As an example, in any given year, somebody being inducted doesn't mean that the Selection Committee thinks that player deserves induction more than a player who wasn't inducted. Unfortunately, the process doesn't work that way.
Exactly (if it did the concept of how long did you wait would be quite different), it is not a pure who are the 4 best candidate not in the hall.
Take the 2010 year, when only Ciccarelli got in, anyone doubt Belfour-Nieuwendyk would not end up in the hall ? Anyone think they have to wait one year if it was Sakic-Yzerman that retired in 2007 ?
I do not imagine Ciccarelli got in before Gilmour because he had a stronger HHOF case but because he was waiting 4 more years, there is a fuzzy how long you have been waiting * how strong of a case you have - thing we do not like about you going on (with all the personal sponsor, politic, etc... above that of course).
So, it tends a certain way, but the process is not designed to achieve that in any dependable way.
Of course, but everyone understand a bit why Iginla (with his 625 goals-1300pts-"Hart"/art ross, 2 richard) despite retiring after Datsyuk and Alfredsson got in first and that this mean something (to the voters and the players), not that it is precise or strongly designed-enforced.
Would they have to guess who of Lidstrom or Blake had to wait one year they would guess right, same for who of Yzerman or Nieuwendyk (to pick only players that did not had to wait because everyone was not sure if they would be in HHOF, just pick 100% lock, just a matter of when). I think people overreact to that notion, because it is not exactly like baseball (we do not even know if they use ballot or just talk-consensus around a table each year) and some use first ballot expression.
Not exactly the same does not mean there is zero notion of waiting game or not and no prestige to it.
When players are inducted, they are all equal as Honoured Members. There are no levels.
And that why they make so much difference in how they are inducted to create that level, one could argue that Carbonneau getting in after 19 years after retirement and a coach-media career to hang around the voters is exactly the same honors and level of induction than Wayne Gretzky for who not only the waive the waiting period for him to get in right away but change the rules to say to make that honors even bigger he will be the last one to get it. But I feel, everyone even if they cannot express how, know in their gut that Carbonneau induction was equal to Gretzky and if we visit the HHOF in person we do not expect the Gretkzy presence to be 100% equal to the Carbonneau presence in it.
Maybe they feature one more than the other in special exibition, list of milestone taking more place for one than the other and so on.
LIMITED-TIME PHOTO OP
Out of its case during MARCH BREAK ONLY! Snap a photo with the historic net that Wayne Gretzky used to score his 802nd goal to become the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing his idol, Gordie Howe. Also on display are the gloves, stick and puck that achieved this milestone.
