Is Kristopher Letang Hall of Fame Worthy?

[ESH]

Had he played for the 2017 run, had a better SCF in 2016 (would've been the logical Smythe winner) and not injured himself in 2013, thus losing the Norris he should've won, he would've been really, really hard to keep out.

He lead all Pittsburgh players in scoring in the finals that year. I think a lot of people (including myself) would argue that he was their best player in that series. He definitely made his best case for the Conn Smythe in that series, in my opinion.

 

[tony d]

Nope. He's a heck of a player but I doubt you see him get into the Hall of Fame.

 

[Captain Bowie]

4X ALL Star
3X Cup Champion
World Junior Gold
99 Career Goals & 344 Assists respectively
Was mentioned as a possible team Canada olympic candidate in 2014

Nope.

And btw he was only selected 2nd team all-star twice. If you are referring to all-star games, that has absolutely no bearing on HoF selection.

 

[Vanzig]

If the HOF put’s in Defenceman DOUG WILSON and possibly
JC TREMBLAY and SERGEI ZUBOV then I say “YES” but put in DOUG WILSON first as he has been waiting for quite a while and he has HOF Numbers/Stats for a Defenceman Including a High Points Per Game Average and a NORRIS TROPHY and a “GOLD” with Team CXanada in 1984 (Oh yeah 8 Times ALL STAR).

 

[Tuna Tatarrrrrr]

LOL no, overrated defenseman playing on a big offensive team with two generational forwards.

 

[MadLuke]

4X ALL Star
3X Cup Champion
World Junior Gold
99 Career Goals & 344 Assists respectively
Was mentioned as a possible team Canada olympic candidate in 2014

Being mentioned as a possible team Canada candidate appear to high in that list of accomplishment. World Junior gold for a Canadian player does not mean much.

Injured too much during is prime sadly too have a realistic chance, never making team Canada show that is probably not seen that high among the kind of people that will likely have a say into who get into the Hall or not one day also.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

if he ends up playing another twelve years at the same level as he already has, he’s basically larry murphy right?

 

[MadLuke]

if he ends up playing another twelve years at the same level as he already has, he’s basically larry murphy right?

Good comparable, outside Murphy 1860 games in the league is one of the highest total and Letang was injuried alot.

After the 30 year's old season:

Regular season
Murphy: 937 games, 182 goal, 568a, 759 points.
Letang: 682 games, 96 goal, 341 assist, 437 points

Norris:
Murphy: 3, 5, 7
Letang: 3, 4, 6, 8, 9

Playoff
Murphy: 83 points in 112 games
Letang: 79 points in 128 games (really impressive)

Murphy played in 2 Canada Cups, 2 stanley cups, Letang hurt in comparison a bit here with not much to show for team Canada, also a 2 cup winner.

 

[The Panther]

Murphy > Letang.

And no, Letang isn't a Hall of Famer. Good player, but...

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

well the question is, is murphy > two letangs?

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Good comparable, outside Murphy 1860 games in the league is one of the highest total and Letang was injuried alot.

true, murphy was one of the healthiest players of all time. he only missed 28 regular season games in his first twenty years.

to put that in perspective, he missed almost as many games in his last season (25) than in all the other years combined.

 

[BillNy]

He'll be inducted the same day he retires.

Nah, but I'd probably put him in the Gonchar/Zubov mould.

I actually have Zubov in. Letang's big problem is that the stroke and some other problems were in absolute peak years. Love him as a player, but we never really got to see a whole hell of a lot of him at his best.

 

[Thenameless]

No, just not good enough.

 

[Kant Think]

-4X ALL Star
-Cup Finals Participant in 2008
-Eastern Conference Finalist in 2013
-Scored OT goal in game 3 of 2009 playoff series with Caps
-3X Cup Champion
-World Junior Gold
-99 Career Goals & 344 Assists respectively
-Was mentioned as a possible team Canada olympic candidate in 2014

You're making him look worse than he actually is.

Either way, absolutely not.

 

[VanIslander]

Letang is just 31.

If he keeps playing 25-26 minutes a night, wins another cup or two and gets another two 2nd team all star selections, then he could be hall worthy.

Guys the same age as him who need to keep producing also to become worthy: Backstrom, Neal, Price, Rask, Vlasic.

 

[The Macho King]

Just want to say...

He is the dumbest good hockey player of all time. That should count for something.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Richard.

 

[seventieslord]

Letang is just 31.

If he keeps playing 25-26 minutes a night, wins another cup or two and gets another two 2nd team all star selections, then he could be hall worthy.

Guys the same age as him who need to keep producing also to become worthy: Backstrom, Neal, Price, Rask, Vlasic.

Neal???

 

[seventieslord]

My initial answer is no, but I think the point about Larry Murphy is actually pretty accurate. Murphy was known as more of an offensive player than defensive, and although his style of play was much different, his status in the League's pecking order of top defenseman was very similar to what letang's has been for the past 7 or so years. Despite not being the ideal top defensive option, both were often their team's best all-around defenseman and therefore got 24 + minutes in many Seasons. Letang has two 2nd team all stars, and although it looks unlikely that he will ever get a third and a fourth, if he does, and plays until age 39, then why would we not look at him the same way that we look at Larry Murphy right now? if we were asked about Larry Murphy as of age 31 we probably would have all scoffed and said no way he's ever making the Hall of Fame. And he's one of those guys who maybe wasn't a Hall of Fame player but ended up having a Hall of Fame career. Letang might be the same. I'm not betting on it, but it's in the realm of possibility.

 

[Sentinel]

Good comparable, outside Murphy 1860 games in the league is one of the highest total and Letang was injuried alot.

After the 30 year's old season:

Regular season
Murphy: 937 games, 182 goal, 568a, 759 points.
Letang: 682 games, 96 goal, 341 assist, 437 points

Norris:
Murphy: 3, 5, 7
Letang: 3, 4, 6, 8, 9

Playoff
Murphy: 83 points in 112 games
Letang: 79 points in 128 games (really impressive)

Murphy played in 2 Canada Cups, 2 stanley cups, Letang hurt in comparison a bit here with not much to show for team Canada, also a 2 cup winner.

Murphy has four Stanley Cups. Unless you're specifically talking about him pre-30 y.o.

 

[blood gin]

Never heard him referred to as Kristopher. Though that is his real name. And his hair is definitely HOF worthy

Depends on what he does between the age of 31-38 or however long he decides to play. If he retired now he wouldn't make it, but if he gets over 700 points and continues to contribute to deep playoff runs and another Cup then sure I can see him making it in.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Had he maintained his 2015-16 level for the past few years and into the future i'd say he would have a decent chance. But as of now, no chance.

 

[MadLuke]

Murphy has four Stanley Cups. Unless you're specifically talking about him pre-30 y.o.

Yes was trying to compare accomplishment at Letang current age

 

[Big Phil]

It is hard to say right now because he is still only 31. We all felt Duncan Keith was on his way to the HHOF by 31 and Drew Doughty isn't even 30 and we all have him in there in the future. But how many defenseman at the same age are locks? Not a lot. Scott Niedermayer almost certainly wasn't at the same age. Neither was Rob Blake. The thing with defenseman is that they age better than forwards and usually take a little longer hitting their prime but their 30s are generally better than a forward. So we'll see with Letang.

I'll admit there has been some sloppy moments in his career and that might have kept him off of Team Canada in the past. However, it wasn't as if he didn't have good competition. Doughty and Weber are pretty good guys to go ahead of you. Burns too. Also, Letang most certainly was a Conn Smythe candidate in 2016. While the Pens won in 2017 they desperately needed him for that run. There were times when that defense was being held together by a string. The fact that they won without him in the playoffs isn't a knock on him - because he's won two other Cups - so much as it just showed the Pens really stepped up.

He probably wins the Norris in 2013 if he plays a full year. Other than that, having two 2nd team all-stars at his age isn't too shabby. I am not sure if that translates into HHOFer because Gonchar and Desjardins have that same amount. But like I said, let's see how he does with the second half of his career.

 

[Lukin1978]