Zetterberg: HHOF?

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

I'd say now's a good time to revisit this conversation. Zetterberg is eligible for next year's hall class, and could get in. So my question is: Will he?

Let's review his accolades:


1x Stanley Cup
1x Conn Smythe
1x All-Star
1x King Clancy
1x Olympic Gold
1x Olympic Silver
1x WC Gold
1x WC Silver
2x WC Bronze
Triple Gold Club
960 points in 1082 games
120 points in 137 playoff games
Calder runner-up
5 consecutive top 10 Selke finishes
Long time Captain of an Original Six team

But there are things that hurt his chances. For one, he never won a major personal scoring trophy. He also has less than 500 goals and less than 1000 points, even though he was nearly .9 points per game in his career. Never won a Selke, even though he was a premier defensive forward, though he should have won it in 2008, imo. I also think Hossa getting in helps his chances.

For context, the Sedins are both eligible next year as well.

So what says all of you?

Click to read more...

 

[SuperScript29]

Any idea who else is eligible? I'm not sure what the rules are or how many players can get in?

If the Sedins are in, Zetterberg should have no problem getting in either.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Yes.

 

[Henkka]

All Conn Smythe guys should go to Hall of Fame.

 

[Ricelund]

All Conn Smythe guys should go to Hall of Fame.

Justin Williams, Cam Ward, Brad Richards, JS Giguere, Claude Lemieux, Mike Vernon, and Tim Thomas are HOFers?

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Yes.

One of a very select few in the triple gold club.
He was a top 5-10 player in the league between 2005 and 2008, and was a top 20-25 player from 2009 until 2015 when his injuries started to slow him down even more. Even when he wasn't able to take over a game offensively he was still one of the best defensive forwards in the league. Severely underrated.
Zetterberg was robbed of the Calder by Barret Jackman, and was robbed of at least 1 Selke trophy, and about 5 top-3 nominations for the award. (How TF does Toews have the 2013 Selke instead of Zetterberg?!)
Amazing playoff performer and was the most important forward for us in every postseason run from 2005 till we no longer made it.

If they let in Kevin Lowe and keep out Zetterberg then I call shenanigans.

 

[PullHard]

As someone else mentioned on the main board, would be cool to see a Swedish group get in next year (Zetterberg, Sedins, Alfredsson)

 

[TheMule93]

Pretty borderline, if he won a few selkes it would be a no brainer

 

[kliq]

Justin Williams, Cam Ward, Brad Richards, JS Giguere, Claude Lemieux, Mike Vernon, and Tim Thomas are HOFers?

I think Thomas has a case. 1 of only 22 goalies ever to win multiple Vezina trophies, dominated during his time in the NHL. Knock on him was that he had a short NHL career as he started in the NHL around 30.

 

[Kronwalled55]

The Olympic success combined with his NHL success should make it an easy 'yes' I would think.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I never thought he would be a first ballot guy, he is better than Hossa though so who knows. He will get in eventually for sure in my opinion.

 

[GMR]

He will get in. Should be on the first ballot, but the league will likely induct the Sedin girls ahead of him.

 

[MBH]

I really don't give a f*** about "first ballot this or that."

 

[kliq]

I really don't give a f*** about "first ballot this or that."

Ya, its not really a fair marker as it all depends on who else is in the respective class.

 

[MBH]

I never thought he would be a first ballot guy, he is better than Hossa though so who knows. He will get in eventually for sure in my opinion.

Hossa 1309 games 525-609-1134, 3 Cups
Zetterberg 1082 games 337-623-960, 1 Cup, 1 Olympic Gold


Hossa is in the Hall.
Z will be there.
So will Datsyuk.

3 players with top abilities who were dedicated on the defensive side of things.

Hossa, by the way, is also one of the top-performing Olympic forwards of his era.
He beats all players 1990-current in points per game at 1.474.
He was an all-time great.

 

[MBH]

Ya, its not really a fair marker as it all depends on who else is in the respective class.

And lots of other shit. Players known to be unfriendly to the media tend to get punished around HOF voting.
Players who spent careers on shitty teams away from the limelight don't get the same publicity as those who had the same kinds of careers in big markets or great teams.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Pretty borderline, if he won a few selkes it would be a no brainer

Which he should've had.

Datyuk was great defensively and had the gaudy takeaway stats but when it came time for the toughest assignments, like shutting down star players in the playoffs on the PK, Zetterberg generally got the nod.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Hossa 1309 games 525-609-1134, 3 Cups
Zetterberg 1082 games 337-623-960, 1 Cup, 1 Olympic Gold


Hossa is in the Hall.
Z will be there.
So will Datsyuk.

3 players with top abilities who were dedicated on the defensive side of things.

Hossa, by the way, is also one of the top-performing Olympic forwards of his era.
He beats all players 1990-current in points per game at 1.474.
He was an all-time great.

Yup and he was never better than the third best player on his team during any of his deep playoff runs, including being behind Zetterberg. I don't think Hossa isn't a HHOF, my point is he wasn't a better player than Zetterberg so for him to go in a first ballot guy no less gives me zero worries that Z will somehow be left out.

 

[MBH]

Yup and he was never better than the third best player on his team during any of his deep playoff runs, including being behind Zetterberg. I don't think Hossa isn't a HHOF, my point is he wasn't a better player than Zetterberg so for him to go in a first ballot guy no less gives me zero worries that Z will somehow be left out.

And I think outside of Red Wings fans and Swedish fans, you're not going to find a ton of support for your position.
Hossa, first ballot or not, is a Hall of Famer - no questions asked.
Zetterberg is a bit of a debate away from Wings boards.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

And I think outside of Red Wings fans and Swedish fans, you're not going to find a ton of support for your position.
Hossa, first ballot or not, is a Hall of Famer - no questions asked.
Zetterberg is a bit of a debate away from Wings boards.

He was never a top 10 player in the game, Zetterberg was heck Zetterberg was a top 5 player in the game for a few years. Have at the argument away from the board on his best deep run teams he was at best the third best player on his team. When he was in Detroit he was behind Zetterberg in that pecking order as well. Not really a tough argument to make. Honestly he is the worst First ballot guy though some of that is just the year being that way, but he knocked Matt Sundin out of that spot. To think Brenden Shanahan had to wait on a second ballot...

You need to win a game who do you want?

Zetterberg was even better than him defensively. Triple gold member, same amount of post-season all-star teams, has a Smythe and an actual argument for being the best player in the world for a calendar year. It is also the hockey hall of fame as you pointed out and while Hossa put up some nice counting stats and I get he played for a country that was going to have a harder time Zetterberg's international resume is fantastic. I don't see any case where he is borderline, especially after the last couple of classes. What Hossa's selection really did was make me wonder why I don't argue his case more vociferously in terms of First Ballot, he was a better player in every regard.

 

[Bench]

His stellar international resume puts him over the top. He's a significant reason Sweden was such a force.

 

[simonedvinsson]

And I think outside of Red Wings fans and Swedish fans, you're not going to find a ton of support for your position.
Hossa, first ballot or not, is a Hall of Famer - no questions asked.
Zetterberg is a bit of a debate away from Wings boards.

Cause Wayne Gretzky is basically a nobody:

"My favorite player over the last 10 years has been [Henrik] Zetterberg. I think Zetterberg is the best player in the game [at his age]. He's been so physically beat up from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Olympics, all that goes with that, but he's just very special. I think he's the best Swedish player they've ever put into the National Hockey League, and there has been a lot of great ones, from [Borje] Salming to [Nicklas] Lidstrom." (Five Questions: Gretzky believes Kings can repeat, circa January 2013)

I suspect Zetterberg will get into the hall just fine.

 

[Bench]

1x Stanley Cup

That fact that's only 1 is so criminal.

 

[Fil Larkmanthanasiou]

Rhetorical question?

 

[TooFlashy]

He was never a top 10 player in the game, Zetterberg was heck Zetterberg was a top 5 player in the game for a few years. Have at the argument away from the board on his best deep run teams he was at best the third best player on his team. When he was in Detroit he was behind Zetterberg in that pecking order as well. Not really a tough argument to make. Honestly he is the worst First ballot guy though some of that is just the year being that way, but he knocked Matt Sundin out of that spot. To think Brenden Shanahan had to wait on a second ballot...

You need to win a game who do you want?

Zetterberg was even better than him defensively. Triple gold member, same amount of post-season all-star teams, has a Smythe and an actual argument for being the best player in the world for a calendar year. It is also the hockey hall of fame as you pointed out and while Hossa put up some nice counting stats and I get he played for a country that was going to have a harder time Zetterberg's international resume is fantastic. I don't see any case where he is borderline, especially after the last couple of classes. What Hossa's selection really did was make me wonder why I don't argue his case more vociferously in terms of First Ballot, he was a better player in every regard.

Hossa>>Zetterberg