Maple Leafs

Does Gerry Cheevers Belong in the Hockey hall of Fame?

Gerry Cheevers was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame only five years after he retired. And yet he has one of the weakest resumes of any Hall of Fame goalie, and that resume is significantly weaker than some goalies who are not in the Hall of Fame.

Cheevers was never an end-of-season All Star (1st or 2nd Team) in the NHL, he never won an award and he never led the NHL in any regular season statistical category. His regular achievements all happened in the WHA.

However, he went to four Stanley Cup finals and won two Cups. And while he was in the WHA, he was one of the very best goalies in the league.

So, does Gerry Cheevers belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame? Listen to us discuss his case here:

Does Dave Keon Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

For some Dave Keon is perhaps the best defensive forward of the 1960s and one of the Greatest Maple Leafs of All Time.

For others, Keon’s per game numbers leave a lot to be desired. And his offensive numbers during the 1967 playoffs do not justify his Conn Smythe.

So, does Dave Keon belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

List to us discuss his Hall of Fame case here:

Does Leo Boivin Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

With the exception of a strong playoff run in 1957, Leo Boivin had a decent career that sure doesn’t look like a Hall of Fame one.

He never won an individual award or the Stanley Cup and he only ever finished Top 5 in Norris voting once. (And he played most of his career during the Norris-trophy era.)

He is among the most controversial Hockey Hall of Fame inductees ever. And so in this episode we ask whether or not Leo Boivin belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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

Is Darryl Sittler the Greatest Maple Leaf of All Time?

Darryl Sittler has a claim to be the Greatest Toronto Maple Leaf of All Time, as the former franchise record holder for Points, among other things. And though he was never clearly the best player in the league, he was one of the better ones for over half a decade, and a consistent offensive performer much longer.

Does his lack of NHL playoff success hurt him?

In this episode, we discuss whether or not Darryl Sittler belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame:

Does Fern Flaman belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Flaman was an old-school defender who rarely scored, so we can’t evaluate his career based on his numbers.

But he had a stretch of Top 5 Norris finishes, including a few Top 3 finishes, and some 2nd All Star Team appearances that suggest he was really well regarded near the end of his career.

So, does Fernie Flaman belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

List to us talk about him here:

Why is Bob Pulford in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Bob Pulford is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. If you’re a Leafs fan, like one of us, you probably never asked “why?”

Pulford led the playoffs in assists when the Leafs last one a Stanley Cup. He also led the league in Short-Handed goals three times. That’s basically his case.

Don’t believe us? Read on. Or listen to us talk about Bob Pulford’s Hall of Fame case here:

Does Lanny McDonald Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

66 goals in season. A classic Old Guy Who Won a Stanley Cup. Scored 40 goals three seasons in a row for the Leafs. That mustache.

Sounds like he should be in, right? But McDonald was not a point-a-game player and he actually only had 4 really good seasons. (Seriously.)

So does Lanny McDonald belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame? Listen to us discuss his case here:

Why is Harry Watson in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Harry Watson won five Cups. And, uh, he was on some leader-boards when he retired in 1957. And, um, he was a pretty good scorer a couple of times.

Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This, it appears, was enough to get him inducted into the Hall of Fame nearly 40 years after he retired.

Listen to us discuss Harry Watson’s Hockey Hall of Fame case here:

Does Borje Salming Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Borje Salming was arguably the first European-trained (as opposed to European-born) NHL star. And for 6 years in a row he made the end of season All Star Team (though usually as a 2nd Team All Star).

But what about his lack of team success?

Does Salming still belong in the Hall of Fame? Listen to us discuss his case here:

Does Mike Gartner Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Mike Gartner retired with the 5th most Goals of All Time. Yet he was never a star player and is derided in some corners of the internet as a “compiler”, i.e. a guy who was just very good and very healthy.

Does Mike Gartner actually belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Listen to us discuss his case here: