Does Ralph Cooney Weiland Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Cooney Weiland set the single-season points record in 1930, but it was a banner year for the league and multiple other players could have broken the record if he didn’t. He led the playoffs in points twice, too. Seems like maybe a slam dunk.

However, these were the only great years of Weiland’s career and his career was pretty middling otherwise. Does someone like this belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame? Listen to us talk about Cooney Weiland’s Hall of Fame case here:

Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 1971: Cooney Weiland, Gordon Roberts, Busher Jackson, Terry Sawchuk

Cooney Weiland’s Career:

  • NHL: 1928-39; 11 seasons, 7 quality by modern standards of PPG
  • Totals:
    • 173G (12th All Time at his retirement),
    • 162A (12th All Time at his retirement) for
    • 335P (11th All Time at his retirement) in
    • 509 Games (20th All Time at his retirement);
    • 54.6 Point Shares (16th All Time at his retirement);
    • At his retirement, Weiland was 14th All Time in Offensive Point Shares
    • At his retirement, Weiland was the t-18th Forward All Time in Defensive Point Shares
  • Per Game: Weiland doesn’t qualify for any Per Game leader-boards, but if we lower the qualifiers so he does (150G, 150A, 300P), at his retirement, Weiland was
    • 12th All Time in GPG at his retirement
    • T-11th All Time in APG at his retirement
    • 10th All Time in PPG at his retirement
  • Era: Of the 33 skaters to play in at least 410 games (5 modern seasons) between 1928 and 1939, Weiland is
    • 5th in Goals
    • 5th in GPG
    • 8th in Assists
    • T-10th in APG
    • 5th in Points
    • 5th in PPG
    • 5th in Offensive Point Shares
    • T-9th in Defensive Point Shares
    • 5th in Point Shares
    • 1st in Games Played
  • 82-game average: 28G, 26A for 54P
  • 3-year peak (1929-32): 44-game average of 27G, 19A for 46P
  • Playoffs:
    • 12G (t-13th All Time at his retirement),
    • 10A (t-18th All Time at his retirement) for
    • 22P (t-13th All Time at his retirement) in 
    • 25 playoff Games (t-20th All Time at his retirement)
    • Per Game: Obviously Weiland doesn’t qualify for the leader-boards, but if we lower the qualifiers so he does (10G, 10A, 20P), at his retirement, Weiland was
      • 17th All Time in playoff GPG
      • 18th All Time in playoff APG
      • T-15th All Time in playoff PP
    • Era: Of the 14 skaters to play in at least 41 playoff games between 1928-39, Weiland is
      • T-4th in playoff Goals
      • 4th in playoff GPG
      • T-7th in playoff Assists
      • 8th in playoff APG
      • T-4th in playoff Points
      • T-5yth in playoff PPG
      • 8th in playoff Games
  • Adjustment for Era:
    • Hockey-Reference:
      • 309G
      • 440A for
      • 749P
      • Adjusted 82-game average: 50G, 71A for 121P (+67P per 82 games)
      • Per Game: doesn’t qualify (but with no qualifier he’d be something like 15th All Time in Adjusted PPG)
    • VsX:
      • 333G
      • Assists: doesn’t qualify
      • 726P
      • Per Game:
        • T-18th All Time in VsX PPG;
        • If the qualifier is raised to 410 Games, Weiland is
          • 25th All Time in VsX GPG
          • Still t-18th All Time in VsX PPG
  • Trades:
    • Traded at 23 into the NHL for cash
    • Traded at 27 to Ottawa for Joe Lamb (26) and cash
    • Traded at 29 to Detroit for Carl Voss (26) and cash
    • Traded at 30 with Walt Buswell (27) to Boston for Marty Barry (29) and Art Giroux (27)

Cooney Weiland’s Accomplishments:

  • Top 5 in Hart voting once
  • Back Check MVP (’30, ’31)
  • Back Check Best Player (’30)
  • All Star:
    • 2nd Team All Star once
  • Top Player:
    • Best Player (by PS) once (‘30)
    • Best Offensive Player (by OPS) once (‘30)
    • Top 10 Offensive Player twice (‘31)
  • Goals:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Led the league in Goals once
      • Top 5 twice
    • GPG leader-boards:
      • Led the league in GPG once
      • Top 10 twice
    • Single-season totals:
      • 40 goals once (1 of only 4 skaters ever at his retirement – Clapper, Morenz, Malone)
      • 20 goals twice
  • Assists:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in Assists once
      • Top 10 three times
    • APG leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in APG once
      • Top 10 three times
  • Points:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Led the league in Points once
      • Top 10 twice
    • PPG leader-boards:
      • Led the league in PPG once
      • Top 10 twice
    • Single-season totals:
      • Set the single season record in Points (by 22, held the record through 1944)
      • Scored 70 points once (only player ever at his retirement, was the only player to score 70 points until 1943, only player to score 60 points until 1941)

Cooney Weiland’s Great Teams:

  • NHL:
    • Best Player? (led playoffs in goals and points) on one Final Four (‘31 Bruins)
    • Top 3 Forward (led playoffs in assists and points) on one Runner Up (‘30 Bruins)
    • Top 3 Forward (by points) on one Champion (‘29 Bruins)
    • Top 6 Forward (by points) on one Runner Up (‘34 Wings)
    • Role Player (didn’t score) on one Champion (‘39 Bruins) and one Final Four (‘38 Bruins)
  • Junior:
    • Best Player? On one Memorial Cup Champion (‘24 Greys)

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