Big Phil
Registered User
- Nov 2, 2003
- 31,703
- 4,146
These guys are some of the most borderline HOFers that I can think of in the minds of some. Should be a healthy debate.
Joe Nieuwendyk - First off who wouldnt want Joe Nieuwendyk on their team? I would that's for sure. I was disapointed when the Leafs let him go. Here's the knock on Nieuwy. His frist four seasons were his best. In fact you could argue that his rookie season was the best he ever had. He won the Calder in '88 after getting 51 goals and 92 points. The year after that he had 51, 45, and then 45. Those were his best seasons. His career high in points is 95. He has over 1000 points and over 500 goals. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in '99. And he has won three Cups with three teams. He scores goals when it counts, even though he's well under a point per game in the playoffs. But I have to wonder if despite his lack of elite regular seasons if he makes up for it in the playoffs with clutch play.
Mats Sundin - I rack my brain out on this one all the time. Priot to this season I'd have to say no. But he came back and led the Leafs almost to a playoff spot with one heck of a drive. It seemed as if he was the only one who was trying on that enitre team. Sure he has no Cups, but his playoff record is far from rotten. He's been a second team all-star twice ('02, '04) and has a career high of 114 points. He's already over 1100 points. Now the thing is with a guy who has never been part of a Cup win you often look at him and ask if he was ever a top 10 player in the game. I can think of one season '96-97 that he was and a bunch of others that he was right there. Throw in his remarkable play for Sweden and his recent Gold Medal and I would put Mats in there.
Mike Modano - No one has been so frustratingly consistent as Mike Modano. And when I say that consider this. In almost every full season he's had he's been in between 75-85 points. His career high is 93 (twice) and he once socred 50 goals. He's been at a point per game throughout his career. Playoffs are pretty much the same. He won a Cup in '99, played in two other finals. He was a Second team all-star in '00. Nothing else though. With Modano he frustrates you. You almost feel as if he could have gotten 100 points every year. Sure he turned into a more two way player but he still didnt even have a Selke to show for it. Is he an all-time great? No. But does he get in to the Hall. Yes I think so, and I dont think it lowers the standards just because he's there.
Doug Gilmour - The more I think about this one the more I put Gilmour in there. Yes played in Toronto so he got a lot of exposure. But here's the knocks on him. He played for 20 years, he got 1414 points in 1474 games. That's good. It bothers me that he never had any post season all-star selections. But aside from that his points seasons are impressive, 127, 111, 105, 91, 87, 86, 85. Throw in a Cup in '89 over a point a game in playoffs and the fact that in his prime he was a top ten player then I put him in there based on that.
Joe Nieuwendyk - First off who wouldnt want Joe Nieuwendyk on their team? I would that's for sure. I was disapointed when the Leafs let him go. Here's the knock on Nieuwy. His frist four seasons were his best. In fact you could argue that his rookie season was the best he ever had. He won the Calder in '88 after getting 51 goals and 92 points. The year after that he had 51, 45, and then 45. Those were his best seasons. His career high in points is 95. He has over 1000 points and over 500 goals. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in '99. And he has won three Cups with three teams. He scores goals when it counts, even though he's well under a point per game in the playoffs. But I have to wonder if despite his lack of elite regular seasons if he makes up for it in the playoffs with clutch play.
Mats Sundin - I rack my brain out on this one all the time. Priot to this season I'd have to say no. But he came back and led the Leafs almost to a playoff spot with one heck of a drive. It seemed as if he was the only one who was trying on that enitre team. Sure he has no Cups, but his playoff record is far from rotten. He's been a second team all-star twice ('02, '04) and has a career high of 114 points. He's already over 1100 points. Now the thing is with a guy who has never been part of a Cup win you often look at him and ask if he was ever a top 10 player in the game. I can think of one season '96-97 that he was and a bunch of others that he was right there. Throw in his remarkable play for Sweden and his recent Gold Medal and I would put Mats in there.
Mike Modano - No one has been so frustratingly consistent as Mike Modano. And when I say that consider this. In almost every full season he's had he's been in between 75-85 points. His career high is 93 (twice) and he once socred 50 goals. He's been at a point per game throughout his career. Playoffs are pretty much the same. He won a Cup in '99, played in two other finals. He was a Second team all-star in '00. Nothing else though. With Modano he frustrates you. You almost feel as if he could have gotten 100 points every year. Sure he turned into a more two way player but he still didnt even have a Selke to show for it. Is he an all-time great? No. But does he get in to the Hall. Yes I think so, and I dont think it lowers the standards just because he's there.
Doug Gilmour - The more I think about this one the more I put Gilmour in there. Yes played in Toronto so he got a lot of exposure. But here's the knocks on him. He played for 20 years, he got 1414 points in 1474 games. That's good. It bothers me that he never had any post season all-star selections. But aside from that his points seasons are impressive, 127, 111, 105, 91, 87, 86, 85. Throw in a Cup in '89 over a point a game in playoffs and the fact that in his prime he was a top ten player then I put him in there based on that.