What players (in your eyes) solidified themselves as HOF'ers after this season.

[Toby91ca]

Artemi Panarin: Likely finishes around 115-120 points, and finishes with almost exactly the same number of career points as Pavel Bure who is already in the HOF. This is his 4th time getting 90+ points and 6th time getting 80+.

If it was just about points, Bure wouldn't be in. He's in the HOF because of seasons scoring 51, 58, 59, 60 and 60 goals.

 

[PocketNines]

People are understanding that Pietrangelo is a clear hall of famer, since nobody else has led two different franchises in ice time to their first Cups. His career is a testament to an alternate way to value defensemen than offensive production. By the way he is 46th all time in career defenseman scoring right now and may finish around 25-30 before all said and done. Last playoffs McDavid, Draisaitl and Nurse all circled his number and hunted him with their sticks and he decided to feed it right back, then go win the Cup. He is a legendary defenseman and the knock on him is that he failed to win individual awards. Repeat, the knock on him is that he failed to be perceived by the perceivers in real time, so that should count against him ... lol

 

[Connor McConnor]

Drai for sure, another 100 point season with likely 40+ goals.

Pasta and Panarin need to do it for a bit longer imo, and in Panarin case, in the playoffs.

AM is closing in on history as a goal scorer so he’s very close.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I don't think anyone in the world didn't have Hedman as a HOF coming into this year.

Hedman's a lock, he was the 1D on the team of the decade probably. TB has had the most success out of any team besides Chicago since him and Stamkos came in.

He has a Norris and a Conn Smythe, with numerous postseason All-Star finishes.

There was no subtlety. He's a lock.

I get it, but you’d be surprised how fast that argument becomes “only a single Norris” if that guy falls off too fast. We’ve seen guys like Karlsson and Weber who were considered absolute no-brainer locks at one point, turn into topics of debate when they didn’t age all that well. And once people start questioning and debating, every disappointing year creates more momentum behind the idea that the player wasn’t really that good.

I’m not saying he wouldn’t make it, he’s be on my ballot, but consistently being ~3rd among defensemen shuts down that debate before it gets started. There were already “what happened to Hedman” conversations earlier this season.

 

[MVP of West Hollywd]

Josi, Pastrnak, Bob are good picks, maybe Drai. Makar is not quite in yet imo.

 

[tarheelhockey]

People are understanding that Pietrangelo is a clear hall of famer, since nobody else has led two different franchises in ice time to their first Cups. His career is a testament to an alternate way to value defensemen than offensive production. By the way he is 46th all time in career defenseman scoring right now and may finish around 25-30 before all said and done. Last playoffs McDavid, Draisaitl and Nurse all circled his number and hunted him with their sticks and he decided to feed it right back, then go win the Cup. He is a legendary defenseman and the knock on him is that he failed to win individual awards. Repeat, the knock on him is that he failed to be perceived by the perceivers in real time, so that should count against him ... lol

Pietrangelo would be a weak entry. Very good defenseman and “straw that stirs the drink” type, but there’s more than just perception behind his lack of awards.

 

[PocketNines]

Pietrangelo would be a weak entry. Very good defenseman and “straw that stirs the drink” type, but there’s more than just perception behind his lack of awards.

He's a lock though, and in 50 years one of the very greatest players whose career I witnessed. It is not even a question in my mind that he belongs

 

[HFpapi]

I get it, but you’d be surprised how fast that argument becomes “only a single Norris” if that guy falls off too fast. We’ve seen guys like Karlsson and Weber who were considered absolute no-brainer locks at one point, turn into topics of debate when they didn’t age all that well. And once people start questioning and debating, every disappointing year creates more momentum behind the idea that the player wasn’t really that good.

I’m not saying he wouldn’t make it, he’s be on my ballot, but consistently being ~3rd among defensemen shuts down that debate before it gets started. There were already “what happened to Hedman” conversations earlier this season.

I buy this argument for Weber 100%. As time wears on, the people arguing for him to be in will not have a lot of hang their hat on with no Norris, no cup, and not really eye-popping numbers either. It will be a "you had to be there" argument.

That was never going to be the case with Hedman or EK prior to this season. Hedman had a Norris, a Conn, 2x cups, and 85 & 72 point seasons before this season started. Arguing against him in the HOF would have been ill-advised.

 

[The Macho King]

I get it, but you’d be surprised how fast that argument becomes “only a single Norris” if that guy falls off too fast. We’ve seen guys like Karlsson and Weber who were considered absolute no-brainer locks at one point, turn into topics of debate when they didn’t age all that well. And once people start questioning and debating, every disappointing year creates more momentum behind the idea that the player wasn’t really that good.

I’m not saying he wouldn’t make it, he’s be on my ballot, but consistently being ~3rd among defensemen shuts down that debate before it gets started. There were already “what happened to Hedman” conversations earlier this season.

Hedman had six all-star selections and two other top 10 Norris finishes. Weber had 4 total all-stars and zero Norris'. Hedman also has a Conn Smythe - Weber generally was disappointing in the playoffs outside of the final run with Montreal. He's also likely adding another top 10 Norris finish and *may* (although seems to be on the fringe) get another AS selection.

I know you're trying to hedge and all that, but there isn't a single defenseman with a comparable resume to Hedman that did not make the HHOF. The list of defensemen with 6 AS selections or more are:

Ray Bourque
Nick Lidstrom
Doug Harvey
Earl Seibert
Bobby Orr
Paul Coffey
Pierre Pilote
Eddie Shore
Red Kelly
Brad Park
Bill Gadsby
Zdeno Chara
Denis Potvin
Al MacInnis
Chris Chelios
Larry Robinson
Tim Horton
Borje Salming
Victor Hedman

That's the list. All HHOF players. Throw in the Conn Smythe and you knock out most of that list to boot.

 

[Machinehead]

I get it, but you’d be surprised how fast that argument becomes “only a single Norris” if that guy falls off too fast. We’ve seen guys like Karlsson and Weber who were considered absolute no-brainer locks at one point, turn into topics of debate when they didn’t age all that well. And once people start questioning and debating, every disappointing year creates more momentum behind the idea that the player wasn’t really that good.

I’m not saying he wouldn’t make it, he’s be on my ballot, but consistently being ~3rd among defensemen shuts down that debate before it gets started. There were already “what happened to Hedman” conversations earlier this season.

Point taken on Weber.

Karlsson is still a lock and he's at the point where I like, don't care what people think about it. He just is.

To offer a counterpoint, Lundqvist only won a single Vezina, didn't win a Cup, and declined a bit quicker than expected, and still, nobody flinched when he went in on the first ballot.

 

[norrisnick]

I get it, but you’d be surprised how fast that argument becomes “only a single Norris” if that guy falls off too fast. We’ve seen guys like Karlsson and Weber who were considered absolute no-brainer locks at one point, turn into topics of debate when they didn’t age all that well. And once people start questioning and debating, every disappointing year creates more momentum behind the idea that the player wasn’t really that good.

I’m not saying he wouldn’t make it, he’s be on my ballot, but consistently being ~3rd among defensemen shuts down that debate before it gets started. There were already “what happened to Hedman” conversations earlier this season.

Wilson
Lowe
Zubov
Housley
Murphy

Hedman's not a goalie that has to worry about ridiculous HOF standards... Though last year seems to have started correcting that.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Again guys, I get it. He would be on my ballot already. You clearly have more faith in the way the HHOF works than I do, if you think a popular narrative couldn’t arise against a defenseman who falls off quickly after a high peak.

 

[GermanRocket7]

Corey Perry. Not only did he win everything there is to win, and re-invented his play as a very servicable bottom-six player, but he also made the whole Blackhawks org look even worse than they already are with the "Perry banged Baby Jesus' mom" stuff. Crucify me all you want, deep down you know I'm right.

 

[Leksand]

Bobrovsky?

Already a lock when the season started I think.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I get it, but you’d be surprised how fast that argument becomes “only a single Norris” if that guy falls off too fast. We’ve seen guys like Karlsson and Weber who were considered absolute no-brainer locks at one point, turn into topics of debate when they didn’t age all that well. And once people start questioning and debating, every disappointing year creates more momentum behind the idea that the player wasn’t really that good.

I’m not saying he wouldn’t make it, he’s be on my ballot, but consistently being ~3rd among defensemen shuts down that debate before it gets started. There were already “what happened to Hedman” conversations earlier this season.

EK65 is also a lock though lol? He walked so that guys like Quinn/Makar could run his foot steps, he changed the league's play style from the 2017 Sens run and onwards.

Point taken on Weber.

Karlsson is still a lock and he's at the point where I like, don't care what people think about it. He just is.

To offer a counterpoint, Lundqvist only won a single Vezina, didn't win a Cup, and declined a bit quicker than expected, and still, nobody flinched when he went in on the first ballot.

And they did right by him, he was the best goalie for a decade. That should mean something in itself. Yeah they were years where Quick/Price were better but as a whole, he was the guy. Plus his playoff stats were incredible. The Rags didn't win because of other reasons not because of him, he gave them every opportunity to do so which probably went in his favor when they voted. Probably wins the 2014 Smythe if beat LA, probably wins the 2012 Smythe if they beat NJD/LA.

 

[tarheelhockey]

EK65 is also a lock though lol? He walked so that guys like Quinn/Makar could run his foot steps, he changed the league's play style from the 2017 Sens run and onwards.

Until last year there was definitely a conversation about whether he was a legit HHOF’er. A guy having a Norris and two runners-up, and then falling completely off a cliff while failing to lead terrible teams, would absolutely have been a cause for debate if he hadn’t turned it around the way he did.

 

[Fantomas]

Laughing at OP saying he was "fence-sitting" on an already Norris trophy winner with multiple elite seasons under his belt.

Some people need to look at the list of the players who are actually in the Hall of Fame. You'll find that Roman Josi is better than many guys in that club.

Too many posters have a distorted perception of what it takes to make it into the Hall. Leo Boivin is in the Hall.

 

[Fantomas]

I get it, but you’d be surprised how fast that argument becomes “only a single Norris” if that guy falls off too fast. We’ve seen guys like Karlsson and Weber who were considered absolute no-brainer locks at one point, turn into topics of debate when they didn’t age all that well.

Karlsson is a topic of debate? A debate about what?

 

[57special]

Am I the only person who doesn't have Stamkos as a lock? After his injury, he's been a really good player but I don't think he's at that level. And this isn't a Bossy/Orr/Nealy case where his career has been cut short, just a case where he didn't return to that same level of play.

Personally hope he makes it because he's always been a class guy.

He's got a couple of cups, two Richards, is over a P/PG and has played over a thousand games. Well over 500 goals, too. I'd say he's already in. Started out strong and early, had some injury problems in the middle of his career, but has rebounded nicely, and is now playing full seasons.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Karlsson is a topic of debate? A debate about what?

See the post immediately above yours.

 

[57special]

He's a lock though, and in 50 years one of the very greatest players whose career I witnessed. It is not even a question in my mind that he belongs

Say wut? Either you didn't watch a lot of hockey from 1974 to now, or you have a very long list of "greatest players".

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Until last year there was definitely a conversation about whether he was a legit HHOF’er. A guy having a Norris and two runners-up, and then falling completely off a cliff while failing to lead terrible teams, would absolutely have been a cause for debate if he hadn’t turned it around the way he did.

He had two Norris trophies prior to last season. Last year was #3. He was already a lock before last season.

 

[tarheelhockey]

He had two Norris trophies prior to last season. Last year was #3. He was already a lock before last season.

There were threads last season questioning whether he was a legit HHOF’er. It wasn’t a debate early in his career, and it became a debate because of how deeply he fell off.

Thus my original comment:

We’ve seen guys like Karlsson and Weber who were considered absolute no-brainer locks at one point, turn into topics of debate when they didn’t age all that well.

 

[TheBeard]

Hedman’s a subtle one. His reputation is more compelling than his stats and awards. Assuming he finishes in the 3-4 range for the Norris, that will be his 5th such finish. He needs to compile a certain number of these seasons to solidify his case compared to a Shea Weber.

As far as I'm concerned he's a lock regardless.

 

[TheBeard]

Also a good one. Much like Marchand they don't have the trophies to get in so their chances rely on compiling and being good late into their careers.

I have high standards for the HOF and don't personally have or want Pavelski in but if you were on the fence with him going into this season, another 26+ goal/65+ point season from him might tip the scales.

1 more good season should get him in. As much as I understand the "cup" standard sometimes players can only do so much. If he gets to top 40 all-time goals (he needs to get to 518) then I think he'll get in, but not on the first try. He's someone who'll eventually get in because voters will want him in.