2007 Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees Thread

[God Bless Canada]

The Hockey Hall of Fame will announce their Class of 2007 today.

It's a deep field of candidates. Mark Messier, Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Scott Stevens, Igor Larionov and Adam Oates are all consensus HHOFers eligible for the first time. Oates and Larionov retired after the 2004 season; MacInnis, Messier, Francis and Stevens retired after the conclusion of the lockout.

Others eligible for the first time are Claude Lemieux, Vincent Damphousse, Shayne Corson, Calle Johansson, Cliff Ronning and Steve Thomas. Only Lemieux is expected to draw serious consideration in future years.

Past snubs are unlikely to be chosen for this year due to the strength of this year's class.

The inductees should be announced shortly before 4 p.m. EST.

Feel free to post your thoughts on this year's inductees.

Click to read more...

 

[MasqueOfTheRedDeath*]

I am crossing my fingers for Larionov!

 

[John Flyers Fan]

I'll be very surprised if it isn't Messier, Stevens, MacInnis and Francis.

All very deserving.

 

[LapierreSports]

Will the HOF strike again like some ''borderline'' selections of the past years ?

 

[LapierreSports]

I am crossing my fingers for Larionov!

He should get it in about 5-10 years.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Will the HOF strike again like some ''borderline'' selections of the past years ?

Highly doubtful, as they have 4 big time no-brainer 1st time eligible players.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Will the HOF strike again like some ''borderline'' selections of the past years ?

Not with the depth that exists this year. I don't think you'd see one of the recent snubs, or one of the international stars, get inducted, because there are so many strong candidates this year.

I think Messier, MacInnis and Stevens are all shoo-ins. The only real question in my mind is whether Francis gets in. You need 14 votes from the 18 member committee, and it wouldn't surprise me if there's a vote split between Francis, Oates and Larionov.

If Francis gets in this year, then Oates and Larionov get in next year, and the betting here is that Larionov and Makarov are inducted in the same year.

 

[pitseleh]

I'll be very surprised if it isn't Messier, Stevens, MacInnis and Francis.

All very deserving.

I agree. Those four are pretty much guaranteed to be the four.

Oates and Larionov will get in, probably next year.

 

[sk84fun_dc]

nice, xm204 is carrying the press conference announcing the selections

 

[sk84fun_dc]

5 inductees

4 players:
Francis
MacInnis
Messier
Stevens

and

1 builder:
Jim Gregory

 

[LapierreSports]

Who is eligible next year as a first timer ? I think guys like Larionov, Oates, Nieuwendyk, Gilmour and Bure will all get in the next 10 years after the locks get inducted.

 

[LapierreSports]

Is Brett Hull eligible for next year ? Robitaille ?

 

[sk84fun_dc]

Is Brett Hull eligible for next year ? Robitaille ?

IIRC, the guys that played in 05-06 are eligible in 2009: Andreychuk, Hull, Leetch, Robitaille, Yzerman (note: in alpha order)

Since he is mentioned in a post above, Nieuwendyk played at the start of last season so he will be eligible in 2010

 

[Hedberg]

Too bad there is a 4 player limit as Larionov should definately be in the Hall

 

[sk84fun_dc]

Too bad there is a 4 player limit as Larionov should definately be in the Hall

I assume Larionov will be in the HHOF Class of 2008. I assume the same for Oates, but I guess we will find out next year.

 

[LapierreSports]

If I recall correctly, the guys that played in 05-06 are eligible in 2009: Andreychuk, Hull, Leetch, Robitaille, Yzerman (note: in alpha order)

Since he is mentioned in a post above, Nieuwendyk played at the start of last season so he will be eligible in 2010

Ok...so there are no first timers as locks for 2008 like 2009 ??

 

[canucksfan]

Good choices that they picked. I can't see anyone really complaining about these selections. Larionov should and will get in next year. I don't see him a first ballot player.

 

[sk84fun_dc]

Ok...so there are no first timers as locks for 2008 like 2009 ??

Maybe someone else can answer, but I would assume there are few, if any, high profile first timer eligibles in 2008 because of the lockout season in 2004-05. Is there a player that played in Europe during the lockout that retired at the end of that season and did not play in 05-06?

player: "Must have concluded his career as an active player for a minimum of three playing seasons."

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/html/indelection.htm

 

[God Bless Canada]

Good choices that they picked. I can't see anyone really complaining about these selections. Larionov should and will get in next year. I don't see him a first ballot player.

Igor is definitely good enough to go in first ballot, just not with that competition.

Larionov's hockey sense rates among the best ever. One of the smartest players in the history of the game. Dominated internationally, was past-his-prime when he came to North America, yet still had some great seasons. I think San Jose won one game in 1993-94 when Larionov was out of the line-up; they were 15-20 games over .500 with him in the line-up. He was great for Detroit in their three Cup runs, and was very good well into his 40s.

But what sets him apart is his character. In terms of class, he's the Russian Beliveau. You'd have to search long and hard to find a better human being in the game, or in any game, than Igor Larionov.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Maybe someone else can answer, but I would assume there are few, if any, high profile first timer eligibles in 2008 because of the lockout season in 2004-05. Is there a player that played in Europe during the lockout that retired at the end of that season and did not play in 05-06?

player: "Must have concluded his career as an active player for a minimum of three playing seasons."

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/html/indelection.htm

Essentially, there aren't any first-ballot guys for 2008, because the guys who finished their careers in 2004 were eligible this year, and the guys who retired after the 2005-06 season started wait until 2009. So it's a good chance to play catch-up with guys like Larionov and Oates, in addition to snubs like Makarov, Anderson and Gilmour.

 

[pappyline]

No problem with the players selected but did they slip Jim Gregory as a builder. He just happens to be the guy that decides the members of the selection committee. I am sure he was a unanimous pick.Probably nobody really cares about the builders category anyway as it is pretty much a insider group that gets picked.

 

[sk84fun_dc]

Essentially, there aren't any first-ballot guys for 2008, because the guys who finished their careers in 2004 were eligible this year, and the guys who retired after the 2005-06 season started wait until 2009. So it's a good chance to play catch-up with guys like Larionov and Oates, in addition to snubs like Makarov, Anderson and Gilmour.

Yes, I understood that about the players that did not play after the 03-04 season even if they retired before the 05-06 season. I was asking about any players that played overseas during the lockout and then retired and did not play in 05-06, but as I stated earlier, I didn't think there was anyone high profile that did that.

Anyway, I agree, it will be a year for players not elected the first time on the ballot.

 

[Ofuzz]

A great field this year will mean another year passes without Rogie getting his Hall call. As per usual, maybe next year........

 

[God Bless Canada]

No problem with the players selected but did they slip Jim Gregory as a builder. He just happens to be the guy that decides the members of the selection committee. I am sure he was a unanimous pick.Probably nobody really cares about the builders category anyway as it is pretty much a insider group that gets picked.

Actually, I do care about the Builders. Of course, a lot of people will be upset that Fred Shero was passed over, again, but I don't think Shero's going to make it in for a long time. He pissed off too many people, and when you think of the word builder, you think of someone who made considerable contributions to the game, and did more than just win, and I think that also hurts Fred Shero's case.

The guy I want to see inducted in the builders wing is a gentleman named Dwight McMillian. He's the long-time coach of the Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan Junior league. He's No. 2 all-time in Canadian junior wins, behind only Brian Kilrea. He has two national titles to his credit, and eight league titles. And he'll probably win his 1,000th game in the next couple of years. He is the Kilrea of Canadian Junior A, and if Kilrea is in the HHOF, then Dwight McMillian should be there one day, too.

 

[discostu]

Maybe someone else can answer, but I would assume there are few, if any, high profile first timer eligibles in 2008 because of the lockout season in 2004-05. Is there a player that played in Europe during the lockout that retired at the end of that season and did not play in 05-06?

player: "Must have concluded his career as an active player for a minimum of three playing seasons."

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/html/indelection.htm

That'll leave next year as a good opportunity for some guys to get in who are deserving. After that though, you're back to having some locks again. Yzerman and Leetch are eligible in 2009. The former is a lock, and the latter would need some stiff competition to not get in. Hard to argue with the two Norris trophies, and a dominating playoffs resulting in a Conn Smythe and ending the cup drought in New York.

I'm not sure where Brett Hull falls though. He retired some time early in the 2005-06 season. Does that make him 2008 eligible, or 2009 eligible. He's another likely first ballot guy.