MS
1%er
If the criteria for the HHOF was "star quality" there'd be like twenty guys in there.
It's not the defining criteria but it's one of 4 equal criteria for me :
1) Peak value - awards, AS selections, top-10 scoring finishes, etc. Was the player considered one of the truly elite players in the league for a stretch in their prime?
2) Career value - did the player have a fully realized career where they displayed longevity and consistency of excellence? 500 goals, 1000 points, etc.
3) Team success - was the player a key cog on winning teams at either the NHL or international level?
4) Star quality/legacy/intangibles - how important is the player? Was he someone who captivated the imagination of fans and sold tickets? Did he revolutionize the game in some way? Is he a defining player in the history of a franchise or hockey-playing nation?
If you're scoring huge points in 4/4 categories, you're obviously an all-time great and a slam dunk.
3/4 and you're almost certainly getting in.
2/4 and you're on the borderline. Recchi is huge in (2) and (3), a little lacking in (1), and non-existent in (4). Pavel Bure is huge in (1) and (4) but had a short career where he didn't win much.
1/4 and you shouldn't make it. Dave Andreychuk has career numbers and that's it. Kevin Lowe has Cups and that's it.