Big Phil
Registered User
- Nov 2, 2003
- 31,703
- 4,146
First off there were 17 HOFers on the 1976 Canada Cup team. Here they are:
Cheevers, Orr, Robinson, Lapointe, Savard, Potvin, Lafleur, Clarke, Perreault, Hull, Esposito, Barber, Shutt, McDonald, Gainey, Dionne, Sittler.
After that you've got Vachon (who should be in there) and guys like Resch, P. Mahovolich, Martin, Gare and Leach who were all playing like HOFers at the time. Only Jimmy Watson is the only so called non-star on that team.
But even though this may not be the best Canadian team of all time I can't help but think there will be nearly just as many HOFers on this team. So I checked it out, its closer than you think if you want to base it on projection.
Shoo-ins or potential future HOFers:
Brodeur - No one on the face of the earth will debate this
Luongo - Already was second team all-star in '04 by 25
Pronger - Hard to believe the one time NHL MVP wont make it
Blake - Is a former Norris Trophy winner and four time post season all-star
Redden - He'll need some post season all-star selections first
Sakic - Shoo-in
Thornton - By the end of his career looks to be a lock
Heatley - Should be one of the best players in the NHL for 10 years
Richards - Won a Conn Smythe already as well as a Cup and a World Cup
Lecavalier - If only he plays the way we know he can this World Cup MVP could
Nash - Led the league in goals when he was only 20
Iginla - He'll need more strong seasons and onother MVP calibre year, or repeat '04
Staal - If he keeps this up he'll leave a strong legacy
Spezza - Needs to do this every year consistently. Plus he should have quite a few strong playoff runs with Ottawa
That comes to 14. Not too bad considering most of those guys will make it, and maybe some I left off will too. Bouwmeester, St. Louis, Bertuzzi, Gagne
Cheevers, Orr, Robinson, Lapointe, Savard, Potvin, Lafleur, Clarke, Perreault, Hull, Esposito, Barber, Shutt, McDonald, Gainey, Dionne, Sittler.
After that you've got Vachon (who should be in there) and guys like Resch, P. Mahovolich, Martin, Gare and Leach who were all playing like HOFers at the time. Only Jimmy Watson is the only so called non-star on that team.
But even though this may not be the best Canadian team of all time I can't help but think there will be nearly just as many HOFers on this team. So I checked it out, its closer than you think if you want to base it on projection.
Shoo-ins or potential future HOFers:
Brodeur - No one on the face of the earth will debate this
Luongo - Already was second team all-star in '04 by 25
Pronger - Hard to believe the one time NHL MVP wont make it
Blake - Is a former Norris Trophy winner and four time post season all-star
Redden - He'll need some post season all-star selections first
Sakic - Shoo-in
Thornton - By the end of his career looks to be a lock
Heatley - Should be one of the best players in the NHL for 10 years
Richards - Won a Conn Smythe already as well as a Cup and a World Cup
Lecavalier - If only he plays the way we know he can this World Cup MVP could
Nash - Led the league in goals when he was only 20
Iginla - He'll need more strong seasons and onother MVP calibre year, or repeat '04
Staal - If he keeps this up he'll leave a strong legacy
Spezza - Needs to do this every year consistently. Plus he should have quite a few strong playoff runs with Ottawa
That comes to 14. Not too bad considering most of those guys will make it, and maybe some I left off will too. Bouwmeester, St. Louis, Bertuzzi, Gagne