Hall of Famer

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:

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.

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

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)

Does Chuck Rayner Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

National Hockey League / New York Rangers, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Chuck Rayner was one of the better goalies of his era.

But…he wasn’t the best. And given lack of accomplishments, and the relative brevity of his career compared to some other, bigger names, as well as how high the Hall of Fame’s standards on goalies have grown stricter, it’s really hard to understand why Rayner is in the Hall of Fame when some other goalies aren’t.

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

Is Doug Harvey the Greatest Defenceman of All Time?

There’s_no_action_like_hockey_action_by_Louis_Jaques.jpg:Photographer: Louis Jaques (Weekend Magazine)Credit: Weekend Magazine / Louis Jaques / Library and Archives Canada / e002505707 Copyright: Copyright assigned to Library and Archives Canada by copyright owner Weekend Magazine.derivative work: Leech44, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Until Bobby Orr, nobody had more Norris trophies than Doug Harvey. And, arguably, only other NHL defenceman could claim similar acclaim, Eddie Shore.

But things have changed. There have been numerous D who have eclipsed Harvey’s offensive accomplishments and Lidstrom tied him for the second most Norris trophies ever.

So where does Harvey rank now? Is he Top 3? Top 5? Top 10?

Listen to us talk about his Hall of Fame case here:

Does Henri Richard Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Maurice’s less famous brother is the winningest player in NHL history in terms of Stanley Cups. But, does he have more of a case than just his 11 Stanley Cups?

Listen to us discuss Henri Richard’s Hall of Fame case here:

Is Dickie Moore one of the Greatest Left Wings of All Time?

Is Dickie Moore the least discussed Habs great of his era? He is famous in Montreal but not so much in the rest of North America.

He’s arguably one of the best Left Wings of all time. For one thing, he has the second most Art Ross trophies among Left Wings after Bobby Hull.

Listen to us discuss Dickie Moore’s Hall of Fame case here:

Does Tommy Dunderdale Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Tommy Dunderdale was a PCHA star and is the career leader in Goals. He wasn’t the greatest player in league history – that’s Cyclone Taylor – but he may have been the forward.

Does a PCHA star belong? Listen to us discuss Tommy Dunderdale’s Hall of Fame case:

Does Art Coulter Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Art Coulter was a D who played right before the Original Six but who was inducted in the 1970s.

His Hall of Fame case is based on his end-of-season All Star Team finishes and once being Top 3 in Hart voting. But they took forever to induct him.

Listen to us discuss Art Coulter’s mysterious Hall of Fame case here:

Is Glenn Hall one of the Greatest Goalies of All Time?

Though he only won one Stanley Cup, and the Vezinas he won were before it was a “Best Goalie” or “Most Valuable Goalie” award, Glenn Hall was one of the greatest goalies in NHL history. Just look at all the black ink on his Hockey Reference page. There’s one name on more goalie leader-boards than just about any other, and it’s Glenn Hall’s.

So the question isn’t, “Does Glenn Hall belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?” The question is, “where does Glenn Hall rank among the greatest goalies of all time?”

Listen to us talk about Glenn Hall: