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

[archangel2]

right now have neither McDavid or Matthews in the hall of fame. McDavid is sitting on 976 pts and Matthews on 640 pts. Pts are the usual starting point for hall of famers discussion and then comes the hardware. IF Matthews is a hall of famer than Mitch Marner with 630 pts in 569 games is in the discussion. There used to be a line of 500 goals and 1000pts for healthy players but I think some have lowered it 400 goals and 1000 pts for forwards

 

[Primary Assist]

Hyman, surely he has eclipsed Kevin "The Lowe Bar" Lowe after his 50+ goal season

 

[Fantomas]

See the post immediately above yours.

Either that never happened or you read a really dumb, meaningless conversation that isn't worth even talking about. There are plenty of those on this forum and I have no reason to disbelieve you. But again, there is no serious person who doubts or has even recently doubted Karlsson's HHOF candidacy.

 

[tarheelhockey]

right now have neither McDavid or Matthews in the hall of fame. McDavid is sitting on 976 pts and Matthews on 640 pts. Pts are the usual starting point for hall of famers discussion and then comes the hardware. IF Matthews is a hall of famer than Mitch Marner with 630 pts in 569 games is in the discussion. There used to be a line of 500 goals and 1000pts for healthy players but I think some have lowered it 400 goals and 1000 pts for forwards

McDavid’s numbers look strikingly similar to Bobby Orr’s, except for the G:A ratio.

If he abruptly retired today, he’d get in for the same reason. Everyone knows he’s the best player of his generation, whether he’s actively playing or not. A player of that caliber is a HHOF’er.

You say Marner derisively, but it’s an interesting question. He’s no lock, but is he “in the discussion” after three 90-point seasons, yes he probably is. He’ll easily blow past 1000 points with Selke recognition, so it would be odd if nobody was at least considering him.

 

[Fantomas]

right now have neither McDavid or Matthews in the hall of fame.

bzzzt wrong

 

[tarheelhockey]

Either that never happened or you read a really dumb, meaningless conversation that isn't worth even talking about. There are plenty of those on this forum and I have no reason to disbelieve you. But again, there is no serious person who doubts or has even recently doubted Karlsson's HHOF candidacy.

At the beginning of last season, 20% of respondents had Karlsson not making the Hall of Fame:

Do Erik Karlsson and Sergei Bobrovsky make the Hall of Fame?

Both have been voted best at their position twice. For a long time, the consensus was that if you won at least two Vezina or Norris trophies, you were Hall of Fame material. The last guy to win two Vezinas and not make it (so far) is Tim Thomas. Duncan Keith will likely make it, unless the...

forums.hfboards.com

April 2021, it was more like 25%

Will Erik Karlsson make the HOF?

After a stellar start to his career, he's basically been bad or mediocre in SJ. Will ~6 amazing years be enough to make him an HOFer?

forums.hfboards.com

His 2022-23 season abruptly ended those debates, but there very much was a groundswell of sentiment against him as a HHOFer because he was getting brutally dragged by commentators on a nightly basis. I think he still would have made the HHOF even without the extra Norris, but it would have been a much more controversial choice than it is now.

 

[archangel2]

bzzzt wrong

neither has 1000 pts or over 400 goals. Look at the line of who gets in and who does not get in is and you will see a clear line of pts and goals for HEALTHY players becomes evident. I will call it the Tim Thomas line. His has the hardware to be in but not the overall stats

 

[Keystone]

Hellebuyck is a lock if he gets another Vezina which is a good bet. Well on his way to best American born goaltender even as he tapers off in time.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

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.

My "challenge" is that I've got 10+ years of experience of SS as a really good player, and have to go in the way back machine when he was more than that. Even the Cups are a little "wonky", because for the one I think he got 5 minutes of icetime, and while he produced decently on the 2nd I wouldn't have considered him a key contributor. But like you said, hard to overlook the RIchards and overall stats put up.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Kucherov, MacKinnon, Matthews I think are locks

Makar probably as well

Panarin and Pastrnak are probably close and Q Hughes is starting to make a case

Is there any two time Rocket winners to not make the hall? I think he was a lock before this season

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

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.

Just going to come out and say it - but Hank got the benefit of being loved, and to a certain extent the HOF is the ultimate popularity contest. Hank is a classy guy who everyone likes. That helps a ton for getting into the HHOF.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

right now have neither McDavid or Matthews in the hall of fame. McDavid is sitting on 976 pts and Matthews on 640 pts. Pts are the usual starting point for hall of famers discussion and then comes the hardware. IF Matthews is a hall of famer than Mitch Marner with 630 pts in 569 games is in the discussion. There used to be a line of 500 goals and 1000pts for healthy players but I think some have lowered it 400 goals and 1000 pts for forwards

IMO - if McD or Matthews stopped playing now it would because of injury. And if their careers ended after this season, they'd both get in similar to Cam Neely who had an amazing peak but didn't have the career stats due to injury.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

I don't think Marchand should be considered.

Though if people can argue Pavelski, then maybe. They strike me as "Hall of Very Good"

 

[vancityluongo]

So, just to be clear, this isn't every player in the league that you think is a HOF after this season ends. Specifically this is players you didn't think were at the end of last season or were fence sitting on but now you do. (So leave the Crosby, McDavid, Malkin, Kanes etc out who were obviously HOF'ers prior to this season).

A few to consider:

Auston Matthews: I had him as a HOF already prior to this season but not everyone did. Surely becoming only the 10th player in NHL history to have two or more 60 goal seasons + 3rd Rocket Richard trophy in 4 seasons makes him a lock even if he retired at seasons end.

Roman Josi: I was a fence sitter for him prior to this season but a season where he will finish likely around 85 points and garner a top 5 Norris finish, he's in.

Cale Makar: It was a controversial opinion to say he would have been in end of last season with so few games played but nonetheless many said he would be. Now that he's added another season to his resume with likely 90+ points and almost for certain another Norris finalist (I think Hughes wins but Makar could). He will have 4 Norris finalists, 1 Norris, 1 Smythe, 1 cup, Calder, over PPG through 310+ games.

Brad Marchand: Has an additional season of compiling gotten him there?

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+.

i would've had matthews in already. the other four are very interesting and i probably agree - makar being the weakest of the bunch only due to the least longevity, but you're right that 4x top-3 norris with a cup and smythe gets him in. for him, adding a season at basically his career average level is the big difference maker.

panarin and josi are perfect examples of guys who possibly tip on the other side of the fence if they had just totally fallen off this year.

marchand i'm less convinced - he was probably already in, and i don't think this year has done anything particular to help make his case, aside from maybe now being the captain of an O6 franchise and hitting some milestones (he'll break 400 goals).

also think pastrnak fits this bill, with a similar case to makar, but with more seasons under his belt. hardware wise he was probably close already; whether or not he gets in on if he doesn't play another game depends on why that's the case (tragedy/injury vs he decides he's bored of hockey)

pavelski is an interesting option that was mentioned. as stupid as it sounds, i think he's one season away still. i don't think this season, as impressive as it is at age 39, pushes his totals high enough - but if he hits 500 goals and 1100 points at age 40, i think it would.

kucherov, pietrangelo, and hedman are already in, for me.

____


i think next season we can start to think of guys like marner and tkachuk as being "on the fence", where a big season gets them on the right side of things, even if they don't compile much further. but i don't think anyone considers them there yet. if hughes wins the norris this year, add him to that list too.

 

[BB88]

I do think this thread could've been premature because who wins the cup + Conn and award voting def has a big part to play in this.

I for sure don't think Barkov is a HOF as of April 2, 2024 but if Panthers win the cup and he's a Selke finalist or even winner (neither one out of the question) then he very rapidly moves into that conversation.

I didn’t literally think that if he retired today he’d get in rather he’s achieved enough after this year to be seen as a lock when he retires

He’ll have the personal awards to go with

 

[KevinRedkey]

Bobrovsky if he wins a 3rd Vezina. He'd go from a maybe to a lock.
Matthews if he wins another Rocket (extremely likely).

 

[Fantomas]

neither has 1000 pts or over 400 goals. Look at the line of who gets in and who does not get in is and you will see a clear line of pts and goals for HEALTHY players becomes evident. I will call it the Tim Thomas line. His has the hardware to be in but not the overall stats

You just make things up and treat them as rules. It doesn't work like that.

If something extraordinary happens, and Matthews and McDavid retire now they wouldn't be perceived as ordinary cases. They are exceptional players. And they're not Tim Thomas. Tim Thomas had just two outstanding seasons and many mediocre ones.

 

[TS Quint]

Morgan Rielly showed incredible grit after the other team decided to try and show up the leafs leading to his team rallying around him and going on a tear, he has been a star in #HockeysMecca for years, it's time to admit he is HOF worthy

Rielly should go to the Hall of Pretty Good.

 

[Fantomas]

At the beginning of last season, 20% of respondents had Karlsson not making the Hall of Fame:

Do Erik Karlsson and Sergei Bobrovsky make the Hall of Fame?

Both have been voted best at their position twice. For a long time, the consensus was that if you won at least two Vezina or Norris trophies, you were Hall of Fame material. The last guy to win two Vezinas and not make it (so far) is Tim Thomas. Duncan Keith will likely make it, unless the...

forums.hfboards.com

April 2021, it was more like 25%

Will Erik Karlsson make the HOF?

After a stellar start to his career, he's basically been bad or mediocre in SJ. Will ~6 amazing years be enough to make him an HOFer?

forums.hfboards.com

His 2022-23 season abruptly ended those debates, but there very much was a groundswell of sentiment against him as a HHOFer because he was getting brutally dragged by commentators on a nightly basis. I think he still would have made the HHOF even without the extra Norris, but it would have been a much more controversial choice than it is now.

So as I said, you found a bunch of threads on hfboards with plenty of people being wrong. I can find many more for you, if you like. But who cares?

 

[TS Quint]

To the actual question, If Hellebuyck wins the Vezina that’s his lock to be in the HOF.

 

[KevinRedkey]

right now have neither McDavid or Matthews in the hall of fame. McDavid is sitting on 976 pts and Matthews on 640 pts. Pts are the usual starting point for hall of famers discussion and then comes the hardware. IF Matthews is a hall of famer than Mitch Marner with 630 pts in 569 games is in the discussion. There used to be a line of 500 goals and 1000pts for healthy players but I think some have lowered it 400 goals and 1000 pts for forwards

Bobby Orr and Rocket Richard don't have 1000 points.

Neither do some modern forwards that were often inured, like Forsberg, Kariya, and Lindros. If McDavid suffered a career-ending injury today, he'd 100% make it, and be 1st ballot without question.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

right now have neither McDavid or Matthews in the hall of fame. McDavid is sitting on 976 pts and Matthews on 640 pts. Pts are the usual starting point for hall of famers discussion and then comes the hardware. IF Matthews is a hall of famer than Mitch Marner with 630 pts in 569 games is in the discussion. There used to be a line of 500 goals and 1000pts for healthy players but I think some have lowered it 400 goals and 1000 pts for forwards

and when the only people in league history with more Hart trophies than you are Gretzky, Howe and Shore and the only ones with more Ross trophies are Gretzky, Mario and Howe none of what you said against his case matters.

Even less so if we assume he wins the Hart/Ross again this year, then the only ones with more will become Gretzky/Howe for the Hart and Gretzky/Mario for the Ross

 

[gretzkyoilers]

Bobby Orr and Rocket Richard don't have 1000 points.

Neither do some modern forwards that were often inured, like Forsberg, Kariya, and Lindros. If McDavid suffered a career-ending injury today, he'd 100% make it, and be 1st ballot without question.

McDavid is a shoe-in 1st ballot if his career ended today. Looks at his stats, trophy case, and the fact he is already regarded as one of the greatest players and perhaps the greatest skater the game has ever seen is enough. Players like Lindros had too many injuries, some good years, but not as consistent as McDavid. McDavid is 100% as advertised.

 

[Unspecified]

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.

I think that success he has had with Dallas at his age is what makes him a lock. When that induction takes place is up in the air but i think you can almost guarantee it will happen.

 

[HFpapi]

To the actual question, If Hellebuyck wins the Vezina that’s his lock to be in the HOF.

That's a good call and I think sticking with goalies, Bobrovsky is a hard career to place for a lot of people but last years playoff run got him back into the good graces. Another stellar playoff run for the Panthers and I think Bob can stamp his pass too.

also think pastrnak fits this bill, with a similar case to makar, but with more seasons under his belt. hardware wise he was probably close already; whether or not he gets in on if he doesn't play another game depends on why that's the case (tragedy/injury vs he decides he's bored of hockey)

Pasta is definitely a guy I had in mind when I started the thread but I didn't want to provide too many examples in the OP. I think this season, if it didn't move him into HOF already, it at least made his spot inevitable in the future with some additional compiling. His peak is there now between this season and last.