Adam Kirshenblatt: Sakic, Sundin, Oates, and Bure are your 2012 Inductees

Why the Beauchemin picture?

EDIT: You changed it

Bure is finally in. Now we wait on Fleury.

And no Shero or Burns...

Little bit of credibility restored with Bure getting the call be still waiting on Burns.

No Shero, no Roenick, no (and he's far more borderline than the others) Lindros... I have no question that the four men who were inducted belong, but there are several candidates who absolutely belong in the Hall, and it's depressing that they'll have to wait at least another year.

Little bit of credibility restored with Bure getting the call be still waiting on Burns.
- oilersfanatic

I am afraid he won't get in. Otherwise, it would have been done by now. I don't get it.

I don't get how Shanahan is not picked either this year. Pretty much a joke.

BIG THUMBS UP for Adam Oates!!! he was snubbed so many times...Finally gets his calling!! congrats Oates!!!

No Shero, no Roenick, no (and he's far more borderline than the others) Lindros... I have no question that the four men who were inducted belong, but there are several candidates who absolutely belong in the Hall, and it's depressing that they'll have to wait at least another year.
- dilbert719

Only 4 people can get in per year. Nothing anyone can do about that. Shanahan is the one guy who can say he legitimately got snubbed. I would have put him in over Sundin or Oates. But other than that, the other guys can wait their turns.

Sundin..

Only 4 people can get in per year. Nothing anyone can do about that. Shanahan is the one guy who can say he legitimately got snubbed. I would have put him in over Sundin or Oates. But other than that, the other guys can wait their turns.
- isles10289

True, but Fred Shero has been waiting his turn since 1982, and you can induct two builders (Shero and Burns seem the most appropriate at a quick glance, but I know beyond doubt there are others I'm missing) apart from the four players.

The fact that both Fred Shero and Pat Burns were both ignored -- especially when there was no Builder inductee selected either last year or again this year -- is a truly a puzzlement to me.

And no Shero or Burns...
- airjan23

No kidding. That's a travesty.

Only 4 people can get in per year. Nothing anyone can do about that. Shanahan is the one guy who can say he legitimately got snubbed. I would have put him in over Sundin or Oates. But other than that, the other guys can wait their turns.
- isles10289[/quote

the only way i see sundin getting in and shanahan not is because shanahan had a way better supporting cast his career. Sundin got his points will playing with 3 line pluggers and the occasional talented player for a shift or two

Sundin deserved to get in.

the only way i see sundin getting in and shanahan not is because shanahan had a way better supporting cast his career. Sundin got his points will playing with 3 line pluggers and the occasional talented player for a shift or two
- mf1313

The other line of reasoning could be that while Shanahan was worthy of a first-time induction, he wasn't such an almighty slam dunk that him waiting a year would be a travesty. Basically, working under the theory that he'll get in soon enough without fast-tracking him, they decided to vote in some guys who could, potentially, get overlooked in a way Shanahan couldn't.

Sundin..


- Pairo11

Are you serious I know you're a barffalo fan but the guy deserves it

I am a little surprised that Shanahan didn't make the cut this year, but it's not hard to make an argument for the other guys getting the nod instead.

Sakic: No explanation necessary. If the Hall could only admit one player this year, it would have been him.

Oates: Only Wayne Gretzky scored more points in the 1990s than Adam Oates (1020 vs. 927). Only Lemieux, Gretzky, Lindros, Selanne, Jagr and Lafontaine scored more points per game than Adam Oates in the 1990s. Not Yzerman, not Sakic, not Hull and definitely not Shanahan. Oates has been a huge snub for several years now and I'm glad he's finally in.

Sundin: Sundin is the player most similar to Shanahan among this year's inductees in terms of statistical production and career curve. Both had relatively low but very long peaks. Still, you could easily argue that Sundin was better and more consistent for longer. Sundin had 10 point-per-game seasons and was above .90 ppg an eye-popping 16 straight seasons -- from age 20 to 36. Shanahan managed just 5 point-per-game seasons and 11 above the .90 threshold.

Bure: His career in the NHL was brief (12 seasons) and injury-plagued (he played just 74 percent of his scheduled contests), but when healthy he was arguably the best goal scorer in the NHL. He led the league in goals three times, including a two-year stretch from 1999-2001 where he, in the heart of the dead puck era, potted 117 in 156 games (next best: Jagr, 94). Whether or not you put Bure over Shanahan depends on how you value peak performance vs. longevity, but it isn't outrageous to claim that Bure was a greater, more dominant player than Shanny ever was.

Sundin over Shanny was pretty disgraceful.

Sundin over Shanny was pretty disgraceful.
- atc

Agreed.

Shanny was the epitome of a leader that did whatever necessary to make his team better. Sundin, while talented, was not the guy I would have wanted on the ice when it counted.

Hall of Pretty Good...

Sundin..


- Pairo11

Aaaahh shut up!!!!!

Agreed.

Shanny was the epitome of a leader that did whatever necessary to make his team better. Sundin, while talented, was not the guy I would have wanted on the ice when it counted.
- Pairo11

I disagree only because of how many times I saw Sundin score game-tying and game-winning goals. There's a good reason Leaf fans call him Captain Clutch. Shanny's teams were better because he played on better teams. Put Sundin on Shanny's Red Wing teams and he would have several Cups and his stats would be even more impressive than they already are.

People can split hairs between Sundin and Shanny, but it's not exactly disgraceful. They are very close.