The Hockey Hall of Fame announced its 2020 class on Wednesday, mixing no-brainers (Jarome Iginla) with some surprises. Like a clock, people pump shots about “snubs” from the Hall of Fame.
During the last episode of “Our Line Starts”, Keith Jones and Patrick Sharp don’t go so far as to throw out the word “snub”.
Sharp and Jones, however, shared their future Hall of Fame choices with host Liam McHugh. You can watch the full episode at the end of this post and the specific Hall of Fame clip in the video above.
[MORE: Who the PHT staff would have inducted into the 2020 HHOF]
Let’s see its most outstanding options:
Jones and Sharp make the strongest Hall of Fame cases for Alexander Mogilny
In my opinion, the most fascinating thing about Mogilny is his legacy of deserting to play hockey in North America.
But it’s also interesting to find out “what” Mogilny people think of when you ask them about the gifted extreme. Maybe it’s a matter of age, but as much as I enjoyed his work on other teams, my first thought is about his time with the Canucks.
However, Jones puts a lot of emphasis on Mogilny’s time with the Devils. Mogilny won a Stanley Cup with the Devils in 1999-2000, helping defense-obsessed New Jersey with a much-needed offense.
(Of course, Mogilny didn’t set the playoffs on fire, scoring two goals and seven points in 23 games during that run. However, his postseason production was impressive.)
Really, we should probably remember Mogilny more for his explosive days with the Sabers. After all, he became the first European captain of an NHL team with Buffalo.
However, the Hall of Fame discussions are not always about the concrete. Some of it boils down to feelings. Jones explains that his memory of trying to defend Mogilny inspired a feeling of fear. Fear of being burned by Mogilny’s speed and skill. Jones was far from alone.
Daniel Alfredsson
Pretty simple case here. Alfredsson accumulated considerable individual statistics and served as the face of the senators franchise for years.
Sharp said it was probably “a matter of time” for Mogilny to settle, but that could also be true for Alfredsson. I’ll admit that I released “Scott Niedermayer” when Sharp asked me if anyone had anything bad to say about Alfredsson.
(On the other hand, Niedermayer probably let Alfredsson’s tantrum go a long time ago, anyway.)
Tkachuk and other mentions
- Jones seemed quite emphatic about Keith Tkachuk’s Hall of Fame credentials. (No, I don’t think it’s a Keith thing.)
Jones points to Tkachuk’s 538 goals (33rd of all time), the most eligible players not in the Hockey Hall of Fame. It’s likely a great compliment that Jones said he hated playing against Tkachuk.
- Speaking of Tkachuk, Jones linked him to a former teammate of forward John LeClair.
Of course, Jones recognized that Tkachuk boasts longer longevity and a comparable peak. LeClair’s best years, a strong playoff job with the Habs, running in the “Legion of Doom” line, led Jones to say that LeClair joined Eric Lindros as the best “duo” in the league for some weather. I’m not sure I agree there, but I generally appreciate the Hall of Fame arguments for quality over quantity.
- Sharp mentions Rod Brind’Amour, a name that has been gaining popularity recently.
Whether “Rod the Bod” is induced or not, it’s a delight to see more love for the dominant two-way forwards. And it’s not as if Brind’Amour was an offensive idler.
(Was “Rod the Bod” lazy in any literally or figuratively? / Asks while hunched over.)
As former players, Jones and Sharp reflectively mention many of their contemporaries. Regardless, it’s interesting to hear his insight about Mogilny and others who think they should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“Our Line Starts” talks about Mogilny and other Hockey Hall of Fame contenders
Start-11: 08 – Reaction to this year’s HOF class (Netherlands, Hossa, Iginla, Lowe, St-Pierre, Wilson)
11: 10-16: 45 – Who should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame (or not): Mogilny? Alfredsson? Tkachuk?
16: 45-End – Fantasy project for this year’s 24-team playoff tournament
Where else can you listen?
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1482681517
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nbc-sports/our-line-starts
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cDMHBg6NJkQDGe4KHu4iO?si=9BmcLtutTFmhRrNNcMqfgQ
NBC Sports on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nbcsports
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James O’Brien He is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Leave him a line at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.
