Who belongs in HHOF but isn't there?

[Laphroaig]

I suspect this has been done before but I haven't seen it. Every year when the HHOF induction ceremony comes around I lament the fact that, not only did J.C. Trembay fail to get in, his name wasn't even mentioned.

In my opinion Tremblay is the most worthy player not currently in the Hall. Others like Lindros and Makarov will certainly be inducted in the near future but there seems to be no support for Tremblay. Are there other deserving players on the outside looking in?

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[jigglysquishy]

There's a good half dozen Russians who need to be in.

Makarov
Firsov
Maltsev
Fedorov

 

[Laphroaig]

There's a good half dozen Russians who need to be in.

Makarov
Firsov
Maltsev
Fedorov

Can't disagree. It's hard to believe that Firsov wasn't the first Russian given the honour.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

There's a good half dozen Russians who need to be in.

Makarov
Firsov
Maltsev
Fedorov

I don't think Fedorov has been eligible

 

[MS]

The fact that Sergei Makarov isn't in the HHOF is an utter joke that undermines the credibility of the entire organization.

If the HHOF only had 50 inductees, Makarov should be one. There are 258.

 

[Zine]

What else do you expect from an Nhl/Canadian good ole boy network?

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Among guys who've been long retired:

Makarov
JC Tremblay
Rick Middleton
Doug Wilson
Rogie Vachon

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Makarov leads a long line of European players who made their names outside the NHL who should be inducted. Others on the list include (but are not limited to): Mikhailov, Firsov, Maltsev, Vasiliev, Petrov, Martinec, Suchy, Holecek, Pospisil, Tumba

I agree with the OP that J.C. Tremblay is the one "old timer" who really needs to be in the Hall, but you don't really hear too much about. Now that they finally forgave Mark Howe for playing in the WHA, maybe they'll eventually forgive Tremblay.

I think guys like Lindros and Kariya get in eventually.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Among guys who've been long retired:

Makarov
JC Tremblay
Rick Middleton
Doug Wilson
Rogie Vachon

Makarov and Tremblay definitely.

Wilson and Vachon are guys where you could say that if the standards for defensemen and goaltenders were anywhere near what they are for forwards, they should be in. But I don't think their omissions are that onerous when compared to other defensemen and goaltenders.

Nonetheless, I would induct both Vachon and Barrasso

I just don't see it with Rick Middleton. What makes him better than (for example) Brian Propp?

 

[tony d]

Tremblay, Makarov, Vachon and Wilson would all be must adds if you ask me.

 

[Hockey Monkey]

Pierre Turgeon was underappreciated his entire career and now is underappreciated by the hall of fame.

Also, Doug Wilson

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

I don't think Fedorov has been eligible

He just retired this past summer or the one before that, so yeah.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

I just don't see it with Rick Middleton. What makes him better than (for example) Brian Propp?

I guess when I watched Middleton, I just sensed an elite player. Never got that impression with a guy like Propp. That said, Propp wouldn't be the worse member of the HOF if he managed to get in.

IMO I think Middleton was better than a number of his contemporaries who did get in such as Barber, Shutt and Macdonald. Just seemed when he was at his best, he looked a hell of a lot more dominate than those guys at their best.

Believe it or not, but there were actually arguments in the 80's as to whether Bossy or Middleton was the best RW in the game, because of Middleton's much more well rounded game. Some personal issues early in his career and injuries later really cost us what could have been one of the best RW careers of all time.

 

[Boom Boom Bear]

I just don't see it with Rick Middleton. What makes him better than (for example) Brian Propp?

& what makes Cam Neely substantially better than Middleton? Middleton had 5 straight 40-goal, 90-point seasons [including two 50-goal, 100-point seasons], plus had that incredible playoff run in 83 [33 points in 19 games], feats that Neely was never able to accomplish. He beats out Neely in career PPG [.98 to .96], he was arguably better defensively, & he was equally adept playing center & wing.

I don't think Middleton should be in, but Neely really lowered the bar, meaning that if Neely [& Mike Gartner] is in, guys like Middleton, Propp & Wilson should also be in.

 

[Boom Boom Bear]

I guess when I watched Middleton, I just sensed an elite player. Never got that impression with a guy like Propp. That said, Propp wouldn't be the worse member of the HOF if he managed to get in.

IMO I think Middleton was better than a number of his contemporaries who did get in such as Barber, Shutt and Macdonald. Just seemed when he was at his best, he looked a hell of a lot more dominate than those guys at their best.

Believe it or not, but there were actually arguments in the 80's as to whether Bossy or Middleton was the best RW in the game, because of Middleton's much more well rounded game. Some personal issues early in his career and injuries later really cost us what could have been one of the best RW careers of all time.

totally agree with everything you just said

 

[BraveCanadian]

Put me down as another vote for Middleton as a more impactful player than Propp.

That said, maybe even just due to position I think Propp should be in too.

 

[Terry Yake]

Put me down as another vote for Middleton as a more impactful player than Propp.

That said, maybe even just due to position I think Propp should be in too.

propp should be in the hall just based on his genius goal celebration

guffaw!

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

whenever this thread comes someone who doesn't know much about the early days asks about lorne chabot. i guess i'll be that guy today.

 

[Big Phil]

For goalies the best one not in there is Rogie Vachon. Does anyone else disagree that he is probably the best goalie not in the HHOF? I don't see a logical argument as to why he isn't in there. I just don't. Tom Barrasso would be my pick as the next best goalie not in there. If I would say yes or no with him and only had one option I would pick "yes". He just is loved as much by the media as a mailman in a pitbull convention.

Defensemen I would say Tremblay is the best one not in there. I said that even before Howe got in. I don't know what it is that makes them ignore Tremblay either. Sure he bolted to the WHA but in my opinion he definitely had a long enough career where you can say he did enough as a defenseman.

As for forwards someday we'll have to bite the bullet and put Lindros in there. There is no way around it. As much as people want to see him left out he probably just makes the cut from a production standpoint combined with an impact standpoint. Let's face it, teams would salivate if they ever drafted the next Lindros.

Makarov is another obvious choice, but after every passing year it seems less likely he is getting in.

The last two are Middleton and Fleury. Both right wingers. When people used to complain about Neely not being in I maintained that he wasn't even the best Bruin not in the HHOF. Middleton should always be getting a long look and I am wondering when there is going to be some more noise for Fleury.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

whenever this thread comes someone who doesn't know much about the early days asks about lorne chabot. i guess i'll be that guy today.

And whenever Chabot gets brought up, I respond with the same thing - what makes him any better than John Ross Roach or Dave Kerr?

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

For goalies the best one not in there is Rogie Vachon. Does anyone else disagree that he is probably the best goalie not in the HHOF? I don't see a logical argument as to why he isn't in there. I just don't. Tom Barrasso would be my pick as the next best goalie not in there. If I would say yes or no with him and only had one option I would pick "yes". He just is loved as much by the media as a mailman in a pitbull convention.

Defensemen I would say Tremblay is the best one not in there. I said that even before Howe got in. I don't know what it is that makes them ignore Tremblay either. Sure he bolted to the WHA but in my opinion he definitely had a long enough career where you can say he did enough as a defenseman.

As for forwards someday we'll have to bite the bullet and put Lindros in there. There is no way around it. As much as people want to see him left out he probably just makes the cut from a production standpoint combined with an impact standpoint. Let's face it, teams would salivate if they ever drafted the next Lindros.

Makarov is another obvious choice, but after every passing year it seems less likely he is getting in.

The last two are Middleton and Fleury. Both right wingers. When people used to complain about Neely not being in I maintained that he wasn't even the best Bruin not in the HHOF. Middleton should always be getting a long look and I am wondering when there is going to be some more noise for Fleury.

Well, Vachon did finish behind Barrasso and Joseph on the HOH Top Goaltenders project

 

[canucksfan]

The fact that Canada and the USSR were very close from 72-89 and there are only two Soviet players from those years in the HHOF is a complete joke. The HHOF has pretty low standards too.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

The fact that Canada and the USSR were very close from 72-89 and there are only two Soviet players from those years in the HHOF is a complete joke. The HHOF has pretty low standards too.

They would have been better off just not even bothering to induct Kharlamov and Tretiak and kept it a North American HHOF, IMO.

That said, they also inducted Fetisov and Larionov.

 

[Big Phil]

Well, Vachon did finish behind Barrasso and Joseph on the HOH Top Goaltenders project

Yeah, can't say I agree on the whole Joseph thing. He's behind Vachon for my money. Should Cujo get in there if there are guys like Barrasso who were far more decorated and successful left on the outside? Or Vachon for that matter? What did Joseph do that neither of these guys didn't do?

 

[VMBM]

Can't disagree. It's hard to believe that Firsov wasn't the first Russian given the honour.

He's very underrated. Unfortunately, he was a little past his prime in 1972 and was a staunch Tarasov supporter (over new coach Bobrov), so he missed the 1972 series, and so there's always that question mark hanging over him. Personally, I don't see any problems; i.e. almost every Soviet star did very well vs. NHL opposition, and I believe he would've done so too.

In Finland, he is often called the best individual player/forward the Soviets ever had. I might prefer Kharlamov and Makarov, but he should be at least #3 among the forwards IMO. For example, Mikhailov over Firsov is revisionism... and I'm not saying it's absolutely wrong, but it's revisionism nevertheless...