Centre

Is Jean Beliveau one of the Top 3 Greatest Centres of All Time?

Jean Beliveau is one of the rare NHL stars to combine regular season dominance with playoff dominance. Many of the centres who have scored more regular season points than Beliveau both haven’t done so relative to the league – Beliveau would have been the best offensive player of his era had it not been for Gordie Howe – and very few of them have Beliveau’s long history of success in the playoffs.

So where does he rank all time? Is he a Top 5 Centre? Is he a top 5 Player?

Listen to us discuss Jean Beliveau’s career here:

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 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 Billy Burch Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

The Winnipeg Tribune, Dec. 24, 1923 (pg. 13), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Billy Burch won the Hart in a year when he was the 3rd best offensive player on his own team and the 6th best overall. That’s basically his only case for Hall of Fame inclusion.

But what if he did something else?

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

Does Alex Delvecchio Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Alex Delvecchio was 2nd All time in Assists and Points at his retirement and won three Stanley Cups. But he never led the league in any category, nor did he ever lead his team in scoring.

Why? Because he played on the same line as Gordie Howe.

So the big question is, how much of Delvecchio’s incredible production comes from laying next to the greatest winger of all time?

Listen to us discuss Alex Delvecchio’s Hall of Fame case here:

Does Lynn Patrick Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Lynn Patrick is a member of one of the most important hockey dynasties in the sports’ history. He is the son of Lester Patrick, the nephew of Frank Patrick, and the father of Craig Patrick, Hall of Famers all.

But, he’s one of those players with “one good year.” (Well, it was a great year.) His career is only really impressive in relation to what came before it, not what came after. The Hall waited until he died to induct him.

Listen to us talk about Lynn Patrick’s case for the Hall of Fame here:

Does Norm Ullman Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Norm Ullman was one of the league’s all time leading scorers when he left the NHL.

But two of the players above him on that list were his teammates. And he was a second line player for a substantial section of his career. Also, he never won a Cup.

So, does Norm Ullman belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Listen here:

Is Stan Mikita a Top 5 Centre All Time?

If you didn’t see him play, it’s possible Stan Mikita’s resume is better than you think it should be. In addition to winning multiple Hart trophies, Art Ross trophies and the Stanley Cup, he’s likely the 2nd best centre of the ’60s and among the best centres of the ’70s.

So it’s clear Stan Mikita belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame. The question is, where does Stan Mikita rank among centres all time?

Listen here:

Is Phil Esposito one of the Greatest Centres of All Time?

Boston Bruins, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Why is it that we (our generation anyway) have trouble thinking of Esposito as one of the greatest hockey players of all time? Is it because he was on the same team as Bobby Orr, whose legend has endured far better? Is it because of Esposito’s extraordinarily unathletic physique? Is it because everything he did has since been done multiple times by multiple players so those records feel less important?

We have no idea, but Espo was the most dominant offensive player between Howe and Gretzky. (We read somewhere that Lafleur was the most dominant offensive player between Howe and Gretzky, but we don’t see evidence to back that up.)

Sure, Espo benefited from playing more games per season in the newly expanded league (someone was going to set records) and, yes, he benefited from playing with the Greatest of All Time, but lesser players wouldn’t have excelled the way he did, over such a long period of time.

Listen to us talk about Esposito here:

Does Jacques Lemaire Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Jacques Lemaire was one of the most consistent forwards of his era, and a member of the Greatest Team of All Time. He won an incredible eight Stanley Cups.

But he was never one of the best regular season players in the league, at least by offense, and he was only ever the best forward on one of those Cup winners. He has no major awards and never made an end-of-season All Star team.

So, does Jacques Lemaire belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame? Listen here: