WOW! This has to be the best group in the history of the Hall.
Or at least close to it.
The longest serving captain in the history of the NHL, winner of three Cups, and 6th in career points. One of the best defenseman the NHL has seen, and arguably the best American born defenseman to play in the NHL. The third leading goal scorer in NHL history, and first son of a hall-of-famer to be inducted. And the highest scoring left wing in NHL history. Or in other words: Steve Yzerman, Brian Leetch, Brett Hull, and Luc Robitaille.
Leetch, Robitaille, Hull, and Yzerman
I have watched these guys their whole careers. I remember listening to the radio broadcast of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft when the Wings selected Yzerman fourth overall. I remember being awed at Hull’s ability to one-time a puck from the left side of the ice so quickly that even if the goalie did get in it’s path, the puck would probably put a hole through him. I remember how Robitaille scored 45 goals as a rookie, and everyone thought he had no chance of putting up those kind of numbers again, only to follow that with seven straight seasons of scoring 44 or more goals. And I always remember Leetch’s cool demeanor on the ice. It was like nothing ever phased the guy. No matter how hard his opponents fore-checked, he wasn’t going to make a mistake and cough up the puck.
Also, part of this class is New Jersey Devils president Lou Lamoriello, elected in the builder category. Mr. Lamoriello certainly deserves this honor. He has headed up the Devils through many great years. Other then Martin Brodeur, how many superstar, big-name players can you name that have played for the Devils in the last 15 years? Uh yeah, you struggle to do this. Yet during this period the Devils went to the Stanley Cup Finals four times, and won the Cup three times. And every year, the (damn) Devils are always in the thick of the playoffs. Lou and his staff always put together a great hockey team.
What makes this class special for me is the inclusion of Yzerman. It has been talked about halfway through his career that he would end up in the Hall. After captaining back-to-back Cups, it was just a matter of him retiring. To top it off, for those of you that don’t remember, Yzerman, Robitaille, and Hull all played together on the Detroit Red Wings’ team that won the 2002 Stanley Cup.
Some have called this team one of the greatest the NHL has ever seen. This cover of ESPN the Magazine also highlights six other members of that Wings team. Five of the six should end up in the Hall of Fame as well (Chris Chelios, Nick Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov, Dominik Hasek, and Brendan Shanahan), with the six member, Igor Larionov, already a member (inducted last year).
Congratulations to the class of 2009!
June 24th, 2009 at 7:08 am
First “good” move for the Wings in the off season (WAY over due)………
Chelios has already reached out to teams to play another year………
DETROIT — Chris Chelios won’t be with the Detroit Red Wings next season.
Chelios
Wings general manager Ken Holland tells The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press he met with the 47-year-old and Chelios wouldn’t be offered another contract.
The Associated Press left a message for Holland Monday evening seeking comment.
Holland tells the News it was “kind of understood last summer” when Chelios signed a one-year deal that it would be his last.
Holland says Chelios wants to play another season and believes the veteran player can still play.
Detroit signed Chelios in 1999, and Holland calls him “just a perfect role model for young players.”
He had no points and a plus-1 rating in 28 games this season.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
June 24th, 2009 at 7:26 am
You just like bashing Chelios, don’t you John.
And yes, it was a good move. Quite honestly, it had been known for a while that the Wings weren’t going to resign him.
June 24th, 2009 at 8:53 am
I never liked him as a Hawk, or as a Wing. Traitor to the end. He could never play Kennan hockey. I think it’s funny he’s looking for another year on the ice with another team. Really…… How can ANY 40+ year old guy think he can cover a 19 or 21 year old on the ice these days. It’s a joke. Chelios should slip away and make chilli at his restaurants and await his call to the Hall (that I think is undeserved).
J
June 24th, 2009 at 9:05 am
You called it first…… Now the local PA pappers agree……. I still don’t like him, or the move he made.
MARIAN HOSSA DID THE PENGUINS A FAVOR
Had Hossa accepted any of the Penguins’ multi-year offers last summer, they would not have been able to keep Malkin and Staal, or D Brooks Orpik, and probably faced a shorter-term deal with Fleury. Instead, those four are under contract for the next four seasons. Now Crosby and the Penguins have a dynastic vibe going. Chances are Hossa will have to go through the group he jilted to get near the Cup.