Does Kent Nilsson Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Kent Nilsson has the highest APG and PPG of any eligible NHL player not yet in the Hockey Hall of Fame, he is the only eligible player in the Top 10 in APG and PPG not in the Hall.

Why is a player with Top 10 career rate stats not in the Hall of Fame? Does it have to do with how he left the NHL? Does it have to do with his games played and inflated ’80s stats?

Listen to us discuss Kent Nilsson’s Hockey Hall of Fame case:

Kent Nilsson’s Career:

• NHL:
  • 1979-1987 plus a six game comeback in 1994-95; 8 seasons, all quality (excluding comeback)
  • Total:
    • 264G,
    • 422A for
    • 686P,
    • -20 in
    • 553 games;
    • 52.4 PS
  • Per Game: Nilsson is
    • 10th All Time in APG and
    • 9th All Time in PPG
  • In his draft class (1976), Nilsson, drafted 64th overall, is
    • 3rd in Goals
    • 4th in Assists
    • 2nd in Points
    • 6th in Point Shares
    • Despite being 12th in Games Played
  • Era: Of the 113 players to play in at least 500 games between 1979 and 1987, Nilsson is
    • 17th in Goals
    • 14th in GPG
    • 11th in Assists
    • 9th in APG
    • 10th in Points and PPG
    • 75th in Plus/Minus
    • 12th in OPS
    • 26th in PS
  • 82-game average: 40G, 62A for 102P, -3
  • 3-year peak (1980-83): 82-game average of 50G, 68A for 117P, 0
  • No possession stats available
  • Playoffs:
    • 11G,
    • 41A for
    • 52P,
    • +1 in
    • 59 games
    • Era: Of the 153 skaters to play in at least 41 playoff games between 1979 and 1987, Nilsson is
      • 75th in playoff Goals
      • 76th in playoff GPG
      • 22nd in playoff Assists
      • 9th in playoff APG
      • 30th in playoff Points
      • 25th in playoff PPG
      • 81st in playoff Plus/Minus
  • Adjusted:
    • Hockey-Reference:
      • 208G,
      • 338A for
      • 546P
      • Adjusted 82-game average: 32G, 50A for 81P
      • Adjusted PPG: Not in the Top 25
    • VsX: Doesn’t qualify
  • Trades:
    • Traded at 30 with a 1986 3rd Rounder (Bad Turner) at the 1985 draft to Minnesota for a 1985 2nd Rounder (Joe Nieuwendyk) and a 1987 2nd Rounder (Stephane Matteau)
    • Traded at 32 at the trade deadline to Edmonton for cash
• WHA:
  • 1977-79; 2 seasons, both quality
  • Totals:
    • 81G,
    • 133A for
    • 214P,
    • +28 in
    • 158 games
  • Didn’t play long enough to qualify for the career Per Game leaderboards
  • Era: Can’t look up WHA stats with fixed endpoints
  • 82-game average: 42G, 69A for 11P, +15
  • Playoffs: 5G, 19A for 24P, +1 in 19 games
  • Never traded.

Kent Nilsson’s Accomplishments:

• NHL:
  • Top Player:
    • Top 10 Player (by PS) once (‘81)
    • Top 5 Offensive Player (by OPS) once  (‘81)
  • Goals:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Top 10 in Goals once
    • GPG leade-boards:
      • Top 10 in GPG once
    • Single-season totals:
      • 45 goals twice,
      • 40 goals three times,
      • 35 goals four times,
      • 30 goals five times,
      • 25 goals six times
  • Assists:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in Assists once,
      • Top 10 twice
    • APG leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in APG once
    • Single-season totals:
      • 80 assists once,
      • 60 assists twice,
      • 50 assists four times,
      • 40 assists seven times
  • Points:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in Points once, Top 10 twice
    • PPG leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in PPG once
  • Single-season totals:
    • Scored 130 points once (1 only 23 players ever),
    • 100 points twice,
    • 90 points four times,
    • 80 points five times,
    • 60 points seven times,
    • 50 points every season he was in the league (excluding his comeback)
  • All Star:
    • 2 All Star Game appearances.
• WHA:
  • Kaplan (‘78) – aka the WHA Calder
  • Deneau (‘79) – aka the WHA Byng
  • Goals:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in Goals once,
      • Top 10 both seasons he was in the league
    • GPG leader-boards:
      • Top 10 in GPG both seasons he was in the league
    • Single-season totals:
      • 40 goals once,
      • 35 goals both seasons he was in the league
  • Assists:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in Assists once,
      • Top 10 both seasons he was in the league
    • APG leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in APG once, Top 10 both seasons he was in the league
    • Single-season totals:
      • 60 assists both seasons he was in the league
  • Points:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in Points once,
      • Top 10 both seasons he was in the league
    • PPG leader-boards:
      • Top 5 in PPG once,
      • Top 10 both seasons he was in the league
    • Single-season totals:
      • 100 points both seasons he was in the league
• Eliteserien (1988-89)
  • Guldpucken (MVP)
• Serie A (1987-88):
  • Led the league in Points by a margin of 39
• Note: It’s possible he led other leagues in points but it’s too hard to find the information.

Kent Nilsson’s Great Teams

• NHL:
  • Top 6 Forward (by points) on one Champion (‘87 Oilers) and one Final Four (‘81 Flames – missed games)
• WHA:
  • Top 3 Forward (by points) on one Avco Cup Champion (‘79 Jets),
  • Top 6 Forward (by points) one Avco Cup Champion (‘78 Jets)
• Canada/World Cup:
  • Best Forward (by points) on one Canada Cup Runner Up (‘84 Sweden)
• World Championships:
  • Best Forward (by points) on one World Championship Runner Up (‘90 Sweden)
• World Juniors:
  • Top 3 Forward (by points) on one WJC Bronze (‘75 Sweden), Injured? On one WJC Bronze (‘80 Sweden)
• European Juniors:
  • Best Player (by points) on one European Junior Champion (‘74 Sweden) and one Runner Up (‘75 Sweden)
• Eliteserien:
  • Injured on one Elitserien Champion (‘89 Djurgårdens IF)
• Serie A:
  • Best Player (by points) on one Serie A Champion (‘88 Bozen-Bolzano)
• Superliga Esponalo de Hockey:
  • Best Player (by points) on one Superliga Espanola de Hockey Hielo Champion (‘98 CH Majadahonda)
• Note: Could be missing some lesser league championships