Should Keith Tkachuck be in the HoF?

We have already discussed the Hall of Fame credentials for shoe-in Mike Modano, but many are speaking of Keith Tkachuk’s career as though he is no sure thing for the Hall. Now that he has officially retired and played his final NHL game, Tkachuk will become eligible for the first time three years from now.

There are some similarities between Tkachuk and Modano – both are American players well respected around the league because of their great drive, character and leadership, and both were originally drafted and played for teams that no longer exist. Both have scored more than 500 goals and 1,000 points in their careers.

But while Modano was a solid all-around center, Tkachuk was the prototypical power forward that every team craved, but very few found. His career line reads like this: 1,201 games, 538 goals (30th), 527 assists, 1,065 points (58th), 2,219 penalty minutes (40th), 212 power play goals (12th), 71 game-winning goals (35th). Thus, you could make a case for him being one of the 50 most productive forwards in the history of the game over the course of his career.

While he was never elite, he was always just a shade under it: a star player. After being drafted 19th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 1990, he had 28 goals and 51 points in his sophomore season (after playing in only 17 games as a rookie). The very next year he jumped to 41 goals and 81 points, providing us with a glimpse of what he was about to bring to fans league-wide for the next 15 seasons (he played 18 in all).

After an injury riddled 4th season at age-22, he put up back-to-back 50-goal seasons plus another 40-goal season. He had 5 more seasons with 30+ goals, and had 7 seasons of 20+ goals. All in all, he had 20+ goals in 15 of 18 seasons. Complete consistency.

Theoretically, you could add 30 more goals to his total, as he lost a season due to the lockout, and he had 31+ goals in each of the four seasons prior to the lockout. If he had those 30 and sat at 568 goals, he would have more than Modano, Guy Lafleur, Mats Sundin and Michel Goulet – to name a few. Still, at 538, he is just ahead of the following notable Hall of Famers: Frank Mahovolich, Bryan Trottier, Dale Hawerchuk, Gilbert Perreault, Lanny McDonald, Glenn Anderson. Not to knock on Anderson, but if he is in the Hall, shouldn’t Tkachuk be also?

That will surely bring out what some may deem a key argument: Tkachuk never won the Stanley Cup; in fact he never had much playoff success at all. In 89 playoff games he had 28 goals, 28 assists and 56 points. However, can you fault a guy for being a team player for his entire career and never complaining about the hand he was dealt? Do you take off marks for career achievements because he played hard for teams like the Jets and the St. Louis Blues?

Because the last time I checked, the Jets moved and haven’t had any playoff success, ever, and the Blues’ front office haven’t put together a team worth watching since Hull and Oates laced them up together. Heck, they haven’t even had a top-flight goalie since Grant Fuhr in his decline, and you need goalies to win. Anderson had the fortune of playing alongside Gretzky, Messier, Kurri and Fuhr in his prime.

To me, Tkachuk put together a Hall of Fame career: great goal scorer, great grit, great leadership, great longevity. If voters choose to knock him for lack of playoff success, it will only be a year or two of eligibility before he gets rightfully voted where he belongs – to the Hall of Fame.


http://hockey.realgm.com/src_teamarticle/84/20100422/is_tkachuk_hall_bound/

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LeafsFan4Life said:

I don't know if he will get in. His stats are pretty good but he never won and Cups or other awards which players usually need to get in. He did lead the league in goals one year though. If he does get in, it won't be for a long time.

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Zach said:

look at the teams he played for...

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LeafsFan4Life said:

Doesn't matter what teams he played for....

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ROCKSTAR said:

yes it does. if your on a mediocre teams or worse your whole career and never complained about it, cups and awards should have no affect on his HoF bid.

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LeafsFan4Life said:

Doesn't matter what teams he played for....

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LeafsFan4Life said:

Players won't get in if they don't have the awards and stats and they won't get in just because they didn't complain about playing on a <Censored>ty team.

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