Today is the day many hockey lifers have been waiting for, as a few esteemed individuals will get their call from the Hall today. The 2023 class will be as follows:
Ken Hitchcock – builder
Pierre Lacroix – builder (posthumously)
G Tom Barrasso – player
G Henrik Lundqvist – player
F Caroline Ouellette – player
F Pierre Turgeon – player
G Mike Vernon – player
Hitchcock’s induction as a builder comes as no surprise. He’s been a staple in the NHL coaching fraternity for decades, known for his tactical brilliance and ability to transform teams into contenders. With a career spanning over 1,500 games coached, Hitchcock boasts an impressive coaching resume that includes a Stanley Cup victory with the Dallas Stars in 1999 and a Jack Adams Award with the St. Louis Blues in 2012. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and emphasis on defensive play, he’s left an indelible mark on the sport. After stints with the Stars (twice), Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, and Edmonton Oilers, Hitchcock last coached in 2018-19.
Lacroix’s posthumous induction is obviously a bit of a bittersweet moment. As the former general manager of the Colorado Avalanche, Lacroix was instrumental in building one of the most dominant teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Under his guidance, the Avalanche won two Stanley Cups in 1996 and 2001. Best known for pulling off one of the most impactful trades in NHL history by acquiring netminder Patrick Roy from the Montreal Canadiens, Lacroix was Colorado’s general manager dating back to the team’s final season in Quebec, 1994-95, before transitioning to a president role in 2006. Lacroix passed in December 2020 at the age of 72.
To the surprise of many, this year’s class includes a trio of goalies – although a notable absence remains in Curtis Joseph, who sits seventh in league history in wins and games played. Barrasso was a name many had wondered about for a while in regards to his Hall of Fame likelihood, known for his fierce competitiveness and exceptional athleticism. He backstopped the Pittsburgh Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup victories in 1991 and 1992, and although his career numbers of a .892 save percentage and 3.24 save percentage are far from impressive (even for his era), he was known as one of the more clutch goalies in the league over his 19-season career. The five-time Vezina nominee totaled 777 NHL games, mostly with the Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. 51 of those 777 games were spent in short stints with the Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Now, for the only first-time eligible player on this list, Lundqvist (or “The King” to most in New York) captured many hearts during a long and admirable career with the Rangers. One of the best to ever play the position without winning a Stanley Cup, Lundqvist’s consistency allowed him to be the nucleus of Rangers teams that routinely made it deep into the playoffs throughout the 2010s. He was a perennial Vezina Trophy finalist and became the Rangers’ all-time leader in wins, clearing second-place Mike Richter by over 150. He technically retired as a member of the Washington Capitals, although a career-ending heart issue kept him out of the lineup during his only season there.
Vernon is the true wild card on this list, although he made a name for himself as the backbone of the Calgary Flames, leading them to their first and only Stanley Cup victory in 1989. His fiery demeanor and unwavering determination made him a fan favorite in the city, and he’s among the top 25 netminders in NHL history in terms of longevity. One Vezina nomination and play that wavered wildly throughout his career may have made his election to the Hall a surprise for some, but he is one of the more hallowed names in Flames history.
On the offensive side, Ouellette’s induction solidifies her as one of the most prolific scorers of the 21st century. A longtime member of the Canadian women’s national team, Ouellett has an unparalleled list of achievements in women’s hockey. She captured four Olympic gold medals while recording 1.3 points per game, six World Championship gold medals, and four CWHL championships. She was also appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2019 and named to the IIHF Hall of Fame earlier this year.
Last but not least is Turgeon, whose offensive prowess and playmaking ability made him a natural choice for induction. Over his 19-year NHL career, Turgeon amassed over 1,300 points and showcased his scoring touch with five seasons of 40-plus goals. Known for his smooth skating and exceptional vision on the ice, Turgeon was a force to be reckoned with, leaving a lasting impression with the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, and St. Louis Blues – also spending chunks of time with the Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche.
It’ll have to wait another year for notably snubbed stars like Alexander Mogilny and Sergei Gonchar, both of whom should be statistical locks based on some comparable players who’ve already been inducted.
Mogilny shafted yet again, glad Turgeon finally got in.
So Hank getting in on 1st ballot surely confirms Jumbo Joe Thornton and Patty Marleau are 1st ballot, right?
Still waiting for Mogilny… Almost to the racist card the longer he is out and Kariya is in… No other logic.
Why racism specifically? And why is Kariya the comparison? I recall both and statistically they are very well match so I can see the argument that if one than the other should be in as well. But this happens in all sports where a guy gets left out even though he is directly comparable and sometimes even distinctly better than someone who is in. But I’m not sure about racism being the reason frequently.
Anyway, can you expand your comment a little? I’d like to understand your reasoning. Thanks.
Kariya was a phenomenal player whose career ended too soon to injury. He deserves to be there. Implying his race is why he was inducted is frankly pathetic, and shows you have a poor perception.
Thank you – having poor perception from your perspective is the best compliment I’ve gotten on this site.
Well my reasoning is thus.
Kariya: GP: 989 G: 402 A:587 P: 989 PperG = 1.0
Lady Byng Awards x 2
Zero cups. One cup final appearance.
Mogilny: GP: 990 G: 473 A: 559 P: 1032 Pper G = 1.04
Lady Byng Award x 1
1 cup. 2 cup final appearances (and another conference final)
One has higher metrics in almost every category, has a cup and more SCF pedigree.
Unless I missed something, 1 Lady Byng does not exceed greater games, goals, points, points per game and a cup.
So what gives? I’ve seen zero line of reasoning to explain this from any commentator that can be verified by data or logic. So what is left?
Could it be that one is Canadian and one is Russian? Who knows but it’s a theory that holds more water than any other I’ve seen so far. I appreciate that you asked a question rather than being instantly triggered into denouncing any North American racism could ever exist.
I think you’re very confused about what racism is. The word you’re looking for is “ethnophobia”.
Uh… no. I don’t think the HHOF are scared of ethnic Russians. I think they may have unconscious bias which is discrimination based on race – that’s racism, buddy. Look it up :-)
Enjoy life dude, I’m not wasting any more time on a dullard. Like I said, thank you for disagreeing, it tells me I’m in the right ballpark.
Russian isn’t a race you “dullard”.
Curtis Joseph – 454 wins, 2.79 GAA, .906 save % & isn’t in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Tom Barrasso – 369 wins, 3.24 GAA, .892 save % gets elected today as does Mike Vernon with 385 wins, 2.98 GAA, .890 save %. Yes, Barrasso & Vernon have Cups, but they both played on better teams than CuJo did. Can you really hold it against Cujo that he doesn’t have a Cup when you’ve elected other goalies (Luongo, Lundqvist) who never won a Cup. CuJo is 7th on the all-time wins list & is the only goalie who is hall-of-fame eligible in the top 10 to not be in the hall.
I’ll raise you Ozzie’s 3 cups and 401 wins!
And Ozzie’s lifetime .902SA and 2.49GA
OSGOOD? Seriously? What Osgood was good at was not screwing things up for the rest of the team. In only two of eighteen seasons did he ever lead the league in anything. In only three of eighteen seasons was he significantly above league average in GSAA. In only four seasons did he receive ANY Vezina votes, and in only three seasons was he in the top ten among goalies in All-Star votes.
Vernon was another one of those Hall of Very Good picks the voters like to squeeze in (especially if they have Cup rings), and he doesn’t belong in the HHOF, but even he’s a better pick than Osgood.
Vernon was exposed to a lot more offense in the 80’s. Don’t forget all of the times he played the Oilers.
I see it a bit different… Ozzie has more wins, fewer losses, better GAA, better saver percentage, more Cups. On career stats, Ozzie has Vernon beat.
Two of the three top 5 Vezina finishes came before Brodeur and Hasek were in the NHL. I am not sure there was much competition at the time. NHL goalie talent in mid and late 80’s and the goalie talent in the 90’s are two very different things.
Most importantly, the 1997 Conn Smythe was outright stolen from Fedorov. If his name were John Smith, he’d be the winner. Vernon played well and made some timely saves, but Fedorov was the MVP of that team. Vernon was unceremoniously traded almost immediately after winning that Conn Smythe, which says everything you need to know about how valuable Scotty thought he was.
It didn’t take Vernon to win the Cup. It took Shanahan… he was the final piece. And it took Fedorov playing with a broken rib, another reason to give him the Conn Smythe, but the league screwed him over. The next season the Wings won it again… without Vernon.
So yeah… I see it a bit different.
Tom Barrasso seems like a “counting stats” inclusion. Like the Phil Niekro of the HHOF.
jeez…who’s wife did Mogilny bang? Without a doubt the biggest snub out there now.
Also, don’t hate the Vernon Induction but if he’s in, Cujo, Osgood and Richter should be in.
I disliked Barrasso, but he’s a legit HOF’er. Calder AND Vezina as an 18 year old out of high school, two Cups, lots of wins, long career. Easy call, actually.
But, Pierre Turgeon??? GTFOH. If you looked at his stat sheet, sure…anyone who watched him play while understanding hockey at the same time realizes this is a joke.
Mogilny isn’t a HOF’er either, but he’s right there. Turgeon is ridiculous.
Osgood will get in now that Verny has paved the way.
Turgeon has 500 goals, 1300 points, and was a point- per-game player over a 20 year career. That ain’t bad.
So…you looked at his stat sheet, then?
He was a tin man who was never once a difference maker on a winning team. Not once.
There is NO way on Earth he is a HOF worthy player.
Bummer for Mogilny, but Barasso and Vernon FTW… Those dudes were $$$ in their Cup runs.
I liked Barrasso but he shouldn’t be in the Hof.
3 goalies in 1 year and Joseph wasn’t 1 of them. Not sure about that
As a Penguins fan back in those Cup years in the early 90’s, I know how good Barrasso was at times. As Bernie Parent said back then, Barrasso was the best goalie in the league. When he was on top of his game, he was as good as anyone I’ve watched play. But, when he was off his game, he could really be bad. For that reason, it seems a bit of a stretch that he got in the HoF. My guess is Ron Francis being on the voting committee had a lot to do with it.
Not sure about Vernon or Lundqvist either. If they’re in, then there should be a lot of goalies getting in the next few years. Vernon was a money goaltender though, no doubt about that.
Just glad Poile didn’t get in. That would truly reward mediocre longevity over greatness.
Barasso, who I wasn’t a fan of, was one of the best if not the best when he was on one of those hot streaks, and defended well for a team that didn’t play much on defense. He probably would’ve had more recognition back then if it wasn’t for Hasek. It was a period of time when goalies were plentiful, which may be part of the reason why some from that era aren’t in yet. Cujo, Oz, Richter, Eddie B…all worthy. As for Lundqvist, during his tenure he ‘was’ the Rangers. Not sure they make a cup run without him. If it wasn’t for him, there’d be some pretty bad seasons.
Turgeon was railroaded by Good Ol’ Hockey Men who never forgave him for not leaving the bench and engaging in a senseless brawl when he’s never been in one in his life and his hands are best used for scoring. Same people who let Kevin Lowe in before him and actually had the balls to attempt to justify it. This is the greatest HHOF snub and they fixed it.
Barrasso was Hall of Very Good, while Vernon is a slightly better choice. Lundqvist is a no-brainer. No one cares about the cups… it’s a team sport heavily dependent on competent management and owners with deep pockets. Lundqvist was a better individual goaltender than the other two guys and I think the eye test for 15 years proved it.
This leads to my two remaining major snubs– Chris Osgood and Curtis Joseph.
A quota for women’s hockey is beyond stupid. The sport’s not nearly developed enough and the competition is lacking, as US and Canadian players put up video game numbers. You can promote women’s hockey without forcing a square peg into a round hole.
The only one who railroaded Turgeon was Dale Hunter.
Turgeon made Phil Kessel seem like Rick Tocchet.
He piled up points at the peak of NHL offense and NEVER once made an impact to help a team win anything of substance.
He’s not even Hall of Very Good material.
Yet he found his way in despite no one wanting him there and meatheads like Rich Tocchet and Pat Verbeek have to beg their Good Old Hockey Boy pals for jobs and will never for a million years be considered for HHOF.
Funny how putting up a shitload of points in a sport where you have to outscore opponents matters in the end.
If you think Turgeon was a better player than either of those guys…
LOL.
But good job at reading numbers on a screen.
Where is Fran Rider? Vicky Sunohara?
Another year, another Rod Brind’Amour snub.
To be fair, Brind’Amour was always a second line center.