[blueandwhite]

The committee gathers today to discuss the eligible players. maximum of 4 each year, and this is the list they will be looking at:
Mark Messier.
Scott Stevens.
Al MacInnis
Ron Francis.
Igor Larionov.
Adam Oates.
Claude Lemieux.
These would be the front runners. I've never been a fan of Stevens, but he'll get in.
Those who are still waiting to get in?
Dougie Gilmour.
Kevin Lowe.
Dino Ciccarelli.
Pavel Bure.
Rogie Vachon (!).
Some international figures, like Alexander Maltsev and Vladimir Petrov who were, as it says in the Star, "part of a nine world championships and 2 Olympic gold medals with the USSR".

Somebody let Rogie in!

[Lefty Noob]

Picking just four would be tough for me. I'd love to see most of those guys get in - Messier, Stevens, McInnis, Francis, Oates, Gilmour, Bure, Ciccarelli, maybe even Lemieux, Lowe and Larionov. Those were the guys who were big when I first got into hockey. I really don't know how many of those guys are deserving, statistically, but speaking solely in fandom those guys will always be synonymous with hockey for me.

[blueandwhite]

some of the stats listed:
messier won the hart and pearson, the Conn Smythe, and 6 Cups. he played 236 playoff games, rpoduced 109 goals, 295 points. he's second to gretzky for regular season points and 2nd to Howe in games played.
Stevens has 3 Cups, won the Conn Smythe.
Macinnis has a cup, won the Norris and the conn Smythe.
Francis won 2 cups, the Selke trophy, 3 lady byngs.
larionov won 3 cups - got to the NHL when he was already 28.
Lemieux has 4 cups from 3 different teams, the Conn Smythe- man he was an annoying player.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Messier without a doubt will get in now...

Followed by Stevens, and Francis...

The rest is a toss up for this ballot, but I favor Pavel Bure the Russian Rocket...though it can easily be Ciccarelli or Gilmour...Larinov only if his International career is in play.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Messier without a doubt will get in now...

Followed by Stevens, and Francis...

The rest is a toss up for this ballot, but I favor Pavel Bure the Russian Rocket...though it can easily be Ciccarelli or Gilmour...Larinov only if his International career is in play.

It should be. I'm pretty sure it's the Hockey Hall of Fame, not the NHL Hall of Fame, so it'd have to look at a player's entire body of work. Er, right?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

It should be. I'm pretty sure it's the Hockey Hall of Fame, not the NHL Hall of Fame, so it'd have to look at a player's entire body of work. Er, right?

Then Larinov over Bure...

[blueandwhite]

Definitely, international game counts too.
I would love to see gilmour get in.
Francis too.

[oggie oglethorpe]

This year it should be:
- Messier
- Bure
- Oates
- Macinnis

[blueandwhite]

I hope they also take into consideration how one player helped one team - not just numbers, but how he lifted a team above average, inspired fans.
That's why Gilmour should get in.
Bure I'm not a fan of - he was amazing for the time he was allowed to play, but all he really cared about was $$.
He has elements of greatness, but over players like Francis and MacInnis, I think he doesn't have the complete picture.

[Lefty Noob]

The class is official - Mark Messier, Ron Francis, Al MacInnis and Scott Stevens.
Messier, Francis, MacInnis, Stevens earn spots in Hockey Hall of Fame - NHL - Yahoo! Sports