who gets the call today?

oasis

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Im speculating

Brodeur for sure
St Louis Absolutely
Alfreddson waivering
Zubov , Wilson or Mikhailov to round it out

Botterill for Women

O'Ree builder
 
It's a fun topic.....

I read a "top 10" (from The Hockey news) list. I'll just stick to the men for now, so it's a little short:

Brodeur
St Louis
Alfredsson
Roenick
Mogilny
Fleury
Cujo
Tkachuk

Others, on their list of "names to watch" were:
Sergei Zubov
Sergei Gonchar
Rod Brind’Amour
Boris Mikhailov
Steve Larmer
Doug Wilson
Pierre Turgeon
John LeClair
Tim Thomas
Chris Osgood
Dale Hunter



Of those: I think the only shoo-in is Brodeur. Alfredsson & St. Louis should get in, but Alfy didn't last year - so does he this year? Is St. Louis' career so much bigger than his that he goes in on the first try?

Other guys that have been waiting a while.... I'm kinda betting this is finally the year for Jeremy Roenick. Pierre Turgeon is the highest scoring player not in the HOF, one of these years I expect that to change too.

Women: I don't really have much of an opinion. I think I've watched 2 or 3 woman's games in my life. I know the bigger names, but that's really all I can go on.

The same article suggest Hayley Wickenheiser should go in this year - that the HOF should waive the waiting period (which was last done for Gretzky). My bet is they won't do that.

Manon Rheaume as a builder, I've seen that suggested too. Makes sense?

On the builder front, OP already mentioned it.... Willie O'Ree. Seems that is starting to gain momentum, and it would be a good move IMO.

So, actual predictions?

I'm only going to name men (players) as that's the only group I've got much to go on. I'm saying Brodeur, Roenick Mogilny.... and one of Alfreddson or Turgeon. Mikhailov would be a maybe from me too, but if he gets in.... I'd expect it to be only him & Brodeur. Mikhailov will go in during a year when the committee can't find more than 1 NHLer to put in.
 
I'm not going to pretend I know what the voters are thinking, but here's my hopes:

Brodeur (because duh)
CuJo (he's always been a Cup away)
Theo Fleury (In addition to hockey, his sex assault and mental health advocacy get talk)

Builders: Willie O'Ree, Manon Rheaume (acknowledging these pioneers is damn important right now)
 
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman?

Anyone see that coming? I am sure he has done something good for the league but I just hate that guy. lol
 
Martin Brodeur, Martin St. Louis, Alexander Yakushev and Jayna Hefford were voted for induction in the players category, while Willie O’Ree and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman were selected in the builders category.
 
Anyone see that coming? I am sure he has done something good for the league but I just hate that guy. lol

That depends on perspective.

If you're an owner, he brought you cost certainty, and allowed for much of the parity we have among teams in the league now. He helped with new TV contracts, even if it meant being relegated to something called "Outdoor Life Network" in the States until it ultimately became NBC Sports via Versus. He brought expansion to non-traditional markets to mixed results. He's raised the league's revenues exponentially and done much to ensure the ongoing viability of the NHL - especially in the US. And while he by no means pioneered it, the "You Can Play" message and its integration into "Hockey is for Everyone" is huge, and I'm not sure there's any other major sport with a similar initiative (I genuinely do not know).

He took a lot of risks that backfired. He's averaged a big lockout once a decade, including the one that wiped out all of 2004-05. The expansion to Atlanta, which was ultimately righted in a move to Winnipeg - the same city that saw its original Jets leave to become the chronically troubled Phoenix, later Arizona Coyotes.

Ultimately, I think the league and game have benefited with him in charge. The legacy is always going to be mixed because he did cost us so much hockey, and he's always been about the owners first. However, taking a look at Vegas - a non-traditional market with an obvious thirst for sports, he brought them their first major professional sports team among the big 4 leagues, ensured he had the right ownership group, and gouged then $500M for the privilege - up from $80M for the first team he brought in, the Nashville Predators. While no one could have anticipated the tragedy, healing, and success in their first season, Vegas was the perfect Bettman move. And I think he's being honored far too soon for it.
 
Love Bettman or hate him, every Commissioner goes into the Hall (except for Gil Stein - who rigged his election and ended up withdrawing LOL). But I agree the timing was odd. I would have waited until after he'd stepped down...but then I would never have picked Clark Gillies or Dick Duff, so what do I know.
 
I would have waited until after he'd stepped down...


The problem with that is, vampires live forever...


hDBAD052B


Cory
 

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