Mats Sundin HHOF worthiness

[unknown33]

Mats gets eligible next year so what is your opinion on him?

For what it's worth his playing career on it's own would make him borderline, but considering his 'Face of the Franchise' status, International credentials and 'Fame' Mats Sundin is 100% HHoF worthy for me.


The poll's question is whether YOU think he is worthy and not if he gets elected or not.

Click to read more...

 

[Epsilon]

On pure NHL credentials he'd be a lower-tier inductee but far from among the worst. Throw in his "intangibles" (including his international career) and I think he's solidly in, even if he's not an exceptional candidate.

 

[Infinite Vision*]

He'll be in. One of the most humble, respected and consistent players ever. Never reached the offensive totals expected of him, but who really does in Toronto? For the most part he didn't have a whole lot to work with, but he was certainly a dominant player for a long period of time. I'd be surprised if he doesn't get in.

 

[Gobias Industries]

He'd be in my Hall of Fame..

He's one of the longest serving "face of the Leafs"...that alone could get you in...

You throw in his international credentials and importance to Sweden's national program and he's a slam dunk...

 

[Infinite Vision*]

To answer your specific question, yes I do think he's worthy.

 

[Pi]

He'll be in. One of the most humble, respected and consistent players ever. Never reached the offensive totals expected of him, but who really does in Toronto? For the most part he didn't have a whole lot to work with, but he was certainly a dominant player for a long period of time. I'd be surprised if he doesn't get in.

I wouldn't agreed that he never reached the totals expected of him. The thing with Toronto is that at any given point we've either had a star center or a star winger.

Sundin consistently was the highest point getter and even in his bad seasons 70 points were a lock. Supporting cast really hurt the Leafs from going any further than the ECF's.

 

[Infinite Vision*]

I wouldn't agreed that he never reached the totals expected of him. The thing with Toronto is that at any given point we've either had a star center or a star winger.

Sundin consistently was the highest point getter and even in his bad seasons 70 points were a lock. Supporting cast really hurt the Leafs from going any further than the ECF's.

I agree with everything except the bolded part, unless you're referring to career totals. His career totals are very impressive, especially considering his supporting cast and the era he played in. What I'm saying is a 1st overall pick who's 6'5'' with elite speed and skill is expect to be more than a 75-90 point player. Infact most years he was a 70-80 point player. He never really reached the single season totals expected of him. I always considered a player like him worth much more than his points anyway, and in the playoffs he always impressed. Internationally he was a beast, he had more heart than most players of his skill level. Once again, he's more than worthy of hall of fame induction.

 

[Fredrik_71]

Considering he is nr 26 on the list of most points in the NHL (regular season), a gpg ratio of 1.0 and his national carrer he should be in the HHOF. But it has to be a weaker year

/Cheers

 

[GuineaPig]

In my ideal Hall of Fame, he's not worthy (although a fringe candidate).

In the real Hall of Fame? He's more worthy than a lot of those that have made it. I don't see why not.

 

[LolungoReboundo]

I feel he's worthy. After all it's the hockey hall of fame not the NHL hall of fame. He was a ppg player over his entire career in the NHL and is 26th all time in scoring in the NHL. He has a long list of accomplishments:-
First European to get drafted first overall
9 time all star
2 time NHL second all star team
Olympic Gold Medalist
Named to Olympic All star team
Mark Messier Leadership Award
500 goal scorer
1300+ points
All time leading goal scorer for an Original 6 franchise

I think he's also the first Swedish player to reach the 500 goal mark and the highest scoring Swede of all time. He's probably one of the top 3 Swedish players of all time behind Forsberg and Salming.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

I think he's also the first Swedish player to reach the 500 goal mark and the highest scoring Swede of all time. He's probably one of the top 3 Swedish players of all time behind Forsberg and Salming.

 

[LolungoReboundo]

LOL K top 4 after Forsberg Salming and Lidstrom

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

No Cups.

Two second team all-star selections.

Top 10 in scoring twice. (highest finish 4th)

10th in assists once. (highest finish)

Not considered a big-time playoff performer.

Not known for defensive ability or physical play.

Looked more like a HOFer on ice than on paper.

 

[Jonimaus]

It's not hall of NHL, so don't forget he was one of the absolute best international tournament players of his era.

Also, isn't this like the 10th of these threads?

 

[DaveG]

Depends on how much the HHoF weighs his international accomplishments. NHL wise he's pretty borderline but wouldn't be even close to the weakest induction. Including international play though? He's solidly in.

 

[Infinite Vision*]

No Cups.

Two second team all-star selections.

Top 10 in scoring twice. (highest finish 4th)

10th in assists once. (highest finish)

Not considered a big-time playoff performer.

Not known for defensive ability or physical play.

Looked more like a HOFer on ice than on paper.

Did you happen to catch many of those Ottawa vs. Toronto series where Toronto was the complete underdog and Sundin carried them on his back, resulting in defeating the much superior team?

He was responsible defensively, he wasn't out there for his own personal numbers, he was out there to help the team win. Could he have used his size more? Yes, that's one of the knocks on him, but he used it fairly well to protect the puck behind the net, and could keep it in the other teams zone for long periods of time.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Did you happen to catch many of those Ottawa vs. Toronto series where Toronto was the complete underdog and Sundin carried them on his back, resulting in defeating the much superior team?

He was responsible defensively, he wasn't out there for his own personal numbers, he was out there to help the team win. Could he have used his size more? Yes, that's one of the knocks on him, but he used it fairly well to protect the puck behind the net, and could keep it in the other teams zone for long periods of time.

Pretty sure that was Curtis Joseph. Sundin was entirely underwhelming once the checks stopped coming in my opinion.

 

[Infinite Vision*]

Pretty sure that was Curtis Joseph. Sundin was entirely underwhelming once the checks stopped coming in my opinion.

Joseph stood on his head I won't argue that. What you're trying to tell me is Sundin was not a huge reason his teams got anywhere in the playoffs?

 

[ConnorTO]

Face of a Franchise

I agree

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Did you happen to catch many of those Ottawa vs. Toronto series where Toronto was the complete underdog and Sundin carried them on his back, resulting in defeating the much superior team?

He was responsible defensively, he wasn't out there for his own personal numbers, he was out there to help the team win. Could he have used his size more? Yes, that's one of the knocks on him, but he used it fairly well to protect the puck behind the net, and could keep it in the other teams zone for long periods of time.

82 points in 91 playoff games and +2.

For a hall of fame caliber player of his era, that's not really overwhelming numbers.

 

[CanadianHockey]

Did you happen to catch many of those Ottawa vs. Toronto series where Toronto was the complete underdog and Sundin carried them on his back, resulting in defeating the much superior team?

He was responsible defensively, he wasn't out there for his own personal numbers, he was out there to help the team win. Could he have used his size more? Yes, that's one of the knocks on him, but he used it fairly well to protect the puck behind the net, and could keep it in the other teams zone for long periods of time.

Toronto was the higher seed in 3 of those 4 series... and like another poster said, Joseph was the Leafs MVP for that series.

That said: yes, Sundin deserves to be in the Hall. He's over 1000 GP at a PPG pace (in the 500G club, and over 1300 career points), played a good two-way game, and was a leader both in the NHL (captain and the face of the Leafs) and internationally (captained Sweden to an Olympic Gold). He never played on really outstanding teams (ones that were Contenders), so I don't hold the no Cup argument against him. No personal hardware? Fine, but he's still a top-30 points all-time.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I never thought Sundin's two-way game was anything special.

He basically did the minimum expected from a center. Credit for him for actually doing his job, which is more than some scoring line centers can say, but I don't think he was anything special at it.

Generally the Leafs were one of the more offensive-minded teams in the league when Pat Quinn coached.

That said, I agree with the posters who said that Sundin's NHL career is borderline on their own, but his European accomplishments are enough to push him well into the "in" category.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Not first ballot, but he will, and should, get in eventually.

 

[Epsilon]

Did you happen to catch many of those Ottawa vs. Toronto series where Toronto was the complete underdog and Sundin carried them on his back, resulting in defeating the much superior team?

Toronto was the higher seed in 3 of those 4 series...

That was certainly one of the more amusing myths/memes created by the Toronto media, wasn't it?

 

[SaxMan]

Mats Sundin was always a good player but he was never a great player. If you look at his stats over a career they look very good. But when you look at the seasons individually he was just a consistently good player. He's missing that one season where he dominated and was considered a top 2 player in the league. He doesn't have that so I don't think he belongs.