First off, congratulations to the inductees. I think all the NHL players are deserving. I remain rather confused as to why only 3 NHL players were inducted this year when one could argue there were other deserving players (cough Lindros cough). But just for shits and giggles lets go over the men who were inducted. Please see part 2 for the guys who didn’t make it.

Chris Chelios, D

Career:

• 25 seasons, 22 quality
• 185G, 763A for 948P, +350 (19th all-time) in 1651 games (5th)
• 82 game average of 8G, 38A for 47P, +17.
• Playoffs: 31G, 113A for 144P, +48 in 266 games
• Traded twice in his prime

Accomplishments:

• 3 Norris Trophies;
• Actual Best D twice (’89, ’92), Top 5 seven times (’91, ’93, ’95, ’00, ’02)
• Scored 20 goals once, scored 15 goals four times;
• Tallied 50 assists five times, 40 assists eight times;
• Scored 70 points three times, 60 points seven times, 50 points eight times;
• Led league in DPS four times
• 5 1st All-Stars, 2 2nds, 1 All-Rookie, 12 All-Star Games

Great Teams:

• Best skater on two runners up (’89 Habs, ’92 Hawks), Best D on one final four (’95 Hawks), Top 2 D on two Champions (’86 Habs, ’02 Wings) and two final fours (’84, ’87 Habs), Top 4 D on one final four (’07 Wings), Top 6 D (when healthy) on one Champion (’08 Wings);
• Captain of Olympic runner up (’02 USA);
• Top 4? D on one World Cup Champion (’96 USA), Top 2? D on one World Cup runner up (’91 USA)

That is some resume.

Scott Niedermayer, D

Career:

• 17 seasons, 16 quality
• 172G, 568A for 740P, +167 in 1263 games.
• 82 game average of 11G, 37A for 48P, +11.
• 3 year peak (’01-’04): 82 game average of 12G, 31A for 43P, +18, approx 24:55 ATOI
• Playoffs: 25G, 73A for 98P, +20 in 202 games.
• Never traded.

Accomplishments:

• Norris, Conn Smythe;
• Best D (’04), Top 5 thrice (’95, ’03), Top 10 five times (’96, ’07)
• Scored 15 goals once;
• Tallied 50 assists twice, 40 assists five times;
• Scored 60 points twice, scored 50 points five times;
• Led league in DPS twice
• 3 1st All-Stars, 1 2nd, 1 All-Rookie, 5 All-Star Games.

Great Teams:

• Best player on one champion (’07 Ducks), Best skater on one champion (’03 Devils), Best D on one champion (’95 Devils), one runner up (’01 Devils) and one final four (’06 Devils), Top 2 D on one champion (’00 Devils), Top 4 D on one final four (’94 Devils);
• Captain of one Olympic Gold medalist (’10 Canada), Top 2 D on one Olympic Gold (’02 Canada);
• Top 2? D on one World Cup Champion (’02) and one runner up (’96 Canada);
• Top 2? D on one World Champion (’04 Canada);
• #7 D on one World Junior Champion (’91 Canada)

I think a cursory look at Niedermayer’s regular season point totals suggests that he wasn’t all that good. But all those of who saw him likely think of him as the second best D of his generation, and he is second only to someone who was likely the 2nd best D of all-time. Moreover, looking at his ATOI and DPS we can see how valuable he really was.

And of course, all we really have to do is look at that playoff and international success. There isn’t really another Canadian skater or his era who can compare with that success.

Brendan Shanahan, W:

Career:

• 21 seasons, 19 quality
• 656G (13th), 698A for 1354P (25th) in 1524 games (13th), +151.
• 82 game average of 35G, 38A for 73P.
• 3 year peak (92-95): an 82 game average of 49G, 46A for 95P, +8
• Playoffs: 60G, 74A for 134P in 184 games, +31
• Traded twice in his prime.

Accomplishments:

• Top 5 offensive player (’94, ’00), Top 10 offensive player (’97, ’02)
• Scored 50 goals twice, scored 45 goals three times, scored 40 goals six times, 35 goals seven times, 30 goals twelve times, 25 goals sixteen times, 20 goals 19 times;
• 50 assists once, 40 assists six times;
• 100 points once, 90 points twice, 80 points four times, 70 points nine times, 60 points thirteen times, 50 points seventeen times;
• Top 5 in goals once, top 10 five times;
• Top 10 in +/- twice
• 8 all-star appearances, 2 1st teams, 1 2nd team.

Great teams:

• Top 3 forward on two champs (’97, ’02 Wings), Top 9 forward on one champ (’98 Wings), 4th liner / reserve on one final four (’88 Devils)
• Role player on one Olympic champ (’02)
• Top 6? forward on one World Cup runner up (’96), Role player on one Canada Cup champ (’91),
• Top 6? forward on one World Champion (’94).

What I said in the past:

Shanahan was perhaps never truly a dominant player but he has reached too many different milestones to not make the HOF: He’s got the championships, he’s got the total goals as well as as the single-season successes.

Also, he’s the rich man’s John LeClair: he is the only NHL player to score 600 goals and have 2000 penalty minutes. If you are inclined to view PIMs as toughness, then that should seal the deal for you. (Of course, if you think PIMs are perhaps the most ridiculous method for assessing player value ever devised, you might think he doesn’t belong.)

Moreover, Shanahan, like so many others (Recchi) played too long and hurt is PPG. Cutting off the last few years of his career would certainly do wonders to his 82 game average.

Though I think Bure and Oates were better players, I am nearly 100% confident that Shanahan will be inducted before them. Shanahan not only embodies traditional Canadian hockey cliches as a player, but he also plays the NHL politics game. How could he not be inducted?