I think Kurri and Fetisov will finally get in the World Wide Hockey Hall of Fame this year. Bourque's a mortal lock, and Coffey might get in, too. Oh wait, we're talking about the Hockey Hall of Fame? I digress...
In all seriousness, though, I'm thinking you wanted the Hockey Hall of Fame. Patrick Roy is a mortal lock. A unanimous, first ballot selection. I don't think we need to debate his credentials or worthiness. So let's move on.
Doug Gilmour, IMO, will get in. He has 1,400 points, and while I don't think that point plateau makes you a lock (especially when you played for as long as Gilmour) the way he reached 1,400 will make him a lock. There are few members of the 1,400-point club who displayed Gilmour's ferocity, tenacity and relentlessness. He was also strong defensively, an excellent leader, and when he needed to be, a physical player who wasn't afraid to be dirty. Strong in the faceoff circle. To cap it off, he's top 10 all-time in playoff scoring. One of the best clutch players of the last quarter century. Fans in St. Louis, Calgary and Toronto can attest to his playoff brilliance. The first and truest hallmark of greatness is how you played when the games mattered most. Few were better than Gilmour.
I don't think Pavel Bure will get in this year, and if I had my druthers, he'd never get in. Those who use the Cam Neely argument forget that Neely got in on his seventh attempt. Neely was also a much better all-round player than Bure. Bure had five excellent regular seasons and two strong playoffs. But first ballot? No. Not with Roy and Gilmour on the ballot, and others who have been waiting a while. (To be looked at soon). What will kill Bure's chances is his lack of longevity, his one-dimensional play and his temperment. With the exception of a couple abbreviated stretches in his career, if the puck wasn't on his stick, he was a total liability to his team. He was not a good teammate. He was often a puckhog. And frankly, a lot of people have accused him of not being a very good human being. The most explosive goal scorer in the game since Hull's last 50/50 season? Yes. But there's a lot against his case.
Three other players are on the ballot for the first time this year:
*Tom Barasso is the one I think deserves it the most. A Vezina Trophy in his rookie year, several Vezina nominations, three-time all-star, two Stanley Cups, and Mario even said Barasso deserved the Conn Smythe in 1992. His downside? A moody temperment. He was rarely a pleasant person to be around.
*Mike Richter will be forever remembered as the goalie who led the Rangers to the Cup in 1994. Would have been a worthy Conn Smythe selection. The downside? No Vezinas, no all-star team selections, and a paltry third place in Vezina voting in 1992. Never put two excellent seasons together. The HHOF has become very NHL-centric in the last 30 years when judging North American-born players, so Richter's international portfolio likely won't enter the equation.
*Phil Housley should never get a sniff of the HHOF. Yes, he was a wonderfully skilled offensive machine. Yes he's the all-time leading scorer among American-born players. But he was an out-and-out liability defensively, which is inexcusible for a defenceman. (At least Coffey was average defensively). Never a Norris finalist. One second-team all-star selection in the playoffs. A pretty mediocre playoff record. He was so good for Washington in 1998 that they waived him after the season. (He did respond with a couple pretty good seasons in Calgary). If he gets in, it'll be the same way that Pierre Turgeon gets in: 30-40 years from now, voters will have forgotten how he played the game, and will only look at the stats.
The HHOF can elect up to four players. I think this is the year Glenn Anderson gets in. There was a considerable outcry when Anderson was snubbed last year. And why not? He may have fallen two goals short of 500, but he was a pretty good two-way player, not afraid to get involved physically, and a pest too. He's fourth all-time in playoff scoring, and he was money in the clutch. This is his year.
I don't think it's coincidental that the HHOF inducted Kharlamov last year shortly after opening an expanded international wing. (For those who think international play is a major factor to HHOF voters, it took more than 20 tries for Kharlamov to be inducted). Three eligible players who thrived on the international stage stand out as potential candidates: Sergei Makarov (IMO, the best eligible player not in the HHOF), Boris Mikhailov (likely the best player in World Championship history) and Vaclav Nedomansky (one of the best Czech players of all time).
Among the defencemen, expect to see Mark Howe and J.C. Tremblay - likely the two best blue-liners not in the HHOF - continue to be snubbed for their affiliation with the WHA. Among the forwards, Dino Ciccarrelli will be the best who continues to be snubbed. Rogie Vachon has company among the goalies not in the HHOF. Mike Vernon’s first chance was last year, and he likely won’t get another shot until 2008.
And, from the "It's about time" file, Herb Brooks will be inducted in the builder's wing. There's a big push for him to be inducted this year.