The Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed its newest class on Monday night in Toronto, which means it’s time to start speculating on next year’s immortals.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there wasn’t a 2021 class for the Hall. That means players like Henrik and Daniel Sedin carry over to the Class of 2022 for consideration, which certainly complicates things for next year’s eligibility newbies and the 18-person selection committee.
Here’s our current ranking of eligible player candidates for the Class of 2022. Keep in mind that for players, the class can feature a maximum of four male and two female honorees:
1. Caroline Ouellette, forward (first year)
The only absolute lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2022. The forward is one of only five athletes to win a gold medal in four consecutive Winter Olympics, helping the Canadian women to the top of the podium in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014, along with Olympic silver in 1998. She won six gold medals in the IIHF women’s world championships. Ouellette had a 2.36 points-per-game average in 97 games with University of Minnesota-Duluth.
She also won the 2009 Clarkson Cup with the Montreal Stars, becoming only one of three players to win the Cup, Olympic gold and worlds gold. The other two are Hayley Wickenheiser and Jayna Hefford. Guess where they’re currently enshrined.
The acceptable cop-out here would have been to make the Sedins tied for second overall. But it’s a demonstrable fact that Henrik is the better Sedin. He had more points (1,070) although they had the same career points-per-game average (0.80). He was the better defensive player of the two. Critically, he won the 2009-10 Hart Trophy as league MVP for posting a 112-point season when Daniel Sedin was limited to 63 games due to injury.
Henrik was third in scoring among centers during his 17-year NHL career, behind only Joe Thornton and Sidney Crosby, two Hall of Fame locks if they were eligible today. The most hilarious outcome for next year’s Hall of Fame class would be for former Canucks GM Brian Burke to nominate Henrik Sedin, while no one else nominates Daniel Sedin, and only one twin gets in on the first ballot. But that’s not likely to happen because …
… if Henrik Sedin is a Hall of Famer, Daniel Sedin probably is, too. The winger had 1,041 points in 1,306 games. He was the goal-scorer in this remarkable tandem, although his 393 goals ranked him only fourth among left wings during his career — in fact, he trailed fellow first-time eligible player Rick Nash in that category. Daniel won his scoring title in 2010-11 with 104 points and captured the Pearson as the NHLPA player of the year, but he was second in the MVP voting to Corey Perry.
The Sedins were such a sensational novelty as a duo — not only in hockey history, but in pro sports history — that they should rightfully be enshrined together. Heck, they should be on the same plaque, even though Henrik Sedin once told us that “we’d have separate [ones], for sure.”
The momentum continues to build behind Mogilny’s candidacy as he lingers on the ballot much longer than his remarkable career should have warranted.
He’s 54th all-time in goals scored (473), 53rd in adjusted goals and 36th in goals-per-game average (0.478). He had a 1.04 points-per-game average — good for 42nd all time — playing the majority of his career in the defensive-trap era. A Triple Gold Club member, Mogilny was an important part of hockey history as the first Soviet defection to the NHL.
Luongo has the numbers for the Hall of Fame: 1,044 games played, second all time; 489 wins, good for fourth all time, having played on significantly less successful teams than Martin Brodeur (691), Patrick Roy (551) and Marc-Andre Fleury (495) ahead of him; and a .919 career save percentage and 77 shutouts, both ninth best all time. He backstopped Canada to Olympic gold in 2010, and was a member of two IIHF world championship teams.
The only thing he doesn’t have is a Vezina Trophy, having been a finalist three times. The closest he came to winning was 2006-07, when he finished second to Brodeur (and second for MVP honors to Sidney Crosby). A well-liked, star player and potentially a great Canucks-centric complement to the Sedins in this class. But only six goalies have gotten in the Hall since 2003; is Luongo a first-ballot guy?
Gonchar had the misfortune of not being Nicklas Lidstrom. The Detroit Red Wings Hall of Famer — considered one of the best defensemen in hockey history — is the only defenseman who amassed more goals (236) and points (985) than Gonchar did (220 goals, 811 points) from 1994-95 to 2014-15, which was the span of the Russian defenseman’s career.
Gonchar is 17th all time in career points by a defenseman, and the names in front of him are all in the Hall save for Gary Suter (14th). He won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009 and finished in the top five for the Norris Trophy four times.
The former Senators captain could be part of a Swedish invasion with the Sedins in 2022, or he could continue to inch closer to being in “The Hall of Very Good” instead. His 444 goals are 64th all time and his 1,157 points are 54th. He won the Calder Trophy in 1995-96 and won Olympic gold along with the Sedins in 2006, plus a silver in 2014. But he never won another individual award or the Stanley Cup.
Jarome Iginla was enshrined for being a great player and an even better ambassador for the game. Alfredsson fits that description, too.
8. Jennifer Botterill, forward (eighth year)
Botterill helped Team Canada win Olympic gold in 2002, 2006 and 2010 and won five IIHF world championships, capturing MVP in that tournament twice. But it was her dominance in the NCAA that sets her apart. Playing with Harvard, she amassed 319 points in 113 games, scoring at least a point in all but one of her college games. She was the first player to win the Patty Kazmaier award twice as the top player in U.S. women’s college hockey. Botterill also had 155 points in 78 CWHL games.
She’s a player who could be in already, and whose profile has only grown due to her work in the Canadian media. But the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee has enshrined only two women’s players in the same year once: Cammi Granato and Angela James, in the Class of 2010.
Tkachuk amassed 538 goals (32nd all time) and 1,065 points in 1,201 games over his 18-season career. He led the league in goals once (1996-97) but was otherwise a model of consistency. Unfortunately for Tkachuk, it was a solid but unspectacular career, never winning an individual award or a Stanley Cup — although he won World Cup gold in 1996 and Olympic silver in 2002.
But here’s the thing: Every player ahead of him on the goals list who’s eligible to be in the Hall of Fame is, in fact, a Hall of Famer. Theory: The success of Matthew and Brady Tkachuk have helped keep their dad on the immortality radar.
Zetterberg finished his career with 960 points in 1,082 games, including 337 goals. A great two-way forward, he never won a Selke Trophy and was nominated only once. He was second for the Calder in 2002-03 as well. His greatest individual accomplishment was winning the Conn Smythe in the Red Wings’ 2008 Stanley Cup win. That ring earned him Triple Gold Club status, along with championships in the 2006 Olympics and the 2006 world championships with Sweden.
One could argue his former teammate Pavel Datsyuk has a stronger case. One could also argue that Guy Carbonneau’s enshrinement swung the door open for the former Red Wings captain.
One interesting candidate in her first year of eligibility: Former Team USA star Meghan Duggan, who captained the Americans’ 2018 PyeongChang gold-medal team.
As for the builders category, the candidates include Herb Carnegie, a pioneering Black player; innovative goalie coach Francois Allaire and former Michigan coach Red Berenson.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins will bring in another quarterback while starter Tua Tagovailoa deals with his latest concussion, coach Mike McDaniel said Friday.
For now, Skylar Thompson will be considered the Dolphins’ starter while Tagovailoa is sidelined. Tagovailoa left Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to Buffalo in the third quarter with the third known concussion of his NFL career, all of them coming in the last 24 months.
“The team and the organization are very confident in Skylar,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel said the team has not made any decision about whether to place Tagovailoa on injured reserve. Tagovailoa was expected at the team facility on Friday to start the process of being evaluated in earnest.
“We just have to operate in the unknown and be prepared for every situation,” McDaniel said, noting that the only opinions that will matter to the team will be the ones from Tagovailoa and the medical staff.
McDaniel added that he doesn’t see Tagovailoa playing in Miami’s next game at Seattle on Sept. 22.
“I have no idea and I’m not going to all of a sudden start making decisions that I don’t even see myself involved in the most important parts of,” McDaniel added. “All I’m telling Tua is everyone is counting on you to be a dad and be a dad this weekend. And then we’ll move from there. There won’t be any talk about where we’re going in that regard … none of that will happen without doctors’ expertise and the actual player.”
Tagovailoa was 17 for 25 passing for 145 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions — one of which was returned for a Buffalo score — when he got hurt. Thompson completed eight of 14 passes for 80 yards.
Thompson said he feels “fully equipped” to run the Dolphins’ offense.
“What’s going to lie ahead, who knows, but man, I’m confident, though,” Thompson said after Thursday’s game. “I feel like I’m ready for whatever’s to come. I’m going to prepare and work hard and do everything I can to lead this team and do my job.”
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
