As the NHL prepares to induct it's 2014 class into the Hockey Hall of Fame, we will take a quick look at this year's class. Some of the players, Flyers fans know all too well. This year's class will include Rob Blake, Mike Modano, Peter Forsberg, Dominik Hasek, referee Bill McCreary and the late Pat Burns.
Rob Blake
Career Regular Season Numbers
Games – 1,270
Goals – 240
Assists – 537
Points – 777
Blake played 19 full NHL seasons with the Kings, Avalanche and Sharks. A stalwart on the back end, Blake was the type of defensemen that a coach could throw out there for big minutes, in any situation and just forget he was out there.
Known mostly for his time in Los Angeles, Blake made 13 playoff appearances in his 19-year career, ultimately winning a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. Blake was drafted 4th overall in the 1988 Entry Draft by Los Angeles and lived up to the status of such a high pick.
Mike Modano
Career Regular Season Numbers
Games – 1,499
Goals – 561
Assists – 813
Points – 1,374
What can you say about Mike Modano that hasn't already been said. The first overal pick in the 1988 Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars, Modano did just as much for his country as he did for the Stars. One can make the case Modano may have been the best American born forward to ever play the game.
He was big, could skate, shoot and pass. Grouped together with the likes of Pat LaFontaine, Jeremy Roenick and Brett Hull, this group started the boom of American born professionals who were not just role players.
There had been many American players before that group but none had been as successful and gifted as this group. Where Hull and Roenick were flashy and LaFontaine had his career cut short due to injury, Modano just played. He played at high level for a long time.
Modano played 21 seasons in the NHL and made the playoffs 16 times. He appeared in three Stanley Cup Finals winning the cup following the 1998-99 season.
Dominik Hasek
Career Regular Season Numbers
Games – 735
Wins – 389
Losses -223
Ties – 82
OT – 32
Hasek was originally drafted in the 10th round, 199th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks. While he would see action during his time in Chicago, he rose to stardom once he landed in Buffalo. He was the backbone of a Sabres team that would make the postseason in all eight seasons he played there.
Hasek won in both in the NHL and internationally for his native Czech Republic, including a Stanley Cup in Detroit and a gold medal in the Olympics. His career goals against average was 2.20 and he posted a remarkable .922 save percentage.
Peter Forsberg
Career Regular Season Numbers
Games – 708
Goals – 249
Assists – 636
Points – 885
Forsberg was selected in the 1st round, 6th overall, in the 1991 Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. He would not play a game for the orange black until 14 years later. Forsberg was part of the package that was sent to Quebec for future Flyer captain Eric Lindros.
Forsberg was a dynamic player. He had good size, speed and hands of gold. He would become one of the building blocks of a hockey powerhouse in Colorado. Together with Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy the Avalanche were playoff mainstays, almost always making deep postseason runs.
Forsberg played parts of 12 NHL seasons making a remarkable 12 postseason appearances. He was a two time Stanley Cup winner and 2003 Hart Trophy winner. Late in his career he was hampered by consistant groin and foot injuries or his numbers may have been even greater.
Nichushkin Out Four Months
The Dallas Stars got a bit of bad news on Saturday. The team learned that 19 year old forward Valeri Nichushkin will miss the next four months after having hip surgery. Nichushkin has played just four games this season having not registered a point.
The first round pick from a year ago was off to a promising start to his NHL career. Last season he spent most of his time on the top line with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. He recorded 14 goals and 20 assists in his rookie campaign.
Current Streaks
Wins – Montreal – 6
Losses – Carolina – 3
NHL Leaders through 11/16/14
Goals – Seguin, Nash - 12
Assists – Voracek – 19
Points – Voracek – 26
Plus Minus – Forsberg – +19
Wins – Rinne, Price, Miller – 11
Points (Team ) – Montreal – 29
Bill Minchin is a contributing writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow Bill on twitter @wtfd103074
