Month: April 2023

Does Reginald Hooley Smith Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

The Montreal Gazette, p. 17, accessed via Google, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hooley Smith was one of those skaters who played multiple positions, because back then skaters did that a lot more. We think he was primarily a Centre or a RW, though he supposed to have played D at times.

Smith doesn’t have a lot of accomplishments, though he was among the best passers of his era. But he was an amateur star – winning an Allan Cup and just dominating on his way to an Olympic Gold – and won a few Cups.

He has a fairly mixed case and we’re not quite sure what to do. So listen to us talk about Hooley Smith’s Hall of Fame case here:

Continue reading “Does Reginald Hooley Smith Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?”

Does Harry “Hap” Holmes Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Angus Carroll’s Blog, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hap Holmes appears to have some pretty mediocre regular season numbers – pedestrian GAAs and losing records in two of the four professional leagues he played in.

However, Holmes won a Stanley Cup in four professional leagues he played in. He is the only player in Stanley Cup history to win a Cup with four different teams. (Which makes him the only one to do it in four different leagues.) He was the starter on all four of those teams. Between 1917 and 1920 he was in the Stanley Cup final every single year, regardless of what team he was on.

Was he just lucky? Listen to us talk about Hap Holmes’ Hall of Fame case here.

Continue reading “Does Harry “Hap” Holmes Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?”

Does Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Ralrton-Purina Company, maker of Chex cereals, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion is one of the underrated great RWs in NHL history. Is he one of the greatest RWs of all time? Would he be better known had he not played for the Canadiens?

Listen to us talk about Geoffrion’s Hall of Fame case here:

Hall of Fame Class of 1972 Part 1: Bernie Geoffrion, Hap Holmes, Hooley Smith

Bernie Geoffrion’s Career:

  • NHL: 1950-64, 1966-68; 16 seasons, 14 quality
  • Totals:
    • 393G (3rd All Time at his first retirement – Howe, Richard),
    • 429A (12th All Time at his first retirement) for
    • 822P (5th All Time at his first retirement – Howe, Richard, Lindsay, Beliveau),
    • +39* in
    • 883 Games;
    • 97.5 Point Shares (12th All Time at his first retirement);
    • At his 1st retirement, Geoffrion was
      • 12th All time in Offensive Point Shares
      • 21st Forward All Time in Defensive Point Shares
  • Per Game: At his first retirement, Geoffrion was
    • T-8th All Time in GPG
    • 9th All Time in APG
    • T-5th All Time in PPG (Beliveau, Howe, Bathgate, Cowley)
  • Era: Of the 19 skaters to play in at least 738 games between 1950 and 1964, Geoffrion is
    • 2nd in Goals (behind Howe by 125)
    • 2nd in GPG (6 qualifying players)
    • 6th in Assists
    • T-2nd in APG (7 qualifying players)
    • 2nd in Points (behind by Howe by 355)
    • 2nd in PPG (5 qualifying players)
    • 6th in Plus/Minus
    • 14th in Games
    • 2nd in Offensive Point Shares (behind Howe by 44.9)
    • 3rd Forward in Defensive Point Shares
    • 4th in Point Shares
    • 14th in Games
  • 82-game average: 37G, 40A for 76P, +4*
  • 3-year peak (1958-61): 70-game average of 39G, 50A for 89P, +5*
  • Playoffs:
    • 58G (3rd All Time at his first retirement – Richard, Howe),
    • 60A (3rd All Time at his first retirement – Howe, Harvey) for
    • 118P (3rd All Time at his first retirement – Howe, Richard),
    • +3* (t-21st All Time at his 1st retirement) in
    • 132 Games (5th All Time at his 1st retirement – Kelly, Richard, Howe, Harvey)
    • Per Game: At his first retirement, Geoffrion was
      • T-6th All Time in playoff GPG
      • 13th All Time in playoff APG
      • 5th All Time in playoff PPG (Beliveau, Blake, Howe, Richard)
    • Era: Of the 13 skaters to play in at least 82 playoff games between 1950 and 1964, Geoffrion is
      • 1st in playoff Goals
      • 4th in playoff GPG
      • 2nd in playoff Assists
      • 6th (3rd last among qualifying players) in playoff APG
      • 2nd in playoff Points
      • 3rd in playoff PPG
      • T-4th in playoff Plus/Minus
      • 1st in playoff Games
  • Adjustment for era:
    • Hockey-Reference:
      • 464G
      • 518A for
      • 982P
      • Adjusted 82-game average: 43G, 48A for 91P (+15P per 82 games)
      • Per Game: Geoffrion is
        • T-22nd All Time in Adjusted GPG;
        • If the qualifier is set to 820 games, Geoffrion is
          • T-6th All Time in Adjusted GPG
          • 14th All Time in Adjusted PPG
    • VsX:
      • 595G
      • 696A
      • 1093
      • Per Game: Geoffrion is
        • 19th All Time in VsX Adjusted GPG;
        • If the qualifier is set to 820 games, Geoffrion is
          • 3rd All Time in VsX Adjusted GPG (Richard, Bobby Hull)
          • 17th All Time in VsX Adjusted APG
          • 9th All time in VsX Adjusted PPG
  • Waived at 34 so he could unretire

Bernie Geoffrion’s Accomplishments:

  • Hart (‘61)
  • Art Ross (‘55, ‘61)
  • Richard* (‘55, ‘61)
  • Calder (‘52)
  • Back Check MVP and Best Player (‘61)
  • All Star:
    • 1st Team All Star once
    • 2nd Team All Star twice
    • 11 All Star Game appearances
  • Top Player:
    • Top 5 Player (by PS) twice (‘55, ‘61)
    • Top 10 four times (‘52, ‘60)
    • Best Offensive Player (by OPS) once (‘61)
    • Top 5 six times (‘52, ‘54, ‘55, ‘56, ‘60)
    • Top 10 eight times (‘58, ‘59)
  • Goals:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Led the league in Goals twice
      • Top 5 six times
      • Top 10 eight times
    • GPG leader-boards:
      • Led the league in GPG three times (t-8th most all time)
      • Top 5 eight times (t-8th most all time)
      • Top 10 eleven times (t-7th most all time)
    • Single-season totals:
      • 50 goals once (2nd player ever, 1 of only 3 at his first retirement – Richard, Hull)
      • 35 goals twice (1 of only 10 players ever at his first retirement)
      • 30 goals four times (1 of only 7 players ever at his first retirement)
      • 25 goals seven times (1 of only 6 players ever at his first retirement)
      • 20 goals twelve times (1 of only 3 players ever at his first retirement – Howe, Richard)
  • Assists:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Top 10 five times
    • APG leader-boards:
      • Top 5 three times
      • Top 10 six times
    • Single-season totals:
      • 40 assists three times (1 of only 11 players ever at his first retirement)
  • Points:
    • Leader-boards:
      • Led the league in Points twice (t-10th most all time)
      • Top 5 three times
      • Top 10 seven times
    • PPG leader-boards:
      • Led the league in PPG once
      • Top 5 seven times
      • Top 10 nine times (t-8th most all time)
    • Single-season totals:
      • 90 points once (1 of only 4 players ever at his first retirement – Beliveau, Moore, Howe)
      • 70 points three times (1 of only 10 players ever at his first retirement)
      • 60 points five times (1 of only 6 players ever at his first retirement)
      • 50 points nine times (1 of only 6 players ever at his first retirement)
  • VsX Peak:
    • Best 7 Seasons:
      • Goals: 14th All Time
      • Assists: 67th All Time
      • Points: 39th All Time
    • Best 10 Seasons:
      • Goals: 14th All Time
      • Assists: 84th All Time
      • Points: 42nd All Time
  • Playoffs:
    • Led 6 playoff series in Points (t-16th All Time)

Bernie Geoffrion’s Great Teams:

  • Best Player (led playoffs in goals and points) on one Champion (‘57 Canadiens)
  • Best Player on one Champion (‘53 Canadiens)
  • Best Skater? On one Runner Up (‘55 Canadiens)
  • Top 3 Forward (led playoffs in goals) on one Runner Up (‘54 Canadiens)
  • Top 3 Forward (led playoffs in assists, co-led playoffs in points) on one Champion (‘60 Canadiens)
  • Top 3 Forward (by points) on three Champions (‘56,’58, ‘59 Canadiens) and one Final Four (‘67 Rangers)
  • Top 6 Forward (by points) on one Runner Up (‘52 Canadiens) on two Final Four (‘63, ‘64 Canadiens)
  • Top 9 Player (by points) on one Runner Up (‘51 Canadiens) and one Final Four (‘61 Canadiens)
  • Role Player? (by points) on one Final Four (‘62 Canadiens)