HHOF inductions?

[TADontAsk]

Isn't it baseball who has a time limit of eligibility? I remember hearing about it when they were talking about McGuire and Bonds possibly not making it in (not sure if they are or not, I don't follow).

Baseball's rules have changed over the years, but currently you need to play parts of 10 seasons to be eligible, and you can be nominated to the ballot starting 5 years after you retire. You're on the ballot until you get 75% of the vote (that gets you in), you fall below 5% (kicked off the ballot) of the vote or you're on the ballot for 10 years (dropped from the ballot).

That said, there are also committees that meet every few years, consisting of former players, executives and media, representing certain eras and discuss a handful of players from that era to vote on. That's how Fred McGriff was selected for induction this year despite failing to come close to 75% on the main ballot for 10 years. The criticism of these committees is that they typically favor ex-teammates and you can almost have a good guess as to who will be selected by seeing how many connections they have on the committee. That's how Harold Baines was elected a couple of years ago.

Personally, I've always just looked at it as there are multiple ways to get into the Hall. You could have a dominating peak or you could compile nice steady numbers of a long career. The top tier guys are the ones that do both. I've stopped worrying about who gets in and just try and enjoy it.

 

[hduong]

I think it's the hall of very good based on some of the more recent selections. They don't need to elect 4 to 5 players each year. There should also be a time limit on how long you can be eligible for. I say 10 years is a good number.

 

[30ranfordfan]

Turegon, simply due to his overall totals, I always believed should be in the HOF. He's 34th in all time points (1327). Everyone ahead of him on that list is either in already, or a lock to get in (Jagr, Crosby, Ovechkin, Thornton).

Next up on the highest scorers not in are a couple of more future HOFers (Kane, Malkin). You've got to go to #47 (Roenick, 1216) to find someone who isn't in. I suspect that he & the other two 1200 point guys not in (Nicholls, Damphousse) will get in eventually.

Goalies are a weird one. The hall has always been tough on them, for some reason (not necessarily a bad thing). There was one voted in, in the 90s (Bill Smith, 1993). Two in the 00s (Fuhr 2003, Roy 2006), and three in the 2010s (Belfour 2011, Hasek 2014, Vachon 2016 - who seemed like an odd selection at that time).

Luongo got in a couple of years go... but this class adding 3 more basically ensures the 2020s will be the most goalies going in, in one decade, since 8 were elected in the 80s.

My take on why we're seeing Vernon and Barrasso now: Because when you stack their careers up against Lundqvist, Hank had a marginally better career (at best) - and I could make a decent argument as to why both Vernon and Barrasso had better careers.

Who the next goalie to go in will be interesting. I'm not sure how Lundqvist is a first ballot lock, and Curtis Joseph (with 5 less career wins) doesn't get there.

Ryan Miller's name gets floated around as a future HOFer. I don't know that he'll get in, but I can't see how anyone votes Ryan Miller in, while leaving Chris Osgood & Jonathan Quick out.

If any of those last three guys make it - doesn't that mean names like Vanbiesbrouck, Moog, and Rinne merit consideration?

Is Carey Price a HOFer? He was the undisputed best goalie in the world for a time, and won a Vezina. Sergei Bobrovsky is only 1 career win behind him (in 70 less games) - with near identical GAA & SV%, a Vezina of his own, and a career that's still going....

Lundqvist is the kind of goalie that the Hall used to keep out - I bet the flood gates open for netminders in the coming years.

 

[TanguayFan]

I thought Turgeon only won a Lady Byng, and that was it.

My problem isn't with him specifically - you're right, he's way better than a lot of guys in there already. I just wish the Hall wasn't so watered down, but it's pretty the same across all sports. Baseball used to be pretty good until the Veterans Committee came along, but even they have slipped. I just think the Hall of Fame should be for those guys you look at and think, wow, that's a truly great player. But again, just my opinion.

As for the goalies, that's an even bigger debate.

He won a couple trophies in Jr as well. I don't view the "HHOF" as the "NHLHOF", so I take a players entire hockey career into account when I look at it. Part of the reason why I firmly believe Mogilny should be in it....never mind his NHL accomplishments stats-wise, his defection paved the way for so many all time great Russian players. In that respect, he could almost be inducted in the 'builder" category.

 

[primetimepawich]

vernon has two Cups in spite of his goaltending.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Vernon win the Conn Smythe in the Detroit Cup victory? I'm right here with you in questioning his HOF credentials, but credit where it's due, I don't think you can exactly consider him a liability that Detroit had to overcome to get him that Cup.

Now the Flames' Cup, I couldn't tell you anything about his performance. As a young Habs fan at the time, I pretty much deleted that one from my memory bank