Dandy Dale Denied Hockey's Hall

[lmanchur.]

(this post refers to the most recent NHL article on Sports Central, written by yours truly... CLICK HERE (http://www.sports-central.org/sports/nhl/articles/article57.shtml) to read it.)

What do you all think about Dale Hawerchuk? Here are some of the stats I pointed out -- clear reasons why he should be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Taken from SC's most recent NHL article (http://www.sports-central.org/sports/nhl/articles/article57.shtml)
Hawerchuk is ranked 13th on the NHL's all-time scoring list. Every player ahead and below him in that category, up to 23rd is in the Hall of Fame.

Hawerchuk is the only player, along with recently un-retired hockey legend Mario Lemieux, to have played under 17 seasons in the league and be on the top 20 in NHL all-time scoring. Hawerchuk, however, is the only player in that list not in the Hall of Fame.

Hawerchuk has is ranked 23rd in all-time goals scored, with 518. He is now the only player in the top 30 in that category to not be elected.

Hawerchuk is ranked 13th all-time in assists. Every other player in the top 25 in this category is also in the Hall.

The centerman is ranked 7th in all-time points in his position, and there are as many as 50 players whose numbers are below his, but are in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is inducting 2 players this season in Marc Savard and Joe Mullen. ... Mullen and Savard's stats are crushed by those of Hawerchuk's. While Hawerchuk posted 1,409 career points, Savard had 1,353, and Mullen had just 1,063.

(Stats taken from The Winnipeg Free Press (http://www.winnipegfreepress))

[Marc]

Yeah, great article - it's a shame he didn't get in. Hopefully the petition will do something!

[lmanchur.]

...for those that have not yet read the article, the URL petition, found on PetetionOnline.com, is at the following link.... CLICK HERE (http://www.petitiononline.com/ducky/)

[Edited by SC-Lee on 12-28-2000 at 11:11 PM]

[Colin M.]

He'll get in eventually. If a goalie that hasn't played a game in the NHL is in the hall of fame than Hawerchuk will get in.

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by Colin M.
If a goalie that hasn't played a game in the NHL is in the hall of fame than Hawerchuk will get in.

Who is that?... my mind goes blank when you say that -- the only one taht I can think of is Tretiak, but I'm sure he had a short stint in the NHL.

Also, as I said in my article, your career numbers don't improve over time -- they get worse.... more people will pass you on the all-time list, and so they get worse and your accomplishments don't seem as great.

...speaking of Tretiak, should Paul Henderson be in the Hall of Fame?.. after all, it is the Hockey Hall of Fame, and not the NHL Hall of Fame.

[Colin M.]

Actually I was reffering to Tretiak. I seem to remember hearing that he never played in the NHL. I could be wrong though.

You do bring up an interesting point about this being the hockey hall of fame and not the NHL. I suppose that would justify Tretiak being in the Hall of Fame. I suppose this line of logic would have to eliminate Paul Henderson. 1 goal, no matter how important shouldn't put you in the hall of fame. The Hall of Fame, afterall, is supposed to be reserved for the legends of hockey. Maybe there could be a section for the entire Soviet and Canadian teams.

[lmanchur.]

Originally posted by Colin M.
1 goal, no matter how important shouldn't put you in the hall of fame. The Hall of Fame, afterall, is supposed to be reserved for the legends of hockey. Maybe there could be a section for the entire Soviet and Canadian teams.

In the Summit Series, Henderson was tied for the series lead in goals with 7 (Espo & Alexander Yakushev were the others)... PLUS the GWG in #6, #7, and, of course, #8 in that series... is being the best player in such an important series not enough!?

Maybe not, but Henderson did have 236 NHL goals and 447 NHL points, as well as 283 WHA points. I think he shoul definitely be in the Hall of Fame... his NHL career was not spectacular, but he set hockey history and for that, he should be in the hall of fame.

...I'll do some research into Tretiak, but I have to go now!!!

[Colin M.]

Does anybody think Kharlamov (spelling?) should be in the hall of fame? I don't know much about his stats while playing Soviet hockey but he was one of the Soviet Union's best players during the 1972 series. He must have been a great player if Bob Clark felt the need to break his ankle.

[lmanchur.]

...The Hockey Hall of Fame web site (http://www.hhof.com/cgi-bin/perl?/naviskat/cgi-bin/member.pl+&w-P198903&t-v&i-s72stats.htm) has no NHL stats or recaps for Tretiak, so I guess he only played internationally.... how could 16 guys from North America elect him, but not Paul Henderson!?