Does Ralph Busher Jackson Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Though seemingly forgotten by many Leafs fans, Busher Jackson was one of the greatest Left Wings in Maple Leafs history, leading both the league and the playoffs in scoring once and making four All Star 1st Teams.

The question is, does he belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame? Listen to us talk about Busher Jackson’s Hall of Fame case here:

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

Busher Jackson’ Career

  • NHL: 1929-44; 15 seasons, 12 quality (by modern PPG standards)
  • Totals:
    • 241G (5th All Time at his retirement – Stewart, Morenz, Joliat, Denneny),
    • 234A (4th All Time at his retirement – Cowley, Boucher, Syd Howe) for
    • 475P (3rd All Time at his retirement – Stewart, Morenz) in
    • 633 Games (6th);
    • 61.5 PS (15th)
    • At his retirement, Jackson was 9th All Time in Offensive Point Shares
  • Per Game: At his retirement, Jackson was
    • 8th in GPG;
    • Jackson doesn’t quality for APG or PPG, but if we lower the qualifiers so he does, at his retirement he was
      • T-5th All Time in APG (Cowley, Watson, Boucher, Syd Howe)
      • 3rd All Time in PPG (Morenz, Stewart; only 5 players and only 1 actually qualifies)
  • Era: Of the 11 skaters to play in at least 492 games (6 modern seasons) between 1929 and 1944, Jackson is
    • 1st in Goals
    • 2nd in Assists
    • 1st in Points
    • 2nd in Offensive Point Shares (sort of 1st Forward)
    • 7th in Defensive Point Shares
    • 2nd in Point Shares (sort of 1st Forward)
    • 3rd in Games
  • 82-game average: 31G, 30A for 62P
  • 3-year peak (1931-34): 48-game average of 27G, 21A for 48P
  • Playoffs:
    • 18G (3rd All Time at his retirement – Drillon, Bruneteau; Jackson was the career leader in playoff goals from 1937 through 1940)
    • 12A for
    • 30P (t-11th All Time at his retirement) in
    • 72 games (1st All Time at his retirement)
    • Per Game: Jackson doesn’t qualify for the leaderboards, but if we lower the qualifiers so he does, at his retirement, Jackson was
      • 15th All Time in playoff GPG (last among qualifying players)
      • 12th All Time in playoff PPG (last among qualifying players)
    • Era: Of the 39 skaters to play in at least 41 playoff games between 1929 and 1944, Jackson is
      • 3rd in playoff Goals
      • 13th in playoff GPG
      • T-18th in playoff Assists
      • 28th in playoff APG
      • T-8th in playoff Points
      • T-22nd in playoff PPG
      • 1st in playoff Games
  • Adjustment for era:
    • Hockey-Reference:
      • 390G, 
      • 489A for 
      • 879P
      • Adjusted 82-game average: an 51G, 63A for 114P
      • Per Game:
        • 14th All Time in Adjusted GPG
        • Doesn’t qualify for APG and PPG
    • VsX:
      • 485G
      • 605A
      • 980P
      • Per Game:
        • 13th All Time in VsX Adjusted GPG
        • 12th All Time in VsX Adjusted PPG
  • Trades:
    • Traded at 28 with Buzz Boll (28), Doc Romnes (30), Jimmy Fowler (24), Murray Armstrong (23) to the Americans for Sweeney Schriner (27)
    • Traded at 30 for cash

Accomplishments

  • Back Check Best Player (’32)
  • All Star:
    • 1st Team All Star four times
    • 2nd Team All Star once
  • Top Player:
    • Top 10 Player (by Point Shares) four times (’32, ’33, ’35, ’37)
    • Top 5 Offensive Player (by Offensive Point Shares) five times (’32, ’33, ’34, ’35, ’37)
  • Goals:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in Goals four times,
      • Top 10 six times
    • GPG leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in GPG five times
    • Single-season totals:
      • 25 goals twice (1 of only 16 players ever at his retirement),
      • 20 goals five times (1 of only 11 players ever at his retirement)
  • Assists:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in Assists once,
      • Top 10 three times
    • APG leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in APG twice,
      • Top 10 three times
  • Points:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Led the league in Points once,
      • Top 5 four times,
      • Top 10 five times
    • PPG leader-boards:
      • Led the league in PPG once,
      • Top 5 five times
    • Single-season totals:
      • 50 points once
  • VsX:
    • Best 7 Seasons:
      • Goals: 34th All Time
      • Assists: 134th All Time
      • Points: 44th All Time
    • Best 10 Seasons:
      • Goals: 33rd All Time
      • Assists: 126th All Time
      • Points: 57th All Time

Busher Jackson’s Great Teams

  • NHL:
    • Best Skater (led the playoffs in points) on one Runner Up (’35 Maple Leafs),
    • Top 3 Forward (by points) on one Champion (’32 Maple Leafs) on one Runner Up (’33 Maple Leafs),
    • Top 6 Forward (by points) on two Runners Up (’36 Maple Leafs, ’43 Bruins) and one Final Four (’42 Bruins),
    • Top 9 Forward (by points) on two Runners Up (’38, ’39 Maple Leafs) and one Final Four (’34 Maple Leafs)

Jackson was one of the better offensive players in the league for five years but he did not have as great individual success in the playoffs. (Jackson was in the playoffs constantly because he was on a good team in a small league.)

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