I would give Koivu at least HoVG. One of the most underrated two-way centers in the league.
Completely agree with this. I've always been a huge Koivu fan. He's the kind of player that a lot of people don't realize how good he is or how much he means to the team until he's not there anymore.
I remember the first game I ever saw him play in person, when he was still in the AHL. The first thing I noticed about him was that he did everything -
everything - exactly right. Not just right - I mean textbook,
exactly right. No matter what the situation, watching the way he reacted to it was like watching a coaching video. I did not notice him make a single mistake all night. There were a few times where I thought, "jesus, why did he do that?", but then a few seconds later I saw why. He was anticipating the play and putting himself into a position where the play would come to him, and it always did. I was very impressed.
The second thing I noticed was his leadership, how much he steadied the game down just by being on the ice. When he was on the ice, the whole team seemed to relax and play better. They played more patiently, more disciplined, they stayed on the right side of the ice, they were in position, they knew their assignments... everything. The whole team just elevated their play when he was out there. I don't know if I've ever personally witnessed another 20-year old player have that kind of effect, at least not to that degree. He was in complete command.
He's not pretty, he's not flashy, he's not the fastest skater or the prettiest passer or the hardest shot. He's just the guy who does everything right, and stabilizes the game so that the skill players have room to work. I've followed the guy's career since the day they drafted him, and he is absolutely my favorite Wild player of all time. I just hope this is the year he finally wins that ring.
So. Hall of Fame? Nah, probably not. He doesn't have the numbers or the highlight reels. But Hall of Very Good? Hell yeah. Yeah, there needs to be a place for that kind of player.