Is Patrice Bergeron a HOF Candidate ?

JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
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A candidate? Certainly. I don't think that he is a lock but I do think that he is very likely to make the HHOF. He's got the reputation of a winner (he must be the only player to have won the WJC, WC, Olympics, World Cup, Stanley Cup, Spengler Cup), he's very well respected, and most importantly he has the novelty of all those Selke trophies. If he hadn't gotten injured last year he would have won the Selke, giving him the most ever and bolstering his case ever more. He still has a good shot at future Selke trophies given how the award is given out now and his strong linemates in Boston.
 

wetcoast

Registered User
Nov 20, 2018
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A candidate? Certainly. I don't think that he is a lock but I do think that he is very likely to make the HHOF. He's got the reputation of a winner (he must be the only player to have won the WJC, WC, Olympics, World Cup, Stanley Cup, Spengler Cup), he's very well respected, and most importantly he has the novelty of all those Selke trophies. If he hadn't gotten injured last year he would have won the Selke, giving him the most ever and bolstering his case ever more. He still has a good shot at future Selke trophies given how the award is given out now and his strong linemates in Boston.

I think he was trending that way but this year is yet another injury and probably knocked out of the race for the Selke again.

He is 240 points away from 1000 but can he string 4 more 60 point seasons together, he is already 33?

He would be in my HHOF but not sure what the actual voters will think of him.
 
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Staniowski

Registered User
Jan 13, 2018
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I think he's a lock.

His linemates are pretty good too...Marchand might have won the Hart last season if he hadn't missed 14 games. But he'll need to put together a string of really good seasons now.
 

MXD

Original #4
Oct 27, 2005
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I think the better question would've been if he was a lock...
(And my answer to this one is : Yes)
 
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BigBadBruins7708

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Dec 11, 2017
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I think he was trending that way but this year is yet another injury and probably knocked out of the race for the Selke again.

He is 240 points away from 100 but can he string 4 more 60 point seasons together, he is already 33?

He would be in my HHOF but not sure what the actual voters will think of him.

look at it this way.

if Bob Gainey and his "blistering" career 0.43 ppg playing in the late 70s and 80s = HOF, then Bergeron could retire today and moon walk in
 

bobholly39

Registered User
Mar 10, 2013
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Is he a lock? Yes

Should he be a lock? No. I think he should get in - i just don't see him as a lock. But I expect the NHL will treat him as one.

To be honest his injuries past 2 seasons are extremely disappointing to me. He was on his way to having his two best offensive seasons - i'd have liked to see how high he can reach. I think high scoring finishes would have helped his case a lot.
 

bobholly39

Registered User
Mar 10, 2013
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look at it this way.

if Bob Gainey and his "blistering" career 0.43 ppg playing in the late 70s and 80s = HOF, then Bergeron could retire today and moon walk in

That's not really the way it should work though. If the bar to get in the hall was "pick the HOF player you compare to most advantageously, and compare yourself to him", a lot would get in. He has to do well vs others in his class, and others inducted in general.
 

arrbez

bad chi
Jun 2, 2004
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look at it this way.

if Bob Gainey and his "blistering" career 0.43 ppg playing in the late 70s and 80s = HOF, then Bergeron could retire today and moon walk in

While that's absolutely true, using guys like Bob Gainey or George Armstrong as the barometer for HOF entry is kinda tricky. Whether you think they should be in or not, it's just too hard to quantify their accomplishments.

That said, Bergeron is an easy HOFer. Anyone who doesn't think so just hasn't been watching hockey for the last 10 years. And he'll have the benefit of quantifiable "advanced" stats that a lot of older players of his ilk don't. If he played in the pre-Selke era and we were just looking at his career now, what would he have to show for it on paper? He's one of the players that really makes me question what we know about older players.
 

MXD

Original #4
Oct 27, 2005
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Could I dare say that Bergeron has a better case then Jonathan Toews? Really the only claim Toews has over Bergeron is that he's won 3 cups. His Selke record doesn't even come close to Bergeron's. If I had to choose between the 2 players, I'd choose Bergeron even at this stage in his career.

You could've skipped the formalities and gotten rid of the underlined.
 

JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
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That said, Bergeron is an easy HOFer. Anyone who doesn't think so just hasn't been watching hockey for the last 10 years. And he'll have the benefit of quantifiable "advanced" stats that a lot of older players of his ilk don't. If he played in the pre-Selke era and we were just looking at his career now, what would he have to show for it on paper? He's one of the players that really makes me question what we know about older players.

Toews is the king of making me question what we know of older players, particularly if the information regarding the player is almost exclusively from the media of the time.
 

wetcoast

Registered User
Nov 20, 2018
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look at it this way.

if Bob Gainey and his "blistering" career 0.43 ppg playing in the late 70s and 80s = HOF, then Bergeron could retire today and moon walk in

Using that logic there would be over 1000 players in the HHOF.

I agree that Bergeron will probably make it in, with any luck in health over the next 4-5 years, Gainey should be buying a ticket IMO.
 

ted2019

History of Hockey
Oct 3, 2008
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Toews is the king of making me question what we know of older players, particularly if the information regarding the player is almost exclusively from the media of the time.

What do you mean by this statement? Do you mean that some of the older players are underrated or overrated?
 

sr edler

gold is not reality
Mar 20, 2010
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Toews is the king of making me question what we know of older players, particularly if the information regarding the player is almost exclusively from the media of the time.

What's wrong with Toews' prime years? He was the undisputed 1C on a team that won 3 Cups. He won a Smythe and a Selke, and none of those awards were robbed from someone else. He's made great showings internationally. He's been a consistently good goal scorer (11 straight seasons with 20+ goals, despite lockout shortened years and injuries). Best centers behind him in CHI during the Cups were Bolland (very good playoff performer, but come on, CHI won a third without him) and twilight/washed up B. Richards. Not exactly a Sakic/Forsberg, Fedorov/Yzerman, Crosby/Malkin situation. Even Bergeron had a guy/2C (Krejci) who could carry most of the scoring. Ask any VAN fan if Toews was a difference maker or not. That SH goal in game 7 in 2011 with a minute to go, to tie the game...

People need to chill with the hyperbole. Yes, I know he posed in a picture with Gretzky, but who cares?
 

MXD

Original #4
Oct 27, 2005
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What's wrong with Toews' prime years? He was the undisputed 1C on a team that won 3 Cups. He won a Smythe and a Selke, and none of those awards were robbed from someone else. He's made great showings internationally. He's been a consistently good goal scorer (11 straight seasons with 20+ goals, despite lockout shortened years and injuries). Best centers behind him in CHI during the Cups were Bolland (very good playoff performer, but come on, CHI won a third without him) and twilight/washed up B. Richards. Not exactly a Sakic/Forsberg, Fedorov/Yzerman, Crosby/Malkin situation. Even Bergeron had a guy/2C (Krejci) who could carry most of the scoring. Ask any VAN fan if Toews was a difference maker or not. That SH goal in game 7 in 2011 with a minute to go, to tie the game...

People need to chill with the hyperbole. Yes, I know he posed in a picture with Gretzky, but who cares?

Toews is/was a very solid player, but when looking at things like TSN yearly rankings, you'd have a picture that's definitely better than what he actually is/was. I'm quite certain that's the meaning of the post you quoted.
 
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sr edler

gold is not reality
Mar 20, 2010
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Toews seems like a H. Richard type player to me. Except Richard had Beliveau and a lot more longevity/team success.
 
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Kyle McMahon

Registered User
May 10, 2006
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You guys are giving the HOF selection committee a lot of unwarranted credit here...

What makes you think they'd elect Bergeron and his 60-point seasons/less than 800 career points, while guys like Pat Verbeek (500 goals!!!), Bernie Nicholls (1200 points!!!), and Vinnie Damphousse (1200 points and a Cup!!!) are still awaiting the phone call?

Think of it this way, Rod Brind'Amour also won a couple Selke's, has a sterling reputation as a leader, captained a team to the Stanley Cup, and went sailing past the all-important 1000 point benchmark. And he doesn't really seem to be getting a lot of buzz as a candidate...

I do think Bergeron will get in sooner or later, but it will probably be for the singular reason that "he set the record for most Selke Trophies".
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
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He should be a lock, but with forwards shiny point totals are pretty much all the selection committee looks at.
 

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