Updated - June 23 at 6:05pm
Congratulations to Brian Leetch upon his election to the Hall of Fame.Â
Tomorrow the NHL will announce the players it has chosen to enter the Hall of Fame Class of 2009. Three of the four players that are in their first year of eligibility are almost shoe-ins to make it on the first ballot. Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille, in my mind, are a lock. Brian Leetch is a question mark.
What can you say about Steve Yzerman? Fans in Detroit would have you believe that Yzerman is the all time greatest Captain and leader in NHL history. Ranger fans might beg to differ but Yzerman was a career long Red Wing who never left his team and town for more money. Yzerman played on one leg for the entire Stanley Cup series in 2002. There is no question that No. 19 would make it in on the first ballot.
Love him or hate him, Brett Hull is in that elite group of +700 goal scorers and is a hockey legacy. He’ll take his rightful place along side the Golden Jet in the Hall. Thank goodness he’ll make it in as a player because, after suggesting Dallas sign Avery, he won’t get in for his executive skills.
What can you say about Lucky Luc? He’s the highest scoring left wing of all time and the reason Brendan Shanahan was still in the game and chasing that elusive 668 this season. While Robitaille may never have been a powerforward, a winner of three Cup rings and the ringleader of the New Rules Summit, Luc is the face of the LA franchise in a way that Marcel Dionne and Wayne Gretzsky weren’t. I will be shocked if his name isn’t announced tomorrow.
That leaves Brian Leetch as the fourth name that might get the nod tomorrow. Leetch, a two time Norris winner, the 1994 Conn Smythe recipient (first American)Â and the greatest American defenseman of his era has to duke it out with a host of others still waiting for their call to the hall, including friend and teammate Mike Richter.Â
Among other eligibles still waiting are Eric Desjardins, Andrew Cassels, Scott Young, Shawn McEachern, Trevor Kidd, Doug Gilmour, Pavel Bure, Adam Oates, Dino Ciccarelli, Phil Housley, Dave Andreychuk and Tom Barrasso. Doug Gilmour, just honored by the Leafs might get the nod before Rangers Richter or Leetch.
John Davidson will be given the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a broadcaster. Having watched and listened to hockey for in excess of 50 years, I can honestly say that JD was the best. I’m happy he has found a less stressful job and taken his place with the younger breed of GM’s in their 50’s like Donny Maloney. Some older general managers just don’t know when it’s time to go… Â
This year’s induction ceremony will be held on Nov. 9. I would like to see all these handsome men dressed formally and with a sense of occassion.  Let’s hope they have a dignified ceremony in Toronto, not Las Vegas and that Chaka Khan isn’t the guest entertainer.
Posted under New York Rangers
This post was written by m hurley on June 22, 2009
