Does Al Macinnis Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Al Macinnis’ spot in the Hall is not in dispute. What’s at issue is where MacInnis belongs among the greatest D of All Time.

Listen to us talk about Al MacInnis here:

Al MacInnis’ Career:

• 23 seasons, 20 quality (by DPS)
• Totals:
  • 340G (3rd D All Time), 
  • 934A (16th skater All Time, 3rd D) for 
  • 1274P, (3rd D)
  • +371 (16th, 10th D – 9th at his last full season) in 
  • 1416 games (6th D All Time at the end of his last full season); 
  • 195 PS (9th All Time, 3rd D – 2nd D at the end of his last full season); 
  • 27:13 ATOI (only last 5 seasons!)
• MacInnis is 9th All Time in Defensive Point Shares
• MacInnis is 3rd All Time among D in Offensive Point Shares
• MacInnis is 7th All Time in GPG, 5th in APG and 5th in PPG among qualifying D
• Draft: MacInnis was drafted 15th overall in 1981, in his class he is
  • 3rd in Goals (1st D)
  • 2nd in Assists (1st D)
  • 3rd in Points (1st D)
  • 1st in Plus/Minus
  • 3rd in Games (2nd D)
  • 1st in Point Shares
• Era: Of the 6 D to play in at least 1,312 games (16 seasons) between 1983 (MacInnis’ first full season) and 2003 (MacInnis’ last full season), MacInnis is
  • 1st in Goals
  • T-1st in GPG
  • 2nd in Assists
  • 2nd in APG
  • 2nd in Points
  • 2nd in PPG
  • 3rd in Plus/Minus
  • 2nd in Offensive Point Shares
  • 4th in Defensive Point Shares
  • 2nd in Point Shares
• 82-game average: 20G, 54A for 74P, +21
• 3-year peak (1988-91): 80-game average of 25G, 66A for 91P, +34; 12.6 PS
• No possession stats
• Playoffs:
  • 39G (5th D All Time, 4th at his retirement),
  • 121A (10th All Time, 4th D, 3rd at his retirement) for 
  • 160P (22nd All Time, 5th D, 4th at his retirement),
  • +11 in
  • 177 Games (14th D, 11th at his retirement)
  • MacInnis is 7th All Time in GPG, 4th in APG and 5th in PPG among qualifying D
• Adjusted:
  • Hockey Reference:
    • 325G (4th D All Time),
    • 875A (20th All Time, 4th D)
    • 1200P (4th D)
    • 82-game average of 18G, 51A for 69P
    • If the qualifier is set to 1230 games (15 seasons), MacInnis is 17th All Time in Adjusted APG [We haven’t done enough research to figure out where he ranks only among D]
  • VsX: 
    • 328G (220th),
    • 942A (26th) for
    • 1,114P (50th)
    • If the qualifier is set to 1230 games (15 seasons) MacInnis is 24th All Time in Adjusted APG [Again I didn’t do enough research to figure out where he ranks among D]
• Trades: Traded just before his 31st birthday with a 4th Round Pick (nobody) for Phil Housley (30) and 2nd Rounders (Steve Begin and John Tripp)

Al Macinnis’ Accomplishments:

• Norris (‘99)
• Top 5 in Norris voting 5 other times
• Top Player:
  • Top 5 Player (by PS) twice (‘90, ‘91), Top 10 six times (‘87, ‘89, ‘94, ‘99)
  • Best Defensive Player (by DPS) once (‘99), Top 5 three times (‘89, ‘91), Top 10 five times (‘90, ‘01)
  • Top 10 Offensive Player (by OPS) once (‘91)
• Goals:
  • Single-season Totals:
    • 25 goals four times (1 of only 4 D ever: Coffey, Orr, Potvin)
    • 20 goals seven times (1 of only 6 D ever)
    • 15 goals eleven times  (1 of only 4 D ever: Bourque, Housley, Potvin)
• Assists:
  • Top 5 in Assists once, Top 10 three times
  • Top 5 in APG once
  • Single-season Totals:
    • 70 assists once (1 of only 9 D)
    • 60 assists twice (1 of only 14 D)
    • 50 assists ten times (1 of only 16 players, 3 D: Coffey, Bourque)
    • 40 assists fourteen times (1 of only 17 players, 5 D: Bourque, Lidstrom, Coffey, Murphy)
• Points:
  • Top in Points once
  • Top 10 in PPG once
  • Single-season Totals:
    • 100 points once (1 of only 5 D: Orr, Coffey, Leetch, Potvin)
    • 90 points twice (1 of only 5 D: Coffey, Orr, Bourque, Potvin)
    • 80 points four times (1 of only 5 D: Bourque, Coffey, Orr, Potvin)
    • 70 points seven times (1 of only 5 D: Bourque, Coffey, Leetch, Potvin)
    • 60 points twelve times (1 of only 4 D: Bourque, Coffey, Housley)
    • 50 points fourteen times (1 of only 6 D)
• Top 5 in Plus/Minus twice, Top 10 fives times
• All Star:
  • 1st Team All Star four times
  • 2nd Team All Star three times
  • 12 All Star Game appearances
• VsX Adjustment:
  • Best 7 Seasons:
    • Goals: N/A
  • Assists: 92nd
    • Points: 184th
  • Best 10 Seasons:
    • Goals: N/A
    • Assists: 77th
    • Points: 167th

Al Macinnis’ Great Teams:

• NHL:
  • MVP (led playoffs in assists and points) on one Champion (‘89 Flames)
  • Best Skater (led playoffs in assists, tied for team lead in points) on one Runner Up (‘86 Flames)
  • Top 2 D on one Final Four (‘01 Blues)
• Olympics: 
  • Role Player (by points) on one Champion (‘02 Canada)
• Canada/World Cup:
  • Top 2 D (by points) on one Champion (‘91 Canada)
• Memorial Cup:
  • #1? D on one Champion (‘82 Rangers)