Canis Latrans
Registered User
Based on his play last year, I think he is done. But having said that, if he wants to play, he is kind of a sacred cow and likely deserves it. Maybe if he cuts weight, like 20 pounds, the way DMO did, he can gain some quickness and speed back, enough to be more effective this year than last. If he doesn't cut weight, and I'm not sayihg he is fat or over weight, father time has caught up with him. At his age, losing weight is the only way to get some jump back in his skating. He is still smart and can stand in front of the net on the PP and help the team but his even strength minutes could be rough.
Yeah, him cutting weight to increase his speed is the only way he bounces back. He's generally been one of the strongest players in the league, but without the skating ability to actually get to the battles there isn't any point to all that mass. Even if he's outmuscled in half the battles, as pathetic as that would be, that's better than never getting there and letting some one skate off with the puck undefended.
As for making the Hall of Fame, unlikely. Maybe if they weigh the intangibles for sportsmanship and character for him under the player category. At best I can see him transitioning into the front office later and maybe eventually, once the franchise is more stabilized, maybe he gets brought up for vote under the builder category. That's open to owners, management, commentators, and whatever else really so long as it's justifiable. You could say he really pushed the team through its darkest hours and never gave up on it, but it's still a long shot and the team would have to come out of all of this.