Hall of Fame players in the current NHL

[Goalie Guru*]

The fact that his backup led the league in save percentage in his off season does not bode well for Thomas.

Wow! It's nice to see someone who understands that. I would add a 'rookie' backup to that comment.

 

[Goalie Guru*]

The locks, the fringes and the debatables (Not necessarily first-ballot guys, but they'll get in. Listed according to current team):

*Teemu Selanne - LOCK: A dynamic offensive force from the moment he entered the league, who's still putting up points. Mr. Fab. 40.
*Mark Recchi - LOCK: 1,500 points. Look at who's in the 1,500 club. Recchi's not as good as the other guys at that level, but it's ever bit as impressive as 700 goals, which is viewed as an HHOF ticket puncher.
*Zdeno Chara - LOCK: One of the defining defencemen of his generation. A perennial all-star who leaves scouts scurrying for the "next Zdeno Chara."
*Jarome Iginla - LOCK: A big-time power forward who will top 500 goals and 1,000 points in the next year or two. Everything you want in an HHOFer, except a ring.
*Pavel Datsyuk, DEBATABLE: You could already make a case for him as a lock. I think he needs a couple more seasons at the level of 2008-09. (He might be in the middle of one right now). Hockey's finest combination of speed, skill, smarts and commitment for nearly half a decade. Some in the game will tell you he's hockey's best player.
*Nicklas Lidstrom, LOCK: Outside of Marty Brodeur, there isn't a bigger active lock for the HHOF.
*Mike Modano, LOCK: He deserves a better end than last week's freak accident. 1,300 point, a Cup as a franchise player and strong two-way play.
*Martin Brodeur, LOCK: This is the biggest gimmie of them all. He might not be the best goalie ever, but for my money, he's the most consistent and the most reliable of all-time.
*Paul Kariya, DEBATABLE: It's been the tale of two careers. Five all-star team nods and world-class offensive ability are hard to ignore. But an underwhelming second half of his career will hold him back. Our last memories aren't good.
*Chris Pronger, LOCK: He might be the most polarizing player out there among fans, but ask those in the game, and they'll rave about size, skill, intimidation and presence. For my money, he was the best player for Edmonton, Anaheim and Philly when they reached the Cup final.
*Sidney Crosby, LOCK: I might get lynched for including him among the locks, but for my money, he'd be in the HHOF if something happened today. Look at all that he's accomplished. He's done more in five years than some HHOFers did in their career. The kicker: he's as competitive as anybody in today's game.
*Joe Thornton, LOCK: The playoff record is underwhelming, especially for such a big player with big-time talent. But he's topped some lists for the best playmaker in the game for nearly a decade. He might finish with 1,000 assists before his career is finished.
*Martin St. Louis, DEBATABLE: He's closer than people think. Subtract a disappointing 2005-06 season, and you're looking at a guy who's consistently been the best, or among the best, playmaking wingers in the game. He'll probably lead wingers in assists this year. He had a late start to his NHL career, he's had just one serious injury, and he's had just the one extended playoff run, so don't be surprised if he has several more years of elite play.
*Alex Ovechkin, LOCK: Again, I might be lynched for this. But he's been near the top of best player lists since he entered the league. He's done it all in terms of individual accomplishments. Awards, five straight five-team all-star nods. A terrifying combination of elite skill, size and toughness. I don't think he has Crosby's competitiveness or loathsome attitude towards losing, which is why I would take Crosby over Ovechkin. As odd as it sounds for a 25-year-old, I think Ovechkin's best way to elevate his place among the game's true all-time greats is to win a Cup, or multiple Cups. There's enough awards and accomplishments there already.

The not-there-yets:
*Mikka Kiprusoff: Year-in, year-out, he's been consistently among the top goalies in the league. He needs a few more years at his 2003-04 to 2007-08 level. Shouldn't be inducted before Rogie Vachon, though.
*Marian Hossa: He's probably going to need career numbers to get in. But if he were to hit, say, 1,200 points, with the game he plays, and the fact that he's been on four Cup contenders, it'll make for an intriguing argument.
*Henrik Zetterberg: He's not as flashy as Datsyuk, but in the playoffs, he's been the better player. Solid, reliable, one of the most consistent efforts in the league. Needs a few more years at an elite level.
*Evgeni Malkin: Some will say that if I have Sid the Kid as a lock, I should have Malkin as a lock. Malkin hasn't played consistently at a high level as much as Crosby. His peak from January 2008 to June 2009 is as good as Crosby's peak, but Malkin's had lulls that Crosby hasn't experienced.
*Dany Heatley: He's been one of the most feared goal-scorers in the league since he entered in the league. My gut feeling is that the numbers, the accomplishments, the presence and his game will be good enough to justify strong debate, but there are some pretty strikes that are facing him.
*Daniel and Henrik Sedin: You can't mention one without mentioning the other. They've developed into elite players. Both have started to piece together eye-catching accomplishments. They play an efficient style, they haven't had a lengthy playoff run (yet, and I think they need a couple of them), and they weren't really leaned on until they were well into their 20s, so they might have several elite years ahead of them. Ask me about their credentials when their current contract expires in several years.
*Roberto Luongo: You could make a case that he's a debatable candidate right now. A couple top three finishes for the Lindsay Award. There is a lot to like from an HHOF perspective. But my recurring question about Luongo is whether he's a bad team goalie. Is he the next Curtis Joseph? Luongo doesn't need a Vezina, or several seasons among the league's elite. He needs a ring, or multiple extended playoff runs, to seal his HHOF portfolio.

The won't happen guys:
*Adam Foote: I really like Foote. He's been a rock-solid defenceman for 15 years. He'll get into an HOF, but it'll be the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame for his performances with Team Canada.
*Patrik Elias: For about a five-year span, he was as good of a two-way winger as there was in hockey. And he was a big part of two championships. But there isn't enough there to justify the HHOF.
*Ilya Kovalchuk: If the next 14 years are anything like the first year in Jersey, he'll gain a reputation as one of hockey's all-time bad team players, no matter how many goals he scores.
*Doug Weight: Deserves much applause for reaching 1,000 point plateau. But his career numbers aren't enough to punch his ticket, and he doesn't have enough supporting material to justify inducting a 1,000 point player.
*Daniel Alfredsson: Is Alfie slowing down? I think this is his worst point-per-game pace since 1998-99, when he suffered through several injury-prone years. I think he's a guy who could get in with 1,200 points, but he's PFF (Pushing Forty Fast) and I wouldn't be surprised if he retires in the next couple years.
*Alex Kovalev: Far too many negatives associated with Kovalev. 1,000 points? Congratulations. But that's far from enough for the tin man.
*Vincent Lecavalier: There's a natural instinct to compare him to Thornton: big, offensively gifted centres who were No. 1 draft picks. The problem with Lecavalier is that with the exception of 2007-08 and 2008-09, he hasn't pieced together elite seasons. He's too up-and-down for a lot of people's liking.

*NOTE: While they aren't active in the NHL, Jaromir Jagr and Peter Forsberg are both absolute locks for the HHOF.

Luongo? If Luongo could be a candidate right now then so is a guy like Vokoun.

Luongo is far from being a Hall of Fame goalie.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

The only way I see Thomas getting into the Hall is if he wins a cup. I know it is a team achievement, but he will have to add something extra to compensate for his lack of career value. Because of his late start, I see it being very easy to not vote Thomas in regardless of his awards or voting record, but a cup could change that perception.
.

3 Vezinas? I mean, it's way looking ahead of ourselves, but there is no way Thomas gets kept out if he was voted the best player at his position 3 times.

 

[jkrx]

I don't see how you can say that Iginla, Crosby, Ovechkin and Modano as locks yet have Alfredsson as a won't happen guy.

Not a knock at Ovechkin and Crosby but its far too early to even mention HHoF for them. If Crosby gets his knee blown out tomorrow is he a lock? No.

 

[Derick*]

I don't see how you can say that Iginla, Crosby, Ovechkin and Modano as locks yet have Alfredsson as a won't happen guy.

Not a knock at Ovechkin and Crosby but its far too early to even mention HHoF for them. If Crosby gets his knee blown out tomorrow is he a lock? No.

Yes he is, and so is Ovechkin. The Hall of Fame is about players who are worth remembering. A short explosive peak is worth a lot more than a career of accumulation.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

*Martin Brodeur, LOCK: This is the biggest gimmie of them all. He might not be the best goalie ever, but for my money, he's the most consistent and the most reliable of all-time.

*Mikka Kiprusoff: Year-in, year-out, he's been consistently among the top goalies in the league. He needs a few more years at his 2003-04 to 2007-08 level. Shouldn't be inducted before Rogie Vachon, though.

*Roberto Luongo: You could make a case that he's a debatable candidate right now. A couple top three finishes for the Lindsay Award. There is a lot to like from an HHOF perspective. But my recurring question about Luongo is whether he's a bad team goalie. Is he the next Curtis Joseph? Luongo doesn't need a Vezina, or several seasons among the league's elite. He needs a ring, or multiple extended playoff runs, to seal his HHOF portfolio.

after brodeur and kipper (and maybe osgood), the only current goalie you can even begin to talk about as a potential hall of famer is giguere.

for luongo, like anyone else currently in the league, it is certainly possible, but the things they would have to accomplish between now and the end of their careers could almost amount to a hall of fame career by themselves.

 

[jkrx]

Yes he is, and so is Ovechkin. The Hall of Fame is about players who are worth remembering. A short explosive peak is worth a lot more than a career of accumulation.

No its not. So you mean that if Crosby slumps from tomorrow on and never gets back in top 20 he should still be in the hall?

 

[seventieslord]

I don't say this often, but GBC's post is pretty well on the money. There is very little that I disagree with there.

As for Crosby and Ovechkin - they are already no-brainer candidates. Just imagine they fall back to earth and become post-2002 Paul Kariyas - never on the AST, never challenging for the league lead, often injured, scoring at a 60-80-point pace until age 35, then they retire. Yeah, the part of their career you remember the most is pretty mediocre. But the starts of their careers were so dazzling.

If you don't think they'd get in the hall with those credentials, then imagine they had the same number of great/mediocre seasons, but put their incredible peaks in the middle of their careers (age 25-30) instead of 18-24 so their career paths look more "normal". They easily outshine a guy like Dickie Moore, or, more recently, less controversial candidates such as Savard, Hawerchuk, Hull, Lafontaine, and Shanahan & Modano (who will be in soon), and everyone worse than them.

Definitely HHOF players already.

 

[Derick*]

No its not. So you mean that if Crosby slumps from tomorrow on and never gets back in top 20 he should still be in the hall?

Yes it is. What's more important to you, your alltime favorite movie/book/videogame/cd (whatever you preferred format is) or five you think are kind of okay? There's nothing worth remembering about being pedestrian for a long time. What's worth remembering is what's distinctive, what's essential. Watching and knowing the story of a truly great player cannot be replaced with a substitute. Someone who was mediocre for 20 years is no more interesting than two players who were mediocre for 10 years.

The Hall is not a magazine ranking of career value. It's a means of remembering exceptional players who are worth looking back on after their career is over. Players with exceptional peaks are the unique ones we can experience something distinctive by looking back on, no the consistently mediocre.

Yes I do mean that, Ovechkin too. At least by the standards the Hall currently has, they've accomplished more than someone like Cicarelli or Lafontaine.

 

[SidGenoMario]

No its not. So you mean that if Crosby slumps from tomorrow on and never gets back in top 20 he should still be in the hall?

Would you deny someone who has 3 (Soon to be 4) finishes in the top-3 in scoring? Especially with people like Ciccarelli in? How would you rationalize that?

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Would you deny someone who has 3 (Soon to be 4) finishes in the top-3 in scoring? Especially with people like Ciccarelli in? How would you rationalize that?

not to mention a hart trophy, captaining a cup winner, two trips to the finals, olympic gold medal with an admittedly quiet tournament but OT winner. crosby's done enough.

 

[Big Phil]

If and it's a huge if Tim Thomas get two more Vezina and a cup. Do he has a chance?

Well he only has one right now. No one gets a Vezina in the month of December. If that's the case, Khabibulin would have won in December 2001, not Theodore by the end of that year.

If Thomas wins two more Vezinas he will get in for sure. Three Vezinas is impossible to ignore. But it won't happen. He probably won't even get two in his career. But if he does, by my count there isn't a goalie out there with two first team all-stars and not in the HHOF. Here are the goalies with at least 2 of either a 1st or 2nd all-star selection and not in though:

Dave Kerr
Tom Barrasso
Rogie Vachon
John Vanbiesbrouck
Mike Liut

Lorne Chabot probably would have two had they been doing it prior to 1931 which was the middle of his career

If Luongo retired today he would have two 2nd team all-stars. He'd be a big debate now

 

[Hardyvan123]

3 Vezinas? I mean, it's way looking ahead of ourselves, but there is no way Thomas gets kept out if he was voted the best player at his position 3 times.

At the end of the day Thomas has to do more than Lou just due to his late start which is a bit unfair IMO but it is what it is.

Mind you if he keeps up his pace for this year it will be for one the best of all time.

 

[jkrx]

Since when have I've been a Ciccarelli in HoF supporter? Irrelevant argument. My point were that you should have a full career and not just start exceptionally and then gradually fade.

To Cognition I ask, who said anything about being a pedestrian? You are actually saying that if they (Sid and Ovie) starts being pedestrians now they should still be locks. I say no. Consistensy at an elite level is more important not just peak.

PS. I was also against Neelys induction.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

At the end of the day Thomas has to do more than Lou just due to his late start which is a bit unfair IMO but it is what it is.

Mind you if he keeps up his pace for this year it will be for one the best of all time.

If Thomas wins 3 Vezinas, he will have done more than Luongo already has (2nd Team All Star twice and no playoff success).

I agree with vadim above that Luongo is currently behind Kiprusoff and Giguere in terms of HHOF consideration.

 

[SidGenoMario]

You are actually saying that if they (Sid and Ovie) starts being pedestrians now they should still be locks. I say no. Consistensy at an elite level is more important not just peak.

5 or 6 years of being one of the very best (If not the best) in the league. You wouldn't call that being consistently elite? You must have ridiculously high standards.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

The locks, the fringes and the debatables (Not necessarily first-ballot guys, but they'll get in. Listed according to current team):

*Teemu Selanne - LOCK: A dynamic offensive force from the moment he entered the league, who's still putting up points. Mr. Fab. 40.
*Mark Recchi - LOCK: 1,500 points. Look at who's in the 1,500 club. Recchi's not as good as the other guys at that level, but it's ever bit as impressive as 700 goals, which is viewed as an HHOF ticket puncher.
*Zdeno Chara - LOCK: One of the defining defencemen of his generation. A perennial all-star who leaves scouts scurrying for the "next Zdeno Chara."
*Jarome Iginla - LOCK: A big-time power forward who will top 500 goals and 1,000 points in the next year or two. Everything you want in an HHOFer, except a ring.
*Pavel Datsyuk, DEBATABLE: You could already make a case for him as a lock. I think he needs a couple more seasons at the level of 2008-09. (He might be in the middle of one right now). Hockey's finest combination of speed, skill, smarts and commitment for nearly half a decade. Some in the game will tell you he's hockey's best player.
*Nicklas Lidstrom, LOCK: Outside of Marty Brodeur, there isn't a bigger active lock for the HHOF.
*Mike Modano, LOCK: He deserves a better end than last week's freak accident. 1,300 point, a Cup as a franchise player and strong two-way play.
*Martin Brodeur, LOCK: This is the biggest gimmie of them all. He might not be the best goalie ever, but for my money, he's the most consistent and the most reliable of all-time.
*Paul Kariya, DEBATABLE: It's been the tale of two careers. Five all-star team nods and world-class offensive ability are hard to ignore. But an underwhelming second half of his career will hold him back. Our last memories aren't good.
*Chris Pronger, LOCK: He might be the most polarizing player out there among fans, but ask those in the game, and they'll rave about size, skill, intimidation and presence. For my money, he was the best player for Edmonton, Anaheim and Philly when they reached the Cup final.
*Sidney Crosby, LOCK: I might get lynched for including him among the locks, but for my money, he'd be in the HHOF if something happened today. Look at all that he's accomplished. He's done more in five years than some HHOFers did in their career. The kicker: he's as competitive as anybody in today's game.
*Joe Thornton, LOCK: The playoff record is underwhelming, especially for such a big player with big-time talent. But he's topped some lists for the best playmaker in the game for nearly a decade. He might finish with 1,000 assists before his career is finished.
*Martin St. Louis, DEBATABLE: He's closer than people think. Subtract a disappointing 2005-06 season, and you're looking at a guy who's consistently been the best, or among the best, playmaking wingers in the game. He'll probably lead wingers in assists this year. He had a late start to his NHL career, he's had just one serious injury, and he's had just the one extended playoff run, so don't be surprised if he has several more years of elite play.
*Alex Ovechkin, LOCK: Again, I might be lynched for this. But he's been near the top of best player lists since he entered the league. He's done it all in terms of individual accomplishments. Awards, five straight five-team all-star nods. A terrifying combination of elite skill, size and toughness. I don't think he has Crosby's competitiveness or loathsome attitude towards losing, which is why I would take Crosby over Ovechkin. As odd as it sounds for a 25-year-old, I think Ovechkin's best way to elevate his place among the game's true all-time greats is to win a Cup, or multiple Cups. There's enough awards and accomplishments there already.

The not-there-yets:
*Mikka Kiprusoff: Year-in, year-out, he's been consistently among the top goalies in the league. He needs a few more years at his 2003-04 to 2007-08 level. Shouldn't be inducted before Rogie Vachon, though.
*Marian Hossa: He's probably going to need career numbers to get in. But if he were to hit, say, 1,200 points, with the game he plays, and the fact that he's been on four Cup contenders, it'll make for an intriguing argument.
*Henrik Zetterberg: He's not as flashy as Datsyuk, but in the playoffs, he's been the better player. Solid, reliable, one of the most consistent efforts in the league. Needs a few more years at an elite level.
*Evgeni Malkin: Some will say that if I have Sid the Kid as a lock, I should have Malkin as a lock. Malkin hasn't played consistently at a high level as much as Crosby. His peak from January 2008 to June 2009 is as good as Crosby's peak, but Malkin's had lulls that Crosby hasn't experienced.
*Dany Heatley: He's been one of the most feared goal-scorers in the league since he entered in the league. My gut feeling is that the numbers, the accomplishments, the presence and his game will be good enough to justify strong debate, but there are some pretty strikes that are facing him.
*Daniel and Henrik Sedin: You can't mention one without mentioning the other. They've developed into elite players. Both have started to piece together eye-catching accomplishments. They play an efficient style, they haven't had a lengthy playoff run (yet, and I think they need a couple of them), and they weren't really leaned on until they were well into their 20s, so they might have several elite years ahead of them. Ask me about their credentials when their current contract expires in several years.
*Roberto Luongo: You could make a case that he's a debatable candidate right now. A couple top three finishes for the Lindsay Award. There is a lot to like from an HHOF perspective. But my recurring question about Luongo is whether he's a bad team goalie. Is he the next Curtis Joseph? Luongo doesn't need a Vezina, or several seasons among the league's elite. He needs a ring, or multiple extended playoff runs, to seal his HHOF portfolio.

The won't happen guys:
*Adam Foote: I really like Foote. He's been a rock-solid defenceman for 15 years. He'll get into an HOF, but it'll be the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame for his performances with Team Canada.
*Patrik Elias: For about a five-year span, he was as good of a two-way winger as there was in hockey. And he was a big part of two championships. But there isn't enough there to justify the HHOF.
*Ilya Kovalchuk: If the next 14 years are anything like the first year in Jersey, he'll gain a reputation as one of hockey's all-time bad team players, no matter how many goals he scores.
*Doug Weight: Deserves much applause for reaching 1,000 point plateau. But his career numbers aren't enough to punch his ticket, and he doesn't have enough supporting material to justify inducting a 1,000 point player.
*Daniel Alfredsson: Is Alfie slowing down? I think this is his worst point-per-game pace since 1998-99, when he suffered through several injury-prone years. I think he's a guy who could get in with 1,200 points, but he's PFF (Pushing Forty Fast) and I wouldn't be surprised if he retires in the next couple years.
*Alex Kovalev: Far too many negatives associated with Kovalev. 1,000 points? Congratulations. But that's far from enough for the tin man.
*Vincent Lecavalier: There's a natural instinct to compare him to Thornton: big, offensively gifted centres who were No. 1 draft picks. The problem with Lecavalier is that with the exception of 2007-08 and 2008-09, he hasn't pieced together elite seasons. He's too up-and-down for a lot of people's liking.

*NOTE: While they aren't active in the NHL, Jaromir Jagr and Peter Forsberg are both absolute locks for the HHOF.

I agree with just about all of this, except Alfredsson. The guy has 1000 points, while playing a strong two-way game, with the majority of his career in the dead puck era. Face of a franchise. I think if he hits 1200 points, he'd be pretty close to a lock. If he retired at the end of this season, I'd go so far as to call him debatable.

 

[Ishdul]

Since when have I've been a Ciccarelli in HoF supporter? Irrelevant argument. My point were that you should have a full career and not just start exceptionally and then gradually fade.

To Cognition I ask, who said anything about being a pedestrian? You are actually saying that if they (Sid and Ovie) starts being pedestrians now they should still be locks. I say no. Consistensy at an elite level is more important not just peak.

PS. I was also against Neelys induction.

1. Most of us are going by how the HHOF has done in the past, and that includes the likes of Neely even if we believe that he shouldn't be there.
2. If a guy like Ovechkin fit in his peak in a normal career (that is, if he hit these 6 year totals into where he would usually have his peak instead of having it right at the start of his career), would you be against his induction? And wouldn't 6 years of elite play be consistent enough?

 

[PaganKnight]

If Thomas wins 3 Vezinas, he will have done more than Luongo already has (2nd Team All Star twice and no playoff success).

I agree with vadim above that Luongo is currently behind Kiprusoff and Giguere in terms of HHOF consideration.

Since it's not the nhl hall of fame do his Best player of the league in Finland can help him too?

 

[Hardyvan123]

I don't see how you can say that Iginla, Crosby, Ovechkin and Modano as locks yet have Alfredsson as a won't happen guy.

Not a knock at Ovechkin and Crosby but its far too early to even mention HHoF for them. If Crosby gets his knee blown out tomorrow is he a lock? No.

Yes Crosby is for sure and AO probably

Yes he is, and so is Ovechkin. The Hall of Fame is about players who are worth remembering. A short explosive peak is worth a lot more than a career of accumulation.

well said

I don't say this often, but GBC's post is pretty well on the money. There is very little that I disagree with there.

As for Crosby and Ovechkin - they are already no-brainer candidates. Just imagine they fall back to earth and become post-2002 Paul Kariyas - never on the AST, never challenging for the league lead, often injured, scoring at a 60-80-point pace until age 35, then they retire. Yeah, the part of their career you remember the most is pretty mediocre. But the starts of their careers were so dazzling.

If you don't think they'd get in the hall with those credentials, then imagine they had the same number of great/mediocre seasons, but put their incredible peaks in the middle of their careers (age 25-30) instead of 18-24 so their career paths look more "normal". They easily outshine a guy like Dickie Moore, or, more recently, less controversial candidates such as Savard, Hawerchuk, Hull, Lafontaine, and Shanahan & Modano (who will be in soon), and everyone worse than them.

Definitely HHOF players already.

Fully agree here, now it's only watching to see how high both players peak and fall into the top 100 when their careers are over. My bet is that AO will be top 10-15, Crosby top 5 maybe higher.

 

[Hardyvan123]

Since it's not the nhl hall of fame do his Best player of the league in Finland can help him too?

It helps him in my mind but doubt that the HHOF committee will give him that much credit for it.

 

[jkrx]

Since it's not the nhl hall of fame do his Best player of the league in Finland can help him too?

It is the NHL hall of fame. You have to have done something extremely significant outside of NHL to even be debateable.

 

[Big Phil]

Since when have I've been a Ciccarelli in HoF supporter? Irrelevant argument. My point were that you should have a full career and not just start exceptionally and then gradually fade.

To Cognition I ask, who said anything about being a pedestrian? You are actually saying that if they (Sid and Ovie) starts being pedestrians now they should still be locks. I say no. Consistensy at an elite level is more important not just peak.

PS. I was also against Neelys induction.

I can see what you are saying, but let's just examine a couple things here first. For starters I am not a huge fan of Neely getting in there either. He was marginal at best. I can live with it, because he did make an impact on his position. But as of now Sid and Ovie have 5 and a half years of elite hockey under their belt. At the end of this year they will have 6.

No doubt about it in my mind that both players have now entered the category of "Hall of Famer if they retired today". For starters, Crosby is on a tear this year and if he keeps it up he's going to lap the rest of the NHL in a way we haven't seen since perhaps Jagr, maybe even Mario. Right now both players are near the career points of Cam Neely. A controversial selection of course but he never in a million years hit the level of these two guys.

Right now Crosby has:
4 100 point seasons
2 trips to the final (1 Cup)
two fantastic Conn Smythe caliber seasons
Art Ross
Hart
Pearson
Richard Trophy
1 First team all-star, 1 second team
Has as many playoff points comparable to HHOFers like Sittler, Goulet, Sundin (who will get in)
Olympic Gold Medal (scored the overtime winner in Henderson-like fashion)

Ovechkin has:
4 100 point seasons
Hart (x2)
Art Ross
Pearson (x2)
Richard (x2)
Good but not great playoff stats, but generally did his part
5 First team all-stars, count on 6 at the end of this year

I'll give them the grace period of finishing this season, so that'll be 6 for each of them. If they walk away from the game it would be a disapointment but it would also be extremely difficult to justify keeping them out. Here's why:

Bill Durnan - HHOF goalie, some (I don't) have him on their top 10 goalies. Played 7 seasons

Ken Dryden - HHOF goalie. Top 10 for sure. Played 7 and a half seasons.

Charlie Gardiner - HHOF goalie. Played 7 seasons.

I've yet to meet someone who thinks either one of these guys doesn't belong in the HHOF.

As for forwards the best comparison in duration is Bobby Bauer. 7 seasons. He gets a little fuss around here for being in the HHOF but he was still a great player and still not in the category of Sid or Ovie.

I see no problem with Alfredsson in when all is said and done either, but Sid and Ovie have made an impact on the fans, the NHL and the game in general like few