Update: Here is the Class of 2019: Guy Carbonneau, Vaclav Nedomansky, Hayley Wickenheiser, Sergei Zubov, Jim Rutherford (builder) and Jerry York (builder).
Today is the day!
Some years there is no doubt who is going into the Hall of Fame, but this is not one of those years. Today, around 3 pm ET, the NHL will announce the next class to enter the Hall...and this year looks to be the year when some of the guys who maybe "should have gotten in " get consideration.
The only 100% lock this year is a woman...
This is the first year of eligibility for Hayley Wickenheiser, who is an absolute legend in the sport.
After that, there are two first-year eligible men who should be no-brainers:
Patrick Elias...
If Elias did HALF of what he did with the NJ Devils for almost ANY other team this would not even be in question. Elias goes into this selection process as he went into everything else in the NHL..Quiet, underrated, but ridiculously solid. How many players are in the Hall for bringing just one Stanley Cup to their city?
Vincent LeCavalier...
He won a Cup with Tampa, was dominant for the Lightning and a force for team Canada...but he didn't want to play in Montreal...and that surely and unfairly hurt him.
Other Possibilities.. Daniel Alfredsson...
He should be in the hall...no question. And he played in Canada...but was also a force for team Sweden....this isn't the NHL Hall...it is the Hockey Hall.
Jeremy Roenick
JR is a bubble player for sure, but it is hard to overstate how hugely important JR was to the game, especially as an American. Few players were better when the game was on the line. He would play hurt and he would never complain and has continued as a great ambassador.
Alex Mogilny...
Alex is a Hall of Famer skill wise...no doubt...and he played some of his best years in Russia...which shouldn't hurt him. All of that should matter, but in my opinion, the courage he showed alone, along with the incredible escape and risk he took to come to the NHL puts him into the Hall automatically. He paved the way for so many other great Russian players.
Theo Fleury...
Theo is a controversial figure at times and his personality some will say works against him, but his game on the ice is more than hall of fame worthy. He played in an era with some great players...but he was always at the top of his class.
Doug Wilson...
Doug was a hell of a D-man and has been outstanding GM for many years...does any of that equate to the Hall?
Who do you think should go into the Hall this year?
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