The Hockey Hall of Fame announced its class of 2017 yesterday. Five players and two builders. I don’t know a lot about University of Alberta legend Clare Drake, but someone who dedicated his life to teaching and coaching seems to me to be the type of person the category of builder was created for. Jeremy Jacobs has certainly done his share for the game, but rich guys who own teams are a little bit harder for me to get behind.
As for the players, it’s a pretty media-friendly group this year. And you can’t really argue with the numbers for guys like Dave Andreychuk, Mark Recchi, and Teemu Selanne – although of those three, only Selanne ever achieved real superstar status. Danielle Goyette is definitely a worthy recipient from women’s hockey. Paul Kariya? Well, who doesn’t like Paul Kariya? His totals of 402 goals and 587 assists for 989 points in 989 games are pretty impressive, and at his best, he was also a superstar. Still, he’s a lot like Eric Lindros, Pavel Bure and Peter Forsberg in that he’s yet another inductee of whom it could be argued that he’s being honoured for the potential of what might have been if not for the injuries …. But I’m not really going to complain.
The Hockey Hall of Fame doesn’t release voting results the way the Baseball Hall of Fame does. (Hockey has a fairly small selection committee of industry insiders, while Baseball relies on a large pool of veteran sportswriters.) The NHL does reveal the details of the voting for its awards, but since I’m not aware of a lot of media outlets that ever bother to release them, I thought people might find it interesting to see the results. So, here they are…
Selected from 167 votes cast by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Selected from 167 votes cast by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Selected from 167 votes cast by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Selected from 30 votes cast by NHL general managers.
Selected from 167 votes cast by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Selected from 167 votes cast by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Selected from 105 votes cast by the NHL Broadcasters Association.
Voting conducted among NHL general managers and a panel of NHL executives, print and broadcast media at the conclusion of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Through all my wonderful years associated with The Hockey Hall of Fame and all that they have done for me (For which I am forever thankful!) I am reminded of the hundreds of times that I have walked around ‘The Wall’ and was forced to bite my lip in sheer exasperation.
Over the years I’ve scratched down my own ‘lists’ after ‘lists’ as I strolled around perusing all the ‘Legends’ only to be flabbergasted, again and again as I passed certain plaques.
The worst cases are the so-called ‘Builders’ and in that vein, specifically, as you so correctly mentioned, the deep-pocketed ‘owners’…i.e. every guy named Norris and Wirtz…et al…who ‘HAPPENED’ to own a team (Often ‘handed down’….no doubt ‘Rocky’ Wirtz will eventually automatically join his father ‘Bill’ and grandfather Arthur on ‘The Wall’ but regardless of ‘the silver spoon’ factor HE may be the only one of the three who actually DESERVES induction strictly based on his pro-active, progressive and positive direction and leadership of the franchise having repaired much of the ‘damage’ attributed to his ‘Hall of Fame’ father.). The simple overblown ratio of so-called ‘Builders’ to players has downright shocked me. Just to own a team and literally ‘buy’ your way into The Hall is beyond my comprehension. One can count on one’s hand the number of ‘owners’ who deserve ‘Hall of Famer’/’Legend of the Game’ status and still have a finger or two to spare!
Then there’s the players. To be honest, from my perspective, the ONLY Hall of Fame that is true to its name is Major League Baseball’s. I recall my utter dismay and chagrin when they (Ye Olde Boys Club) voted in one of their own, one Dick Duff (NO offense to and without prejudice towards ‘the person’ and very decent guy ‘Dickie’!)….but a Hall of Famer? Give me a break! And he was by no means the first to not come close to anybody’s definition of a Hall of Fame player and/or ‘Legend’ to be elected!
This year, would that this be the Baseball Hall of Fame, there is no doubt in my mind that the only player to be inducted would be Teemu Selanne. A true ‘Legend’ and true-blue Hall of Famer.
Nothing against the others but Andreychuk…except for his lengthy career; Thus his compilation of ‘stats’…to me was never more than a steadfast, BIG lunch-bucket type of player with some good hands. In his 24 year career he was never a first or second team all-star and never won a single major, individual award. Recchi was of similar ilk with a shorter career.
I won’t comment on Danielle Goyette except to say that it seems to me that The Hall has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous, as in a long-overdue complete lack of recognition of the female game and its players, to some kind of obligatory nomination and election EVERY year!
CHEERS!
Hi Eric,
Great piece. Really liked Tosh’s articulate response to the builder’s view. Also, I didn’t realize that the Calder wasn’t even close.
Eric,
Interesting reading, as usual. Found Tosh’s comments to be both interesting and stimulating.
I believe Tim Thomas was up for HHOF this year. He has been retired for 3 years. Since the award was first presented in 1927, every net minder who has won the Vezina Trophy at least twice, is in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
They are:
George Hainsworth – 1927, 1928, 1929
Tiny Thompson – 1939, 1933, 1936, 1938
Charlie Gardner – 1932, 1934
Frank Brimsek – 1939, 1942
Turk Broda – 1941, 1948
Bill Durnan – 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950
Terry Sawchuck – 1951, 1953, 1955 & 1965 shared with Johnny Bower
Jacques Plante – 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962 & 1969 shared with Glenn Hall
Glenn Hall – 1963 & 1967 shared with Denis DeJordy, 1969 shared with Jacques Plante
Johnny Bower – 1961 & 1965 shared with Terry Sawchuck
Gump Worsley – 1966 shared with Charlie Hodge & 1968 shared with Rogatien Vachon
Tony Esposito – 1970 & 1972 shared with Gary Smith, 1974 shared with Bernie Parent
Bernie Parent – 1974 shared with Tony Esposito & 1975
Ken Dryden – 1973, 1976 & 1977, 1978, 1979 shared with Michel Laroque
Patrick Roy – 1989, 1990, 1992
Ed Belfour – 1991, 1993
Dominic Hasek – 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
Martin Brodeur – 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008
Not in Hall of Fame
Tim Thomas – 2009, 2011
Goaltenders who have won the Conn Smythe Trophy and are in the Hockey Hall of Fame:
Glenn Hall – 1969
Ken Dryden – 1971
Bernie Parent – 1974, 1975
Billy Smith – 1983
Patrick Roy – 1986, 1993, 2001
Goaltenders who have won the Conn Smythe Trophy and are NOT in the Hall of Fame:
Roger Crozier – 1966
Ron Hextall – 1987
Bill Ranford – 1990
Mike Vernon – 1997
Jean Sebastian Giguere – 2003
Tim Thomas – 2011
Did not count Cam Ward who is still active.
I believe Thomas is Hall of Fame worthy but would love to hear other opinions.
Kevin
Very interesting… My initial thoughts are that, at his best, Thomas was very, very good, but I’m not sure he was good enough for long enough. (And, yes, that’s not always a determining factor, but he’s not quite Ken Dryden or Bill Durnan!) But, hey, I’m prepared to have my mind changed.
Great looking Class of 2017 Eric…I only know 2 of the men named!! Boy I need to do my homework!
Good post; I always learn something!
Sherri-Ellen 🙂