Of the following, who would you elect to the Hockey Hall of Fame and why?

Question

(BTW, I have purposely left off obvious choices Mark Messier and Steve Yzerman for reasons I hope you all understand)

You can only choose ONE of the following...

1. Glenn Anderson
2. Guy Carbonneau
3. Dino Ciccarelli
4. Theoren Fleury
5. Paul Henderson
6. Brett Hull
7. Claude Lemieux
8. Kevin Lowe
9. Andy Moog
10. Scott Stevens

Note: Other than the two mentioned at the top, who are guaranteed spots in the HHOF, if there is someone you feel is deserving, no longer plays hockey, and is not listed here - feel free to suggest them.

I have since thought of other names I wish I had included, but since several responses have already been posted, it would be unfair for me to change the details now. Thanks for the answers thus far - very interesting points.

Answer 1

Don't be so quick to say Glenn Anderson is guaranteed a spot in the HOF. Personally i'm torn on him, would he have been as good if he played elsewhere where he didn't have Mess, Gretz and Kurri??
You cannot however argue with Dino Ciccarelli he played for a bad teams in Minnesota, Washington, Detroit, Tampa and Florida. He scored 1200 (608G, 592A) pts in 1232 games, he also had 118 pt (73G) in 141 playoff games

Answer 2

Wow hard choice between Hull and Claude Lemieux and even Scott Stevens. I haven't been watching long enough to recognize a lot of the others or it may be easier to pick. I recognize old Dino as well, just don't really remember watching him. Probably would go with Scott Stevens. In part because I would think Hull would have a good chance, might take an extra year but I figure he would get in without much trouble.

Answer 3

When I answer these types of questions I think mostly about one thing -- what did this player do to get his team the Stanley Cup, which is what Hockey is all about?

Well that doesn't exactly narrow it down too much for THIS list, but I would go with Brett Hull. As he got older the regular season Goals were fewer but in the playoffs they came when it mattered most.

Had you let me pick a second person, I'd have gone with Scott Stevens. And had you let me pick a third I'd have gone with Kevin Lowe who did all the little unnoticed things that mattered on a team where everything else WAS noticed.

Answer 4

Brett Hull and Scott Stevens should be on your "obvious" list, too. They are shoo-ins.

Of the remaining ones on your list, I would go with Carbonneau. Defensive forwards do not get enough credit, and he won the Smythe Trophy, what? Three times? Kevin Lowe would be a good pick, too. Defensive defensemen get even less respect than defensive forwards, because they don't even have their own trophy to measure them with.

I personally think Claude Lemieux is overrated. He had his good years, but look at how many he slumped off and didn't do squat? His overall numbers are not good enough, and he was a leech. My grandma could have won the Cup with the Devils and Avs when he was with them. Those were stellar teams, Lemieux or no Lemieux. So he's out on my list.

Answer 5

Easy, Brett Hull. The "Golden Brett", son of the "Golden Jet" Bobby Hull is a shoe in for the Hall. He is ranked 20th on the all time points list, 3rd for most goals ever behind only "The Great One" and Gordie Howe and was a winner of 2 Stanley Cups.

Answer 6

Brett Hull is basically garaunteed a spot, as is Scott Stevens. Of the remaining choices Glenn Anderson is probably the best candidate.

Answer 7

Objectively speaking, you have to say Brett Hull. He was 3rd all-time in goal scoring. He was always critisized for his one dimensional play but when he was in Detroit they had him killing penalties and he was a team leader in assists as well. He is only hated for choosing to play for team USA instead of team Canada during international play.

I like Scott Stevens but lets be honest about it. The guy was a premier stay-at-home defenseman. His was not a skill position but a job of obstruction and checking. I admire his dedication and hard work.

Theo, I love little Theo but he sullied himself and the game with his behaviour. Plus, he just doesn't have the credentials to beat out some of the others.

Claude Lemieux. What would warrant him getting in the hall of fame. He had a poor work ethic (remember Don Cherry and his "Claude the Fraud" label), never produced offensively, was a dirty player and only ever showed up in the playoffs. He had one moderate regular season when he was in Colorado. He belongs to the "Hall of Shame."

Answer 8

Brett Hull, easily. He and Scott Stevens should be on your list of shoe-ins. Lowe and Anderson are penalized for the success of their teammates, but both deserve to be there.

Moog and Lemieux don't deserve comparison to the others on the list and I'd vote for Adam Graves ahead of Carbonneau. Paul Henderson goes in as a Canadian hero, not an NHL standout.

Answer 9

Brett Hull: his pure offensive prowess; his career in St. Louis and Dallas were extremely important to both of those organizations and got a Cup to Dallas... his role was smaller in Detroit but he was insurance for a Cup win there

Scott Stevens: an all-time leader for games played in the season, the play-offs, and the Stanley Cup Finals; 3 Cup wins and a Conn Smythe

Claude Lemieux: 3 Cup wins with 3 different organizations; he was arguably the best scrapper in front of the net causing pains to goal-tenders and defensemen; is maybe the dirtiest player to ever play but he was a difference maker; won the Conn Smythe in 1997 (I think, but he won it one year for sure)

Guy Carbonneau: a great leader and a great defensive forward, won the Selke twice (maybe 3 times; this is off my head so sorry to the stats people out there); one of my favorite players ever

Brett Hull gets in first.

Answer 10

Of those on the list, I would have to go with Brett Hull. He was the most pure goal scorer of his era, and if he had the benefit of playing with Detroit early in his career, he might have broken some scoring records. Imagine him on a line with either Yzerman or Federov centering.