youngest HHOF inductees

[seventieslord]

I don't think this is something that has ever been brought up... who are the youngest people ever inducted into the HHOF? It's interesting because typically a player gets in after retiring in their late 30s, and also not everyone gets in right away. So the answer might be a player who retired younger, but then retiring younger greatly lessens your chances of getting in.

I'm sure the answer has to be Mario, but I bet there are a few who are close.

Click to read more...

 

[Plural]

The obvious Bobby Orr. I think he was 31 when inducted. One year younger than Mario.

Here's a quick list on guys I think were all relatively young at time of induction.

Orr: Born March 20 1948. Inducted 1979
Lemieux: Born October 5 1965 . Inducted 1997
Bossy: Born January 22 1957. Inducted 1991
Lafleur: Born September 20 1951. Inducted 1988
P. Bure: Born March 31 1971. Inducted 2012
S. Niedermayer: Born August 31 1973. Inducted 2013
Neely: Born June 6 1965. Inducted 2005
Lafontaine: Born February 22 1965. Inducted 2003
Gretzky: Born January 26 1961. Inducted 1999
M. Richard: Born August 4 1921. Inducted 1961

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

The obvious Bobby Orr. I think he was 31 when inducted. One year younger than Mario.

Here's a quick list on guys I think were all relatively young at time of induction.

Orr: Born March 20 1948. Inducted 1979
Lemieux: Born October 5 1965 . Inducted 1997
Bossy: Born January 22 1957. Inducted 1991
Lafleur: Born September 20 1951. Inducted 1988
Forsberg: Born July 20 1973. Inducted 2014
S. Niedermayer: Born August 31 1972. Inducted 2013
P. Bure: Born March 31 1971. Inducted 2012
Neely: Born June 6 1965. Inducted 2005
Lafontaine: Born February 22 1965. Inducted 2003
Gretzky: Born January 26 1961. Inducted 1999

Niedermayer was born in 1973.

Also, does anyone know why Bossy was inducted four years after retirement instead of three? You'd think Bossy would get in on his first shot...

 

[Plural]

Niedermayer was born in 1973.

Also, does anyone know why Bossy was inducted four years after retirement instead of three? You'd think Bossy would get in on his first shot...

Thanks.

I can only guess that Bossy announced his retirement later on. He probably wanted to continue to play.

 

[Blargh]

Thanks.

I can only guess that Bossy announced his retirement later on. He probably wanted to continue to play.

Exactly. He rehabbed during the 1987-88 season. He was still under contract by the Islanders during that season. He officially retired in October 1988 after deciding he could not play up to his own standards.

 

[seventieslord]

The obvious Bobby Orr. I think he was 31 when inducted. One year younger than Mario.

Here's a quick list on guys I think were all relatively young at time of induction.

Orr: Born March 20 1948. Inducted 1979
Lemieux: Born October 5 1965 . Inducted 1997
Bossy: Born January 22 1957. Inducted 1991
Lafleur: Born September 20 1951. Inducted 1988
P. Bure: Born March 31 1971. Inducted 2012
S. Niedermayer: Born August 31 1973. Inducted 2013
Neely: Born June 6 1965. Inducted 2005
Lafontaine: Born February 22 1965. Inducted 2003
Gretzky: Born January 26 1961. Inducted 1999
M. Richard: Born August 4 1921. Inducted 1961

thanks!

so it looks like there are six players inducted by age 40. the kinds of players I suspected, as well.

In order of youngest to oldest, looks like it's Orr, Lemieux, Bossy, Lafleur, Lafontaine, Gretzky.

 

[Appleyard]

Additional 40 or unders:

Ken Dryden: Born August 8th 1947. Inducted 1983.
Denis Potvin: Born October 29th 1953. Inducted 1991.
Bobby Clarke: Born August 13th 1949. Inducted 1987.
Bill Barber: Born July 11th 1952. Inducted 1990.
Michel Goulet: Born April 24th 1960. Inducted 1998.
Dale Hawerchuk: Born April 4th 1963. Inducted 2001.
Bob Gainey: Born December 13th 1953. Inducted 1992.
Yvan Cornoyer: Born November 22nd 1943. Inducted 1982.
Darryl Sittler: Born September 18th 1950. Inducted 1989.
Jaques Lemaire: Born September 7th 1945. Inducted 1984.
Bernie Parent: Born April 3rd 1945. Inducted 1984.
Lanny McDonald: Born February 16th 1953. Inducted 1992.
Gilbert Perreault: Born November 13th 1950. Inducted 1990.
Brad Park: Born July 6th 1948. Inducted 1988.
Denis Savard: Born February 4th 1961. Inducted 2001.
Dit Clapper: Born February 9th 1907. Inducted 1947.
Serge Savard: Born January 22nd 1946. Inducted 1986.

I think combined with the ones we already have that could be a close to complete list.

An absolute hoard of players were inducted at age 41.

 

[Appleyard]

So a full list of 40 or unders so far in age order starting with the youngest:

Bobby Orr: Born March 20th 1948. Inducted 1979.
Mario Lemieux: Born October 5th 1965 . Inducted 1997.
Mike Bossy: Born January 22nd 1957. Inducted 1991.
Ken Dryden: Born August 8th 1947. Inducted 1983.
Guy Lafleur: Born September 20th 1951. Inducted 1988.
Denis Potvin: Born October 29th 1953. Inducted 1991.
Bobby Clarke: Born August 13th 1949. Inducted 1987.
Bill Barber: Born July 11th 1952. Inducted 1990.
Michel Goulet: Born April 24th 1960. Inducted 1998.
Dale Hawerchuk: Born April 4th 1963. Inducted 2001.
Pat Lafontaine: Born February 22nd 1965. Inducted 2003.
Wayne Gretzky: Born January 26th 1961. Inducted 1999.
Bob Gainey: Born December 13th 1953. Inducted 1992.
Yvan Cornoyer: Born November 22nd 1943. Inducted 1982.
Darryl Sittler: Born September 18th 1950. Inducted 1989.
Jaques Lemaire: Born September 7th 1945. Inducted 1984.
Bernie Parent: Born April 3rd 1945. Inducted 1984.
Lanny McDonald: Born February 16th 1953. Inducted 1992.
Gilbert Perreault: Born November 13th 1950. Inducted 1990.
Scott Niedermayer: Born August 31st 1973. Inducted 2013.
Maurice Richard: Born August 4th 1921. Inducted 1961.
Brad Park: Born July 6th 1948. Inducted 1988.
Cam Neely: Born June 6th 1965. Inducted 2005.
Dit Clapper: Born February 9th 1907. Inducted 1947.
Denis Savard: Born February 4th 1961. Inducted 2001.
Serge Savard: Born January 22nd 1946. Inducted 1986.

 

[Blargh]

So that makes Bossy the youngest who didn't get the 3 year wait period waived.
Granted if they had made Orr wait 3 years, he would have still been younger than Bossy upon Hall entry. So any way you slice it, Orr was the youngest.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

Exactly. He rehabbed during the 1987-88 season. He was still under contract by the Islanders during that season. He officially retired in October 1988 after deciding he could not play up to his own standards.

So I guess the rule is you are eligible three years after your contract runs out? I always thought it was three years after you play your last game.

 

[seventieslord]

Jeez, there was actually a ton younger than 40. Thanks!

 

[Blargh]

So I guess the rule is you are eligible three years after your contract runs out? I always thought it was three years after you play your last game.

According to the HHOF its three years after concluding their career as an active player. So I guess if a player is still actively rehabbing then they are considered still in their playing career.
I wonder about Martin Brodeur. He is not yet officially retired and he is still seeking a contract. Say he is still looking for a deal next preseason. Would that delay his HHOF eligibility?

 

[Jumptheshark]

According to the HHOF its three years after concluding their career as an active player. So I guess if a player is still actively rehabbing then they are considered still in their playing career.
I wonder about Martin Brodeur. He is not yet officially retired and he is still seeking a contract. Say he is still looking for a deal next preseason. Would that delay his HHOF eligibility?

Blues may sign him anyday

Big question will be about Chris Pronger--he is all but officially retired--will he have to wait three years after his contract expires to get into the hall?

 

[Terry Yake]

Blues may sign him anyday

Big question will be about Chris Pronger--he is all but officially retired--will he have to wait three years after his contract expires to get into the hall?

if i'm not mistaken, the league just recently changed the rule so that a player does not have to be officially retired for 3 years but simply "inactive"

so pronger would get in next year

 

[Pominville Knows]

if i'm not mistaken, the league just recently changed the rule so that a player does not have to be officially retired for 3 years but simply "inactive"

so pronger would get in next year

Might be a misprint, but the League does not control the HHOF.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

According to the HHOF its three years after concluding their career as an active player. So I guess if a player is still actively rehabbing then they are considered still in their playing career.
I wonder about Martin Brodeur. He is not yet officially retired and he is still seeking a contract. Say he is still looking for a deal next preseason. Would that delay his HHOF eligibility?

OK... still think that's weird because I believe some of the guys inducted in 2007 didn't announce their retirement until 2005 (after the lockout ended).

 

[Barnum]

if i'm not mistaken, the league just recently changed the rule so that a player does not have to be officially retired for 3 years but simply "inactive"

so pronger would get in next year

You need to file your retirement papers with the NHLPA not just stop playing. Bossy didn't file or state he was done until 1988.