Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees

[Slingshot Suplex 0]

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylc=X3oD...ov=ap&type=lgns

 

TORONTO (AP) -- Ray Bourque needed 22 seasons to win a Stanley Cup. His wait to get into the Hockey Hall of Fame was much shorter.

 

Bourque, Paul Coffey and Larry Murphy were elected to the Hall of Fame on Wednesday in their first year of eligibility. Former Calgary and Toronto general manager Cliff Fletcher was chosen for induction in the builders' category by the 18-member selection committee.

 

Bourque, who played 22 NHL seasons, holds career records for defensemen in goals (410), assists (1,169) and points (1,579). The eighth overall pick in the 1979 draft, he won the Calder trophy as the league's top rookie. Bourque won the Norris Trophy as the league's defenseman five times.

 

He helped the Bruins make the playoffs for 17 consecutive years, but Boston only made it to the finals in 1988 and '90. He finally won the Stanley Cup in 2001 with Colorado.

 

``It's the highest honor,'' Bourque said of being elected. ``I got the call today and I got shivers all over.''

 

Coffey, the best rushing defenseman since Bobby Orr, is second to Bourque in goals (396), assists (1,135) and points (1,531) by a defenseman.

 

``When I got the call, I was a little emotional and taken back,'' Coffey said.

 

 

The sixth overall pick in the 1980 draft by Edmonton, Coffey won the Norris trophy three times. He was a key player on three championship teams in Edmonton and one in Pittsburgh.

 

He holds the NHL record for most goals in a season by a defenseman with 48, surpassing Orr's record in 1985-86.

 

The official induction ceremony is slated for Nov. 8 at the Hall of Fame in Toronto.

 

Murphy is second all-time in games played by a defenseman (1,615) and fifth all-time in points (1,216). He also won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Penguins and two more with the Detroit Red Wings.

 

``To be added to this group of players is a tremendous honour and something that I'll cherish for the rest of my life,'' he said.

 

Fletcher helped to build the Calgary team that won the Stanley Cup in 1989 and turned the Maple Leafs into contenders in the early 1990s.

 

``It's more than special for me, going in on the tails of three great defensemen like Ray, Paul and Larry,'' Fletcher said.

 

Among those players who did not receive enough votes for induction were Glenn Anderson, Kevin Lowe, Dino Ciccarelli, Mike Liut and first-year eligibles Kirk McLean, Tony Granato, Marty McSorley, and Esa Tikkanen.

 

 

 

Shame about Dino but it's hard to argue three of the best defensemen of their era.

[CanadianChris 0]

TORONTO -- Ray Bourque needed 22 seasons to win a Stanley Cup. His wait to get into the Hockey Hall of Fame was much shorter.

 

Bourque, Paul Coffey and Larry Murphy were elected to the Hall of Fame on Wednesday in their first year of eligibility. Former Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher was chosen for induction in the builders' category by the 18-member selection committee.

 

Bourque, who played 22 NHL seasons, holds career records for defensemen in goals (410), assists (1,169) and points (1,579). The eighth overall pick in the 1979 draft, he won the Calder trophy as the league's top rookie. Bourque won the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman five times.

 

He helped the Boston Bruins make the playoffs for 17 consecutive years, but Boston made it to the finals only in 1988 and '90. He finally won the Stanley Cup in 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche.

 

"It's the highest honor," Bourque said of being elected. "I got the call today and I got shivers all over."

 

Coffey, the best rushing defenseman since Bobby Orr, is second to Bourque in goals (396), assists (1,135) and points (1,531) by a defenseman.

 

"When I got the call, I was a little emotional and taken back," Coffey said.

 

The sixth overall pick in the 1980 draft by the Edmonton Oilers, Coffey won the Norris trophy three times. He was a key player on three championship teams in Edmonton and one with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

 

He holds the NHL record for most goals in a season by a defenseman with 48, surpassing Orr's record in 1985-86.

 

The official induction ceremony is slated for Nov. 8 at the Hall of Fame in Toronto.

 

Murphy is second all-time in games played by a defenseman (1,615) and fifth all-time in points (1,216). He also won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Penguins and two more with the Detroit Red Wings.

 

"To be added to this group of players is a tremendous honor and something that I'll cherish for the rest of my life," he said.

 

Fletcher helped to build the Calgary team that won the Stanley Cup in 1989 and turned the Maple Leafs into contenders in the early 1990s.

 

"It's more than special for me, going in on the tails of three great defensemen like Ray, Paul and Larry," Fletcher said.

 

Among those players who did not receive enough votes for induction were Glenn Anderson, Kevin Lowe, Dino Ciccarelli, Mike Liut and first-year eligibles Kirk McLean, Tony Granato, Marty McSorley, and Esa Tikkanen.

Good for them...not really any surprises, though.

 

Any thoughts on Esa Tikkanen's candidacy? I put him as a marginal candidate, but one with a decent shot at getting in, thanks to being a good player on all those great Oilers teams.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Glenn Anderson isn't in yet? I could've sworn he was inducted with Lafontaine.

[starvenger 0]

Once again Dino Ciccarelli gets no love...

[Red Baron 0]

Once again Dino Ciccarelli gets no love...

congrats to Bourque making it to the HHOF

 

 

and I think Dino is probably one of the most under-rated hockey players in the game.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Dino has 500+ goals! Not to mention he personally puinked Patrick Roy multiple times!

 

let him in.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

Dino should get in. Glenn should, but I think he ran into some trouble with the law or something. I'd love to see Esa Tikkanen in...he was great. And I find it hilarious that Kirk McLean actually got HoF votes.

[Cartman 0]

Bourque has always been my all time fav. Athlete and it's a great day to see him offivially in the HHOF.

 

Congrats Ray!

[tbondrage99 0]

Congrads to Bourque, & Coffey, both deserve to be in there for sure, and much like everyone else I wonder where the love is for Dino.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Merged the two threads. Carry on.

[nl5xsk1 0]

None of the inductees was a surprise. Murphy was the most questionable, but even his numbers are HHOF-worthy.

 

And I think that Dino is fucked, too many great players are on their way into the Hall, it'll be tough for him to get the necessary votes. If it doesn't happen in the next 2 years, it'll most likely not happen.

 

And how come no one else is complaining about McSorley not getting the nod? Come on, the man's a legend. Marty-balls for the Hall!

[Slingshot Suplex 0]

Nah ,Murphy was pretty much a slam dunk HOF guy. 4 Cups and isn't he in the top 5 for defensemen scoring all time?

 

As for Dino, I think he'll eventually get in. He was up against too much competition this year for sure. I think this was his 3rd year of eligibility though. I'm not as sure about Anderson or Tikkanen. I dug Esa but I don't see him being HHOF worthy.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Maybe the committe remembers Dino getting the morning paper, without his pants on.