Hockey
Established in 1943, and currently based in Toronto, the Hockey Hall of Fame is a quite simply a tribute to those who achieved excellence in hockey. Criticized by some for their failure to recognize international stars, the WHA, women and the high amount of players inducted from the Original Six era, the Hockey Hall of Fame is still one of the most impressive facilities despite its lack of size. The rich history of hockey is certainly well represented there. For our list, we have focused on players as opposed to the builders and journalists categories; although we have included some people whom we felt could not be ignored. Current enshrinement for players is based on receiving fourteen votes out of an eighteen member committee. In terms of NHL players, it is based on being out of the league for three years. We have selected one hundred figures of hockey (though honestly only a handful really has a reasonable shot) and again we encourage debate as to who you feel deserves enshrinement in Toronto.
Until Then, keep your stick on the ice.
Sincerely,
The Not in Hall of Committee.
As one of the toughest members of the 1970s Boston Bruins (which really says something), Terry O’Reilly was a rough enforcer who was able to score. The emotional leader of Boston was a rugged protector of skilled players, but he himself enjoyed a pair of 70-point-plus seasons and was an underrated…
Although Brian Rafalski did not enter the National Hockey League until he was 26, he still managed to achieve a 500-point career, which is a very respectable total for a defenseman. He spent most of his career with the New Jersey Devils, where his powerful shot and defensive skills were…
A very good goalie that lost out on the Hart trophy to Wayne Gretzky in 1981, Mike Liut seemed destined for a stellar career after his impressive 1980-81 season. That year, he won the Lester B. Pearson award (MVP as selected by their peers) and would be the starting goalie…
It did not take long for the number two choice of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft to establish himself as a force on the Vancouver Canucks. Trevor Linden would be named the Canucks captain at the age of 21, and his nickname of “Captain Canuck” could be one of the…
A star for the Chicago Blackhawks and the United States National Team, Tony Amonte enjoyed a solid career. His career zenith was as a Blackhawk, where the consistent American Right Winger enjoyed a five-year stretch without missing a game and was among the best players in the Windy City. A…
It is always impressive when a man plays 964 games in the National Hockey League. What made Doug Jarvis’ 964 games so special is that he played them in a row, setting the “iron man” mark for consecutive games played. Jarvis didn’t just play in those games: he was a…
Called the “second goalie” for his penchant for throwing himself in front of the puck to stop any offensive burst, Bob Goldham was one of the premier defenders of his era. Goldham's career started a little late because he was a member of the Canadian Navy during World War II.…
While Gordon “Red” Berenson would win a Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1965, he really did not have much to do with that title. Unable to find a permanent spot on their roster, he would be traded to the New York Rangers. Still, it was when he was…
When you have a nickname of “Old Hardrock,” you get an idea of just what type of Defenseman Gus Mortson was. From Northern Ontario, he was paired with another youngster, Jim Thomson, and they would become the ”Gold Dust Twins”.
Milan Hejduk played 1,020 Games in the National Hockey League, all with the Colorado Avalanche, which is a franchise record. A solid scorer who accumulated 805 Points, the Czech-born star would assist the Avs in winning the Stanley Cup in 2001. Two years later, Hejduk would have his best individual…
A very potent offensive defenseman, Steve Duchesne went from undrafted to playing sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League. That in itself was an impressive feat, but Duchesne would be an NHL All-Star three times and would finish fifth in Norris Trophy voting twice.
One of the better two-way defensemen in Hockey, Ed Jovanovski was not the player who would put up monster point totals, but he would contribute and consistently shut down attackers. He is also one of those great teammates who did all the little things well, automatically making your team better. In…
Although Ken Hodge got off to a slow start in the NHL, a trade to the Boston Bruins saw him reach new heights on a line with the legendary Phil Esposito. Hodge was able to show off his offensive abilities, and he was a great compliment to the other Bruins,…
From the Original Six, Sid Smith was a consistent star for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 50’s. Smith was a solid 20-goal scorer (a big deal for that era), but it always seemed that whenever Smith would put the puck in the net, it would be in pivotal situations.…
Physical stay-at-home defenseman don’t get a lot of love outside of their home, but home fans know the value they bring. This is why there was never any issue regarding the limited offense that Terry Harper brought to the table.
Born in South Africa but raised in Canada, Olaf Kolzig had a pretty good career in the National Hockey League where he played all but his final season with the Washington Capitals. “Olie the Goalie” would get into a grove in his seventh season where he finished fifth in Vezina…
John Ogrodnick was at his best when he played for the Detroit Red Wings in the first half of the 1980s, which was where he went to five All-Star Games. Unfortunately for Ogrodnick, Detroit was not particularly good when he played there, but while he was in Motown, he was…
While the term of having a lot of heart is applied to athletes a lot, almost to the point of being a cliché, you can’t say that about Saku Koivu.
The talented Slovakian player was a very good scorer in the National Hockey League and in International play, but Pavol Demitra is probably best known these days for his tragic end. Demitra was killed in the tragic plane crash that killed the entire Lokomotiv squad from the Russian League. We…
One of two players that won the Hart Trophy without being elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Al Rollins would win the Hart in 1954, a season in which he actually led the NHL in Losses. Rollins then played for the Chicago Blackhawks, which were then the worst team…