What Current NHL Players are Locks for the Hall of Fame?

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

As the subheading states, we're only talking about current status if everyone retired today. Hence, guys like Ovechkin or Crosby aren't mentioned. I know a guy like Thornton will easily make it if he plays another 5 years, but I wanted this topic to be fun and a little challenging, instead of making obvious calls. So here goes:

Guys who would get in now

Lidstrom

Brodeur

Pronger

Selanne

Modano

Recchi

Osgood?

Iginla?

Guys I don't think would get in now

Thornton

Kariya

Kovalev

Alfredsson

Tkachuk

Foote

Weight

These guys are near the 1,000 point mark, and Tkachuk is above it, but I don't see them as current Hall of Famers. I thought about putting Iginla on this list, but I think him carrying a team and being a great goal scorer for many years up until his recent struggles would get him in.

Ozzie we've had many debates about, but I think he'll eventually, somewhere down the line get voted in due to his record and several Stanley Cups. There aren't many multiple Cup winning goalies who aren't in the Hall of Fame. His lack of individual nominations for awards could hurt him, however, in the voters minds.

Edited August 7, 2010 by GMRwings1983

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

Was going to list Zubov and Jagr but forgot both are in the KHL

Edited August 7, 2010 by EZBAKETHAGANGSTA

[FunkedUp 29]

Brett Lebda

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

Was going to list Zubov and Jagr but forgot both are in the KHL

Yeah, I was only intending NHL players, or else there's a few other guys I'd mention.

[Shaman 713]

Guys who would get in now

Lidstrom

Brodeur

Pronger

Selanne

Modano

Recchi

Osgood?

Iginla? No way if Thornton wouldn't get in, than Iginla is a no go, Thornton is 2 years younger, played similar number of games, he has more points, and neither have done anything in the post season.

Guys I don't think would get in now

Thornton

Kariya

Kovalev

Alfredsson

Tkachuk

Foote

Weight

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

Guys who would get in now

Lidstrom

Brodeur

Pronger

Selanne

Modano

Recchi

Osgood?

Iginla? No way if Thornton wouldn't get in, than Iginla is a no go, Thornton is 2 years younger, played similar number of games, he has more points, and neither have done anything in the post season.

Guys I don't think would get in now

Thornton

Kariya

Kovalev

Alfredsson

Tkachuk

Foote

Weight

Yeah, I thought about that, which is why I gave Iginla the question mark. I just think a goal scorer will get more leniency and Iginla doesn't have any kind of choker label attached to him. His teams haven't won in the playoffs because they haven't been good, and not because they choked.

Iginla is a close one for me.

[Shaman 713]

Yeah, I thought about that, which is why I gave Iginla the question mark. I just think a goal scorer will get more leniency and Iginla doesn't have any kind of choker label attached to him. His teams haven't won in the playoffs because they haven't been good, and not because they choked.

Iginla is a close one for me.

Granted they never were stacked, and hes not as wildly known as a play off choker, but go to any Canadian hockey board during the run up to/early rounds if Calgary makes it and you'll see north of the border hes pretty stigmatized for his lack of bringing a cup to Calgary. Its actually pretty funny that last year the Flamer fans were about riot and strip him of his C by popular consent.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

IMHO Recchi is iffy.

Osgood is on the fence; he needs to take the starting role away from Howard, and pretty much lead the Red Wings to the Cup Finals in order to get serious considerations if this were his last year in the league...Go out with a bang so to speak.

3 Cups as starter would look better than 2, but I don't think that's a prerequisite to make it in.

Recchi has too many points not to eventually get in. Almost 1500 if I'm not mistaken.

Edited August 7, 2010 by GMRwings1983

[Shaman 713]

Oh, and my additions are:

Jason Arnott and Martin St Louis are on the fence.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

Oh, and my additions are:

Jason Arnott and Martin St Louis are on the fence.

Arnott?

He's had a good career, but I don't think he's even close to being on the fence. Why do you think he may be on the fence if he retired today?

St. Louis is a late bloomer, but he hasn't even hit 700 points yet, and I don't think he'd get the special "Cam Neely Exemption"

[55fan 5,133]

I think you've got them covered as far as retiring right now. Guerin maybe, but that will depend on his next few seasons- and you did specify that we are discussing the here-and-now. That's the only other one who popped into my head.

[Shaman 713]

Arnott?

He's had a good career, but I don't think he's even close to being on the fence. Why do you think he may be on the fence if he retired today?

St. Louis is a late bloomer, but he hasn't even hit 700 points yet, and I don't think he'd get the special "Cam Neely Exemption"

St Louis would get the nod for him helping lead Tampa to a cup

And I think people will throw Arnott some votes for his going to Nashville for all those years and helping them stay competitive (I hate to say this but im thinking like Bettman/NHLPA when it comes to expansion teams).

How about Milan Hejduk?

[thedisappearer 291]

How about Milan Hejduk?

1 PPG season, a 50 goal year and a 41 goal year? Nope.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

No way in hell Joe Thornton gets into the Hall of Game. Maybe Iginla if he can win a Cup before he's done, but that seems a stretch. Recchi is a no-brainer. This season he will become the 13th player in league history to score 1,500 points, and as mentioned he's got multiple Stanley Cup rings. Milan Hejduk won't make it. I don't think Tkachuk will make it. Martin St. Louis is interesting to me..could go either way. I think Ozzy eventually gets in. Arnott was a decent power forward on his best days, but never racked up insane amounts of points. Same can be said for Guerin. Alfredsson doesn't make it, in my opinion, due to the fact that he is lacking a Stanley Cup ring.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

No way in hell Joe Thornton gets into the Hall of Game. Maybe Iginla if he can win a Cup before he's done, but that seems a stretch. Recchi is a no-brainer. This season he will become the 13th player in league history to score 1,500 points, and as mentioned he's got multiple Stanley Cup rings. Milan Hejduk won't make it. I don't think Tkachuk will make it. Martin St. Louis is interesting to me..could go either way. I think Ozzy eventually gets in. Arnott was a decent power forward on his best days, but never racked up insane amounts of points. Same can be said for Guerin. Alfredsson doesn't make it, in my opinion, due to the fact that he is lacking a Stanley Cup ring.

What if Iginla signs here when his contact is up in Calgary and he still hasn't won a cup. That would be such an awesome pickup.

[pockets 9]

id say pretty good list GMR. Iggy no. Um Oz has the credentials but it will be the voters perception of him that will keep him out, that's why Oz needs to get another cup as a starter and add a bit to his career numbers. That would make it hard for even the most biased of voter to say no.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

1. Lidstrom

2. Brodeur

3. Recchi

4. Modano

5. Selanne

6. Pronger

Basically the same list as the OP. Not many more I can think of that are absolute locks without mentioning the obvious Crosby, Ovechkin, ect.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

id say pretty good list GMR. Iggy no. Um Oz has the credentials but it will be the voters perception of him that will keep him out, that's why Oz needs to get another cup as a starter and add a bit to his career numbers. That would make it hard for even the most biased of voter to say no.

Yeah, that game 7 loss to the Pens may end up costing Ozzie a spot in the Hall of Fame.

No way they could keep him out with 3 Cup wins as starter.

[Shady Ultima 40]

What about Khabibulin?

[Petrafire 8]

1. Lidstrom

2. Brodeur

3. Recchi

4. Modano

5. Selanne

6. Pronger

7. Weight

8. Kariya

9. Alfredsson

10. Kovalev

11. Joe Thornton

12. Jarome Iginla

13. Owen Nolan

[mjlegend 155]

Guys who would get in now

Lidstrom

Brodeur

Pronger

Selanne

Modano

Recchi

Osgood?

Iginla?

Guys I don't think would get in now

Thornton

Kariya

Kovalev

Alfredsson

Tkachuk

Foote

Weight

Osgood's playoff numbers and regular season numbers, combined with two Cup wins as a starter, make it awfully hard to keep him out. If Cujo gets in, and I surmise he will on the second or third ballot, Osgood has to be a lock.

Of the players who have actually stopped playing last year, Niedermayer is a lock and Blake is a probable. Tkachuk and Brind'Amour may eventually get in, but I'd take Brind'Amour first.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

Crosby and Ovechkin are not hall of famers at this point in their careers. Are they on the right track?yes. Would they be hall of famers if they both retired tomorrow?No. Calling them hall of famers at this point is a bit early, to me. Gotta put up at least 1,000 points and there are/will be guys who score 1,000 points and still not get in (Keith Tkachuk). What about Rafalski? He's on the fence for me. Won Stanley Cups with both New Jersey and us..

[thedisappearer 291]

What about Rafalski? He's on the fence for me.

[egroen 384]

If Ovechkin and Crosby both had career ending injuries tomorrow they would get in the Hall. Both of them have already done more than say, Lindros, who will probably make it in. 2 Harts is a lock for Ovechkin and while Crosby only has one, a Cup and Olympic gold gets him in no question.

Edited August 7, 2010 by egroen

[eva unit zero 271]

id say pretty good list GMR. Iggy no. Um Oz has the credentials but it will be the voters perception of him that will keep him out, that's why Oz needs to get another cup as a starter and add a bit to his career numbers. That would make it hard for even the most biased of voter to say no.

Chris Osgood is 10th in wins with 396, has 24th in shutouts with 50, and of goalies who have played 75 games he is 30th in GAA and 52nd in sv%.

He's 8th in playoff wins with 74, 4th in shutouts with 15, and of goaltenders who have won at least 8 postseason wins, he is 17th in GAA and 16th in sv%.