just weeks shy of turning 40, officially announced his retirement. The pitcher had 270 career wins and compiled a 20-9 record with the Yankees in 2008.

Jim Rogash, Getty Images

Joe Sakic to Announce Retirement originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Hall of Fame Class of 2009: Do We Underrate Steve Yzerman?

Adam Gretz — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Hall of Fame, NHL Videos

The NHL's Hall of Fame class of 2009 features a reunion of the Detroit Red Wings' 2001-02 Stanley Cup Championship team, and the completion of the best father-son duo in the history of the league. On Tuesday afternoon, Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille and Brian Leetch were announced as the newest members of hockey's most exclusive club.

New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello was also elected as a builder.

Not really any surprises here, as they make up one of the best quintets to ever enter Toronto.

Steve Yzerman. Spent his entire 22-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, scoring 692 goals and registering 1,755 points. He won the Lester B. Pearson Award during the 1988-89 campaign, while he also won the Selke Trophy, the Conn Smythe Trophy and the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy during his career ... oh, and three Stanley Cups.

I realize suggesting this is probably kind of ridiculous given his career and the milestones he achieved, but is there a more underrated great player in the history of the league? After all, he spent his entire career in the shadows of Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, when, in reality, he was probably right up there with them at his peak. And if he wasn't, he certainly wasn't far behind.

Let's consider points-per-game. Yzerman never led the league, but he finished in the top-five four times, including three consecutive years at the end of the 1980s when he posted the best three-year stretch of his career. The players that finished ahead of him each season?

1987-88: 1) Wayne Gretzky (2.23), 2) Mario Lemieux (2.18), 3) Denis Savard (1.64) 4) Steve Yzerman (1.59)

1988-89: 1) Mario Lemieux (2.62), 2) Wayne Gretzky (2.15), 3) Steve Yzerman (1.94) 4) Bernie Nichols (1.90)

1989-90: 1) Mario Lemieux (2.08), 2) Wayne Gretzky (1.95), 3) Mark Messier (1.63), 4) Steve Yzerman (1.61)

OK, maybe he was somewhat behind them, but still, that's solid company.

Brett Hull. Hull finished his career with 741 career goals and led the league three consecutive years between 1989 and 1992, scoring an incredible 228 times. His 86 goals during the 1990-91 campaign is still the third-best performance in NHL history.

He joins his dad, Bobby, as the best father-son duo in the Hall, as the two combined for 1,351 goals in their respective careers.

He's a two-time Stanley Cup champion, while he was a member of the 2001-02 Red Wings team with fellow inductees Yzerman and Robitaille. He also scored one of the most famous (or infamous, depending on your perspective) game-winning goals in playoff history when he scored in overtime of Game 6 during the 1998-99 Finals.

Somewhere, Lindy Ruff is still screaming "No goal."

Brian Leetch. One of the best American-born players ever, Leetch played parts of 17 seasons with the New York Rangers before closing out his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. He was a vital part of the 1994 team that ended the Rangers' 54-year Stanley Cup drought, as he recorded 34 points (11 goals, 23 assists) in 23 games on his way to the Conn Smythe Trophy. He won the 1988-89 Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year, and twice took home the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman.

His 1,028 career points are seventh all-time among defensemen, as he trails only Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, Al Macinnis, Phil Housley, Larry Murphy, and Dennis Potvin.

Luc Robitaille. Perhaps the greatest draft-day steal of all time, a ninth-round pick in 1984, Robaitaille set an NHL record for goals by a left wing with 668 in his 15-year career, while he won his only Stanley Cup in 2001-02 as a member of the Red Wings (with Yzerman and Hull). An eight-time all-star and an eight-time 40-goal scorer, Robitaille had three different stints with the Los Angeles Kings (the team that drafted him), while he also suited up for the Red Wings, Penguins and Rangers.

******

So, is this the strongest Hall of Fame class ever? The only one that comes close in recent years would probably be the 2007 class of Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Mark Messier and Scott Stevens.

NHL Hall of Fame Class of 2009: Do We Underrate Steve Yzerman? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pavel Bure's Case for the Hall of Fame

Adam Gretz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:35:00 EST

Filed under: NHL Fans, NHL Hall of Fame, NHL Videos

On Tuesday, the NHL Hall of Fame will announce its class of 2009 and it's pretty much assumed -- and for good reason -- that Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and Brian Leetch will be getting their calls for enshrinement in Toronto. Easy choices, all of them.

As Brian Costello of The Hockey News points out, the fourth spot is going to create plenty of debate with such players as Luc Robitaille, Alexander Mogilny, Dave Andreychuk, and Doug Gilmour, among others, also eligible. And let's not forget about The Russian Rocket, Pavel Bure.

One of the most dynamic players to ever play in the NHL (subjective statement? Sure. But does anybody disagree?), Bure has been at the center of Hall of Fame debates for quite some time. The arguments against him can range from the fact his career was cut short (he retired at 31) due to chronic knee problems, to the fact he was never on a Stanley Cup winning team. He also wasn't much for the defensive aspect of the game.

But in his career, Bure averaged more than a point-per-game in the postseason, including a 16-goal, 15-assist run during the 1993-94 playoffs when the Canucks fell to the Rangers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.

Was he a complete, two-way player in the mold of Yzerman? Absolutely not. Does his resume possess lofty career milestones (700-plus goals, for example, or, heck, even 500?) like Hull? Not on the surface, no. Should any of that take away from his goal-scoring dominance of the 1990s, or how well he stacks up against other players that are already in (or will soon be in) the Hall of Fame? Heck No.

Consider that in Bure's career he was a ...

Five-time 50-goal scorer: It's only been done by 10 players in the history of the NHL, and Bure is one of them. Two of his 50-goal seasons came during the 1999-00 and 2000-01 campaigns, when Bure led the NHL with 117 goals combined.

The other nine players with at least five 50-goal seasons: Wayne Gretzky (nine), Mike Bossy (nine), Mario Lemieux (six), Marcel Dionne (six), Bobby Hull (five), Brett Hull (five), Phil Esposito (five), Guy Lafleur (five), Steve Yzerman (five).

The players in bold are already members of the hockey Hall of Fame, while two others (Brett Hull and Yzerman) will likely be in by the end of the day on Tuesday, leaving only Bure on the outside looking in.

Two-time 60-goal scorer: A more exclusive club than one above, Bure is one of just eight players to ever record a pair of 60-goal seasons in his career, and he did so in back-to-back years during the 1992-93 and 1993-94 campaigns.

The other seven players: Wayne Gretzky (five), Mike Bossy (five), Mario Lemieux (four), Phil Esposito (four), Brett Hull (three), Jari Kurri (two), Steve Yzerman (two).

Bolded players, of course, are already in, and once again, after Tuesday, Bure will likely be the only member of this group that remains on the outside.

Three-time goal-scoring champion: Three times in his 12-year career Bure finished the regular season as the league's leading goal-scorer, while he finished in the top-five two other times. Only 11 other players have done so: Bobby Hull (seven), Phil Esposito (six), Gordie Howe (five), Wayne Gretzky (five), Maurice Richard (five), Mario Lemieux (three), Brett Hull (three), Teemu Selanne (three), Babe Dye (three), Bill Cook (three), Charlie Conacher (three).

You know the drill by now. Once Brett Hull gets in on Tuesday, that will leave just Selanne and Bure.

His chances for this year are probably close to zero seeing as how this class is absolutely loaded, but how long can the voters ignore one of the most prolific goal-scorers in NHL history?

Pavel Bure's Case for the Hall of Fame originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Colleen Howe, Mrs. Hockey, Passes On

Eric McErlain — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 10:52:00 EST

Filed under: Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame

There's some very sad news out of Detroit this morning, as word has reached the wider world that Colleen Howe, the wife of Hall of Famer Gordie Howe (far right), has died after a long fight with Pick's Disease.

She was 76.

"Colleen was a pioneer hockey wife and hockey mom and devoted her entire life to the betterment of the game. She will be sincerely missed by us and all who knew her," said Red Wings owners Mike and Marian Ilitch in a statement.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman called her a "formidable woman, the wife and partner of our iconic player, the matriarch of a remarkable hockey family."

Pick's Disease is a particularly merciless form of dementia that actually alters a person's personality as it progresses.

The former Colleen Joffa, who married Gordie in 1953, was a true partner in every sense of the word. While her husband was getting it done on the ice, his wife was taking care of everything else off of it, raising a family -- including two sons who would become professional hockey players -- and managing a variety of business interests in her own right.

The Red Wings will observe a moment of silence before Saturday night's game against Columbus in her honor.

Deaths in Sports

Colleen Howe, March 6: "Mrs. Hockey," the wife of hockey great Gordie Howe and one of the first female sports agents, died after battling Pick's disease, a rare form of dementia. Click through the gallery to see more recent deaths of athletes and sports personalities.

EFK / AP

Norm Van Lier, Feb. 26: The three-time All-Star and fan favorite was nicknamed "Stormin' Norman" because of his tenacious play. Norman retired after the 1979 season with 8,770 points and 5,217 assists.

Noren Trotman, NBAE / Getty Images

Larry H. Miller, Feb. 20: Miller, a Utah businessman and owner of the Jazz, passed away after complications of type 2 diabetes.

Douglas C. Pizac, AP

Mike Whitmarsh, Feb. 19: The 1996 Olympic silver medalist in beach volleyball committed suicide with carbon monoxide from car exhaust, according to the medical examiner.

Al Bello, Getty Images

Kamila Skolimowska, Feb. 18: The 2000 Olympic gold medalist in the hammer throw died suddenly while training in Portugal. The Polish athlete was just 26.

Olivier Morin, AFP/Getty Images

Ted Uhlaender, Feb. 12: The former Major League Baseball player, seen here as Cleveland's first base coach in 2001, had worked most recently as a scout for San Francisco.

Rick Stewart , Allsport / Getty Images

Jeremy Lusk, Feb. 9: The motocross star died two days after suffering head injuries in a crash.

Cal Sport Media / ZUMA Press

Mel Kaufman, Feb. 9: The former linebacker, who won two Super Bowl rings as a player with the Redskins, died in his California home at the age of 50.

NFL / Getty Images

Marian Cozma, Feb. 8: The 26-year-old was a member of Romania's national handball team. Cozma was stabbed to death and two other players were seriously injured in an attack at a nightclub in western Hungary.

Srdjan Ilic, AP

Payton Jordan, Feb. 5: The college track and field star, seen here in 2004, went on to coach at Stanford and led the United States to a record 24 medals at the 1968 Olympics.

Paul Sakuma, AP

Colleen Howe, Mrs. Hockey, Passes On originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 07 Mar 2009 10:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Glenn Anderson Scores His 418th Goal as an Edmonton Oiler

Bruce Ciskie — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Oilers, Western, NHL General, NHL Hall of Fame, NHL Videos

Well, it doesn't actually count, but it was still special. Hall of Famer Glenn Anderson had his number retired by the Edmonton Oilers last night. As the number made its way up to the rafters at Rexall Place and the ceremony was about to conclude, Anderson did something I've never seen at a retirement ceremony before. He took one more outlet pass from Mark Messier and came in for one more breakaway goal. He may have scored 417 goals for the Oilers that actually made their way to the scoreboard, but this is one a lot of fans won't soon forget.

Glenn Anderson Scores His 418th Goal as an Edmonton Oiler originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gartner Gets His Due in D.C.

Ted Starkey — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 23:13:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, NHL Hall of Fame

Nearly 20 years since he last skated on the ice for the Capitals and over seven years after being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Mike Gartner got a high honor from Washington on Sunday when the team raised his No. 11 to the rafters at Verizon Center.

With all due respect to Trevor Linden and Glen Wesley, two other players honored by their former teams this month, Gartner's number retirement was an usual situation, since both Linden and Wesley had skated with their teams in recent years. Gartner noted at a press conference during Washington's game with Toronto that he had only played once at the Capitals' current home, Verizon Center, a building that is now 11 years old.

He is one of only six players to score 700 goals during a career, and holds the mark for posting 17 30-goal seasons - 15 of which came consecutive. But because he played for five different clubs during a 19-year career, he had been overlooked for team honors, even though he scored 397 goals in a Capitals sweater, a number alone that would place him 79th on the NHL's all-time scoring list.

And, on a night where the Caps looked back at one of the brightest periods in team history and saw a return of several of Gartner's Hall of Fame teammates in Rod Langway, Scott Stevens and Larry Murphy, the current edition of the team showed why it could be entering another golden age of hockey in Washington.

In Gartner's heyday of the mid 1980s, the Capitals were second only to the Redskins on the Washington sports totem pole, regularly selling out the old Capital Centre and finishing among the top teams of the NHL in the regular-season standings. Now, the Capitals are enjoying a resurgence in popularity locally, having their seventh sellout of the season Sunday in just 17 home games so far this year, and enjoying a 33 percent increase over last year's attendance so far with the team's tickets getting tougher as the calendar turns. With the Redskins now done for the year and the Wizards and Nationals among the worst teams in their respective sports, the Caps have a chance to reclaim that secondary spot behind the 'Skins with a strong run in 2009.

On the ice, the Caps also are thriving, as with their win Sunday, they passed the Rangers for the second-most points in the East and fourth overall in the entire NHL. This year's team is now on pace to break the team's single-season points record with 108, which would be the most in team history - one more than one of Gartner's clubs in 1985-86.

Of course, the game has changed a lot since Gartner played in Washington, as he noted the Caps, once the East Coast's southernmost franchise, had to practice at an old rink in a rough part of town because of the lack of ice rinks in the area. Now, the Caps practice at a multi-million dollar facility in suburban Virginia that's regarded as one of the top ones around the league, one of several rinks that those strong Caps teams helped spawn.

One of the reasons the Capitals of the mid-1980s are overlooked in NHL history was their lack of playoff success, as Gartner noted it was difficult to advance out of the old Patrick Division playoffs, with the Islanders and Flyers appearing in seven of 10 Stanley Cup Finals during the decade. He noted that the 1985-86 season the Caps finished with the third-most points in the regular season - yet didn't even win their division because the Flyers had the second-most in the NHL.

It was part of that struggle in the postseason that eventually led to Gartner's departure in Washington, as when asked if he regretted leaving Washington, he simply pointed out with a wry smile he couldn't help being traded. Gartner, who joined the Capitals as the fourth-overall selection in the 1979 NHL Draft, was sent to Minnesota in 1989 to acquire Dino Ciccarelli in a bid to try and break the team's playoff failures.

But, 20 years later, Gartner noted to the crowd that he considered the Capitals' honor even greater than his Hall of Fame induction in 2001, as he got a chance to see his number raised to the rafters - even though he joked that his long-departed trademark 1980s mustache was out of date - something the crowd didn't quite agree with.

And, on a night where the Caps paid tribute to one of its top snipers in team history, it was a natural that Alex Ovechkin stole the show in the dying seconds of the second period, taking over the game with a flurry in the second period by hitting the post and then picking up the puck later on the same shift to power it past Vesa Toskala for the game-winning goal in a 4-1 Washington win. Ovechkin added his 25th goal with an empty-netter in the final minute, moving him just a goal behind Jeff Carter in the race for the Richard Trophy.

So, as the Capitals had a chance to revisit the past with one of their biggest stars in team history, the team now gets a chance to look forward to what could be a very memorable season underway in the nation's capital.

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - DECEMBER 28: Jarkko Ruutu #73 of the Ottawa Senators is checked by Mason Raymond #21 of the Vancouver Canucks during their game at General Motors Place on December 28, 2008 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jarkko Ruutu;Mason Raymond

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - DECEMBER 28: Curtis Sanford #41 of the Vancouver Canucks makes a save off the shot of Dean McAmmond #37 of the Ottawa Senators as Mattias Ohlund #2 of the Vancouver Canucks looks onduring their game at General Motors Place on December 28, 2008 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Curtis Sanford;Dean McAmmond;Mattias Ohlund

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - DECEMBER 28: Jannik Hansen #36 of the Vancouver Canucksis checked by Dany Heatley #15 of the Ottawa Senators during their game at General Motors Place on December 28, 2008 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jannik Hansen;Dany Heatley

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - DECEMBER 28: Alexander Edler #23 of the Vancouver Canucks is congratulated by teammate Alex Burrows #14 after scoring against the Ottawa Senators during their game at General Motors Place on December 28, 2008 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alexander Edler;Alex Burrows

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Vancouver Canucks' Mason Raymond, 21, crashes into Ottawa Senators' Martin Gerber, of Switzerland, after being tripped by Christoph Schubert, 5, of Germany, during the second period of an NHL game in Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

Vancouver Canucks' Pavol Demitra, left, of Slovakia, celebrates his goal with Daniel Sedin, of Sweden, during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators in Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday Dec 28, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER, CANADA - DECEMBER 28: Antoine Vermette #20 of the Ottawa Senators is checked by Mike Brown #13 and Darcy Hordichuk #24 of the Vancouver Canucksduring their game at General Motors Place on December 28, 2008 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Antoine Vermette;Mike Brown;Darcy Hordichuk

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Ottawa Senators' Chris Neil, top, checks Vancouver Canucks' Darcy Hordichuk on top of Senators' Brian Lee during the second period of an NHL game in Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

Vancouver Canucks Mattias Ohlund (R) knocks Ottawa Senators Nick Foligno off his feet during second period NHL hockey in Vancouver, British Columbia December 28, 2008. REUTERS/Andy Clark (CANADA)

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Ottawa Senators Chris Neil (top) knocks Vancouver Canucks Darcy Hordichuk (C) on top of team mate Brian Lee during second period NHL hockey in Vancouver, British Columbia December 28, 2008. REUTERS/Andy Clark (CANADA)

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Gartner Gets His Due in D.C. originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 28 Dec 2008 23:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Caps to Honor Quiet Superstar

Ted Starkey — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Coyotes, Maple Leafs, Rangers, NHL Hall of Fame

While the Capitals currently boast one of the league's flashiest superstars in Alexander Ovechkin, two decades ago they possessed one of the speediest snipers in the game as well. The team takes time out before Sunday's game against Toronto to honor one of the key members of their strong teams of the 1980s, Mike Gartner, by raising his No. 11 to the rafters in an overdue honor.

While Gartner never reached the 65-goal mark like Washington's current superstar, Gartner was a model of consistency during his 19-year playing career, reaching the 30-goal mark an NHL-record 15 times in a row and 17 times overall during his career with the Caps, North Stars, Rangers, Maple Leafs and Coyotes. He is just one of six NHL players to score 700 career goals, yet he never won a major award - in large part because of his consistency - because he had just one 50-goal season in 1984-85 where he cracked the 100-point barrier.

Gartner was also snakebit in terms of postseason success, as he played in 1,432 NHL games without getting a chance to skate in the Stanley Cup Finals, the most appearances of any player in history without a trip to the final round. It wasn't that Gartner didn't skate on teams with a chance to go deep in the playoffs, as he was a member of five teams that surpassed the 100-point mark, but it just never came together for him to play deep into the postseason.
With Washington, the Caps finished with three 100-point seasons during Gartner's tenure, but it came at an inopportune time. The team was paired up in a very tough Patrick Division with the Islanders still playing with the core of their four-time Stanley Cup champions teams, while the always-tough Flyers reached the Stanley Cup Finals twice in 1985 and 1987.

The Caps also were short-circuited by a pair of upstart clubs playing tremendous hockey, as the Rangers were led by John Vanbeisbrouck to an upset of Washington in the 1986 Patrick Division Finals, while Sean Burke led the Devils to an upset of the Caps in a tough seven-game series in 1988's divisional final. And, in those days, you couldn't advance into the conference finals without winning your divisional playoff, meaning the Caps had a tough time against their Patrick foes come April.

Once he left Washington, Gartner's closest chance for a ring came in 1993-94, when he was a member of the Rangers team that went on to lift the Stanley Cup - although he wasn't part of the team after the trading deadline. He was dealt to Toronto for another future Hall-of-Famer in Glenn Anderson, and while Gartner's new team, the Leafs, did manage to reach the conference finals that season, his former Ranger teammates went on to defeat the Canucks for the franchise's first Stanley Cup since 1940.

For most fans around the NHL, they remember Gartner's blazing speed, as he won the league's fastest skater the three times he was entered in the skills competition, winning the title in 1990 in Pittsburgh, 1993 in Montreal and then again in 1996 at Boston. The 1993 All-Star Game also was perhaps his biggest moment in NHL history, as after blazing to the fastest skater title in the skills competition, he scored four goals in the last All-Star Game ever played at the old Montreal Forum, and was named MVP of the contest.

Because he spit time among five NHL teams during his 19-year career, Gartner never quite got the recognition he deserved for his skills, but it's appropriate the Caps finally are going to be hanging his No. 11 in the rafters of Verizon Center. He scored over half of his career goals (397) with Washington, and was one of the star players as the Caps went from a struggling expansion franchise that almost relocated to one that became one of the best teams in the league during the 1980s.

If you take just the stats of his decade-long stint in Washington, he recorded more goals as a Capital than Cam Neely did during his entire career with Boston and Vancouver, and would place 79th on the NHL's all-time register on those goals alone. He also kicked in 392 assists as a Cap, and certainly lived up to the billing of being Washington's fourth overall selection in the 1979 NHL Draft.

Gartner was the catalyst for the offense of a very defensive-minded team that qualified for the playoffs every year after 1982-83, as he was called upon to score goals for a team that didn't score a ton in an offensive-minded era. In 1984-85, he paired with Bobby Carpenter to score 50 goals in a season, earning them the nickname the "Goal Dust Twins" for their exploits. He became the team's all-time leading goal scorer and points leader at the time, and was the team's biggest offensive weapon.

However, with that big responsibility came blame for the team's failure to advance deep in the playoffs, and Gartner eventually was traded to Minnesota at the 1989 trading deadline for a player the Caps thought would help them finally over the hump in Dino Ciccarelli. There were some hard feelings over the move, as the Capitals quickly reissued the number to unknown Tim Berglund the next season - the first of several to wear the number as Gartner went on to score 311 goals elsewhere around the league.

However, the last player to wear 11 for Washington at least was ex-captain Jeff Halpern, who was a fan of Gartner's growing up in the Maryland suburbs, so it's appropriate at least that he will be the last Cap to wear the number.

Gartner never quite got the recognition for his career that he deserved, as although he was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame seven years ago, this will be the first NHL team to retire his sweater, and a well-deserved honor for a class act who never asked for the spotlight, but certainly delivered a ton of goals.

Caps to Honor Quiet Superstar originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Patrick Roy Retirement Ceremony

Eric McErlain — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:08:00 EST

Filed under: Canadiens, NHL Hall of Fame, NHL Videos

In marked contrast to the brief tribute to Wendell Clark in Toronto, the ceremony honoring Patrick Roy in Montreal stretched well past 20 minutes. Then again, it's hard to argue that Roy, perhaps the greatest goalie to ever take to the ice, didn't deserve it. One enterprising YouTuber stripped and posted the ceremony with blinding speed. Here it is in three parts, with parts II and III after the jump.

The Patrick Roy Retirement Ceremony originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why the NHL Should Be Grateful for the Patrick Roy Tirade

Eric McErlain — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:07:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Canadiens, Red Wings, NHL Hall of Fame

The hockey world is bracing itself for a case of the warm fuzzies on Saturday night when Patrick Roy will return to Montreal to have his #33 officially retired by the Montreal Canadiens. But like it or not, whenever you talk about Roy returning to Montreal, you can't help but deal with how he came to leave one of the most hockey-mad cities on earth.

Of course, I'm talking about December 2, 1995, a night when Roy gave up nine goals in a game against the Detroit Red Wings. When he was finally pulled from the game midway through the second period, Roy, who enjoyed a frosty relationship with head coach Mario Tremblay, had decided that even after three trips to the Finals and a pair of Stanley Cups that he was through in Montreal:

Once pulled midway through the second period, Roy stormed past Tremblay to get to Canadiens President Ronald Corey, who was sitting in the first row behind the players' bench. He forcefully told Corey that he had played his last game with the Canadiens, and then walked brusquely back past Tremblay -- the men never said a word to each other -- and took his seat on the bench.

Three days later, Roy and Montreal captain Mike Keane were traded to the Colorado Avalanche -- then still in their first seasons in Denver -- for Jocelyn Thibault, Martin Rucinsky, and Andrei Kovalenko in what is now regarded as one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history. Looking back, I'm sure plenty of Canadiens fans would have liked to have seen Tremblay kicked to the curb instead, as he eventually was. If you think about it, the move would have made sense: what's easier to find, a head coach and a general manager or a Hall of Fame goalie?

In any case, the trade didn't just hobble the Canadiens, it absolutely cemented the prospects of the Colorado Avalanche. Already loaded with talent thanks to stockpiling years worth of low draft picks while playing in Quebec as the Nordiques, and then parlaying #1 pick Eric Lindros into a motherlode of talent that included Peter Forsberg, all the Avalanche needed to catapult themselves into elite status was an elite goalie. It was then that St. Patrick fell into their ever-loving lucky laps. The result: two Stanley Cup Championships, including one in that very same season they acquired Roy.

But imagine for a second that Roy kept his cool.

I know, that's very well impossible, but stick with me here. Say he kept his head, and he, Tremblay and Corey all managed to sit down, hold hands and come to an agreement to live with one another. Say there's no trade and Roy instead spends the rest of his career donning the bleu, blanc et rouge in Montreal?

It's safe to say that the Canadiens, who have won only a handful of playoff series since his departure, would have had a legitimate shot at a championship at least one more time with Roy manning the crease for eight more Springs.

But when we shift the focus to Colorado, it's clear that the entire trajectory of the franchise would have been altered. Now, I'm not saying that Colorado couldn't have found an elite goalie to get them to Lord Stanley's promised land. Lord knows that in those days, the Avalanche had an abundance of prospects to trade an import the missing pieces they needed to win a championship.

But if they don't acquire Roy, well, it's pretty clear they probably would not have won the Cup in 1996 -- a championship that cinched the franchise's reputation in Denver, and won the heart's of a generation's worth of fans forever. Without Roy, the rivalry with the Detroit Red Wings wouldn't have been nearly as compelling, and for a stretch in the 1990s and early into this century, the rivalry between those two teams was the best thing the NHL had going.

Safe to say, without Roy, the roaring success of the move from Quebec City to Denver might not have been anywhere near as roaring. And without the roaring success of the Avalanche, you would have to conclude that the plan to expand the league relocate franchises to the American South and West would now be seen as even more wrong-headed that it is today.

So when Roy steps to the Bell Centre ice on Saturday night, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman should offer up a prayer of thanks to St. Patrick. After all, if it hadn't been for one unprofessional and utterly self-centered tirade, we al would have missed out on some incredibly compelling hockey history.

Why the NHL Should Be Grateful for the Patrick Roy Tirade originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Washington, Give Gartner His Due

Eric McErlain — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, NHL Fans, NHL Hall of Fame

This morning over at Puck Daddy, my friend Greg Wyshynski wondered out loud whether or not Hall of Fame winger Mike Gartner deserved to have his number retired by the Washington Capitals, the team he broke into the NHL with in 1979. In Greg's book, the sixth-leading goal scorer in NHL history -- sandwiched between Mark Messier and Phil Esposito -- doesn't even belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame, though he's happy to cede the decision as to whether or not to send his jersey to the rafters at Verizon Center to the locals:

Look, every fan base has its own personal connection to its own players. There are no doubt fans from other NHL cities that don't believe Ken Daneyko deserves immortality in the rafters of Newark; ask a Devils fan, and they'll tell you he meant as much to the franchise as Martin Brodeur, and perhaps even more.
So as a non-Capitals fan, I'm in no position to say this is the wrong decision. I can say, in my 13 years in the D.C. area, the topic of Mike Gartner's number retirement has never come up in conversation; outside of, perhaps, some brief discussion when he entered the stat-happy (unless you're Dino Ciccarelli) Hall of Fame. The undeniable fact is that he doesn't stir emotions like the names Peter Bondra or Olaf Kolzig or even Jeff Halpern, the guy who more modern Caps fans likely associate with No. 11 to begin with.

On a certain level, I can understand Greg's hesitation. After all, it's been 19 years since Gartner was traded to the Minnesota North Stars, and the greatest moments of his career came in an arena that's no longer standing during an era pockmarked with playoff disappointment. With that in mind, it's probably a good idea to review the record.

If you get a moment, stop by Gartner's career numbers and do some counting. Over 19 seasons in the NHL, Gartner scored 30 or more goals 17 times, including the first 15 straight seasons of his career. Of the latter number, even Wayne Gretzky can only boast 13 straight seasons with 30 goals or more. The two times he did miss were thanks to the strike-shortened 1995 season and one other time due to injury. Live puck era or not, that's the sort of consistency the Hockey Hall of Fame ought to be honoring. If Gartner were a player who gutted out a few extra seasons to pass the magic 500 goal number, I could understand wanting to exclude him. But Gartner passed 500 goals without looking back and added another 208 before hanging up his skates.

When it comes to the locals, it's impossible to disconnect Gartner from the group of players that gave Caps fans a real reason to come out to the arena after years of horrible hockey, and eventually got the team to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in the Spring of 1982. And considering that Washington has taken more than a few raps from folks around the league for not being a hockey town, it only seems right and proper for the team to acknowledge that a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame -- the first Cap ever inducted -- once patrolled the right wing for the franchise.

There's one legitimate knock against Gartner's case for the Hall, and it's the lack of even a single Stanley Cup on his resume -- something which has to be mentioned in the same breath as less than stellar performances come playoff time. Looking back, one has to wonder out loud if that record was one of the reasons he was traded from New York to Toronto in the Spring of 1994, only a few months before the Rangers won that historic Cup.

So for me, yes, Gartner gets raised to the rafters. Then again, his elevation does raise another question: If Gartner gets to join Rod Langway, Yvon Labre and Dale Hunter in the Verizon Center rafters, don't fellow Hall of Famers like Scott Stevens and Larry Murphy deserve consideration too?

My response would be yes and no, but those are arguments for another time.

In Washington, Give Gartner His Due originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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