Does Sergei Gonchar Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

We doubt Sergei Gonchar is a name many would have considered for induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

But he had a rather great career despite his lack of accolades.

In our latest episode, we debate whether or not Sergei Gonchar deserves to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Listen here:

Sergei Gonchar’s Career:

• NHL: 1994-2015; 20 seasons, 18 quality
• Totals:
  • 220G (16th D All Time),
  • 591A (17th D, 5th USSR) for
  • 811P (16th D),
  • +33 in
  • 1301 games;
  • 23:40 ATOI (since 1998-99);
  • 141.9 PS (14th D, 2nd USSR)
  • Gonchar is 2nd All Time among USSR-born players in Defensive Point Shares
• Per Game: Among defensemen, Gonchar is
  • 17th All Time in GPG and
  • 24th in PPG
• In his draft class (1992), Gonchar, drafted 14th overall, is
  • 5th in Goals
  • 1st in Assists and Points
  • But 2nd in Games Played
• Era: Of the 11 players to play in at least 1250 games between 1994 and 2015, Gonchar is
  • 10th in Goals and GPG
  • 5th in Assists and APG
  • 8th in Points and PPG
  • 6th in Plus/Minus and OPS
  • 2nd in DPS
  • 4th in PS
• 82-game average: 14G, 37A for 51P, +2
• 3-year peak (2000-03): 82-game average of 22G, 42A for 62P, +8; 24:40 ATOI; 11.4 PS
• Possession (since 2007-08 – 475 games):
  • 50% Corsi For
  • -0.9% Relative Corsi For
  • 49.6% Fenwick For
  • -1.5% Relative Fenwick For
• Playoffs:
  • 22G,
  • 68A for
  • 90P,
  • +3 in
  • 141 games
  • Era: Of the 63 D to play in at least 82 playoff games between 1994 and 2015, Gonchar is
    • 6th in Goals
    • 7th in GPG
    • 5th in Assists
    • 8th in APG
    • 6th in Points
    • 7th in PPG
    • 40th in Plus/Minus
• Adjusted:
  • Hockey-Reference:
    • 244G,
    • 652A for
    • 896P
    • Adjusted 82-game average: 15G, 41A for 56P
    • Per Game: Gonchar is obviously not in the Top 25 in Adjusted PPG
  • VsX:
    • Goals: doesn’t qualify
    • 697A
    • 830P
    • Per Game: Gonchar is obviously not in the Top 25
• Trades:
  • Traded just before his 30th birthday to Boston for Shaone Morrissonn (31) and a 2004 1st Rounder (Jeff Schultz)

Sergei Gonchar’s Accomplishments

• Top 5 in Norris Voting four times
• Top Play:
  • Top 5 Defensive Player (by DPS) once (‘96)
• Goals:
  • 25 goals once (1 of only 24 D ever),
  • 20 goals twice,
  • 15 goals six times (1 of only 21 D ever)
• Assists:
  • APG leader-boards:
    • Top 10 in APG once
  • Single-season totals:
    • 50 assists twice, 40 assists five times
• Points:
  • 60 points three times,
  • 50 points nine times (1 of only 13 D ever)
• Plus/Minus:
  • Top 10 in Plus/Minus once
• All Star:
  • 2nd Team All Star twice
  • 4 All Star game appearances
• VsX Peak:
  • Best 7 Seasons:
    • Goals: doesn’t qualify
    • Assists: 137th All Time
    • Points: doesn’t qualify
  • Best 10 seasons:
    • Goals: doesn’t qualify
    • Assists: 113th All Time
    • Points: 248th All Time

Sergei Gonchar’s Great Teams

• NHL:
  • Best D on one Champion (‘09 Penguins) and one Runner Up (‘08 Penguins),
  • Best D (by points) on one Runner up (‘98 Capitals)
• Olympics:
  • Best D? (by points) on one Olympic Runner Up (‘98 Russia),
  • Unknown role (didn’t score but played) on one Olympic Bronze (‘02 Russia)
• World Championships:
  • Best D? (by points, but really guessing) on one World Championship Bronze (‘07 Russia),
  • Role Player? (by points and games) on one World Championship Runner Up (‘10 Russia)