Will Kris Letang make the HOF?
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Gil Gunderson
Registered User
Not right away but probably eventually after waiting many years. He’s in the Sergei Gonchar tier.
Yeah he will get in . Sad injuries robbed him of competing for a few norrises but he was a top 5 dman forever and is only ranked lower now because he is old I think lol.
I also expect him to continue to play well till he's in his 40s tho (assuming he doesn't get some irrecoverable injury like losing his leg. Guy is a monster.
Idk I'm a Letang fan tho.
Empoleon8771
Registered User
He’ll likely retire with 3 cups, 800+ points (currently at 692) and 1200+ games played (currently at 1005). That would put him top-20 in points all time by a defenseman. If he stays healthy and plays all 5 years remaining of his deal, he could hit 900 points as well. He needs to average about 42 points per season to do that, which is entirely doable for him. I think he needs to hit 900 points to make the HOF.
Gary Suter isn’t in the HOF and he has 845 points in 1145 games plus a cup and a Calder. I think that’s a pretty appropriate comparison for Letang.
I think the Gonchar comparison is fair, but I also think Gonchar would be in already if he had 3 cups and a Masterton tbh.
Gary Suter isn’t in the HOF and he has 845 points in 1145 games plus a cup and a Calder. I think that’s a pretty appropriate comparison for Letang.
I think the Gonchar comparison is fair, but I also think Gonchar would be in already if he had 3 cups and a Masterton tbh.
BraveCanadian
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- Jun 30, 2010
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He’s borderline as a player but will get in due to Cups and the Crosby/Malkin cinnection with the Pens.
- Feb 10, 2010
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That's a bit conservative. Suter played a lot in the high scoring era. Scoring in Letang's day was more difficult.
Scandale du Jour
JordanStaal#1Fan
This.
He has been a cornerstone player for a team that won 3 Cups. He will likely spend his entire LONG career with the same team and he has been a star player for a VERY long time.
It is a shame that he does not have more hardware to support his case, but him being front of center of the Crosby/Malkin Pens will make sure he gets elected to the HHOF... and depending on who retires the same year he does, he could very well be first ballot.
molon labe
Registered User
I hope so.
He's a bit of a roller coaster at times but overall has been a great cornerstone player for the Penguins. Longevity does count for something but he also has 3 cups, and one of which he was #2 in Smythe performance - he missed 2017 and was in a lesser role in 2009. But in 2016 he was dominant...he also factored in on all 4 GWG in the finals; a feat, at the time, I believe hadn't happened since Gretzky.
But I mean, so long for one franchise and having that many games AND points - and being a core part of a team that had the record for consecutive playoff appearances... If Geno Malkin is in the shadow of Sid a little bit, Letang certainly is. But - he's also been remarkable along the way. 3rd round pick too in the same draft as Sid. Talk about fate.
Hoping for some boosted numbers on the back 9 here and maybe an additional trophy to make it less debatable.
He's a bit of a roller coaster at times but overall has been a great cornerstone player for the Penguins. Longevity does count for something but he also has 3 cups, and one of which he was #2 in Smythe performance - he missed 2017 and was in a lesser role in 2009. But in 2016 he was dominant...he also factored in on all 4 GWG in the finals; a feat, at the time, I believe hadn't happened since Gretzky.
But I mean, so long for one franchise and having that many games AND points - and being a core part of a team that had the record for consecutive playoff appearances... If Geno Malkin is in the shadow of Sid a little bit, Letang certainly is. But - he's also been remarkable along the way. 3rd round pick too in the same draft as Sid. Talk about fate.
Hoping for some boosted numbers on the back 9 here and maybe an additional trophy to make it less debatable.
I’d be more sure about him if he was the number 1 defenseman for all three cups with the Pens, but he was for only 1. So it depends a bit on how he ends of getting associated with those Pens teams, as he and Fleury (who is in a similar boat with the cups) were the two most common teammates with the Crosby/Malkin Pens and voters really like winners. I think while he’s been considered a top 10ish defenseman for a lot of his career, he was never really in the convo for the best outside of ‘13 and he’s had a lot of injuries. I don’t think he gets in on his career alone, so he really needs that Crosby/Malkin/multiple cup bump. I think if he does it might be on the later side, like a Zubov.
DickSmehlik
Registered User
Sure.
It is the HHOF that we're talking about, anyone who has a boderline very good career, eventually makes it.
It is the HHOF that we're talking about, anyone who has a boderline very good career, eventually makes it.
Video Nasty
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- Mar 12, 2017
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Of course he will. He has demonstrated through play, he has the stats, the resume, and it’s looking like he’ll spend his entire career with one team which voters love. While he missed the ‘17 playoffs, I think very few would deny how important of a contributor he is to the overall story of both Crosby and Malkin. Players with that part to tell don’t get forgotten.
My initial gut reaction was that he'd be a bubble guy for sure....my standards for the HHOF are higher than the selection committee though. I do think he's been an underrated player over his career.
To me, it's almost a no brainer when I look at who is already in.....I just started at 2023 and worked backwards to find who the most recent "D" inducted were, so I'm sure there are tons of older examples that he deserves it more than, but that wouldn't be a fair comparison, I think looking the most recent is more fair:
- Doug Wilson - similar stats, Wilson does have the 1 Norris, but don't think he ever won the Cup, so Letang's 3 Cups and being very close to Norris may even this out.
- Kevin Lowe - no point of noting too much here, Letang's resume is clearly better.
- Sergei Zubov - I find Zubov and Letang to be very similar players, but maybe that simply due to size and shooting right. I think the resumes are fairly similar, but I'd give the slight edge to Letang's.
To me, it's almost a no brainer when I look at who is already in.....I just started at 2023 and worked backwards to find who the most recent "D" inducted were, so I'm sure there are tons of older examples that he deserves it more than, but that wouldn't be a fair comparison, I think looking the most recent is more fair:
- Doug Wilson - similar stats, Wilson does have the 1 Norris, but don't think he ever won the Cup, so Letang's 3 Cups and being very close to Norris may even this out.
- Kevin Lowe - no point of noting too much here, Letang's resume is clearly better.
- Sergei Zubov - I find Zubov and Letang to be very similar players, but maybe that simply due to size and shooting right. I think the resumes are fairly similar, but I'd give the slight edge to Letang's.
BigBadBruins7708
Registered User
KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
- Feb 10, 2010
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The "3 cups" argument is pretty lame. Letang wasn't even playing for one of them.
GeeoffBrown
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- Jul 6, 2007
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I feel like there's gonna be pressure to get all these key Penguins in the Hall
In a way, he's part of Crosby's legacy, which the NHL will want to go all out for honoring
In a way, he's part of Crosby's legacy, which the NHL will want to go all out for honoring
- Feb 10, 2010
- 14,130
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Yeah but the question isn't "should he?" it's "will he?"
BigBadBruins7708
Registered User
Agreed. May as well start etching for Crosby, Malkin, Letang and MAF. They're gonna put them all in
Empoleon8771
Registered User
Crosby, Malkin and Fleury absolutely belong in the HOF regardless of their Penguins legacy.
I think he will and should. He’s finished top 10 in Norris voting 8 times in the last thirteen years including a third and a fourth place finish. Of the 5 years he wasn’t top 10 he was 17th in 2019, stroke last year and 2014 and herniated disk in his neck in 2017 (hockey is a brutal sport, so that’s just context for why he doesn’t have more top 10 finishes ).
Raccoon Jesus
Draft em but don't play em
Is there a good comparison in the Hall amongst dmen for a guy who was clearly awesome but had injury/health circumstances derail what would have likely otherwise been a shoe-in?
I think he gets in anyway--not taking away from his legacy--he was robbed of quite some time with health concerns. I do think longevity matters to the hall and I think Letang's career supersedes some of his issues with it, just curious.
I think he gets in anyway--not taking away from his legacy--he was robbed of quite some time with health concerns. I do think longevity matters to the hall and I think Letang's career supersedes some of his issues with it, just curious.
Raccoon Jesus
Draft em but don't play em
Yes and that was a nice look, but I specifically questioned whether there was anyone like Letang in that who has lost some time due to major health concerns.
My point was, why bother, we don't need such a comparison as even with time missed, etc., he still compares fine with general population. The guy has played 1,000 + games anyway.
Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk
Effortless sexy.
This. Letang ha been very good and he has the Cups. He's also media-friendly and that's about it, really. There's nothing really wrong about his production and it's the Hockey Hall of Fame. They aren't especially stringent. Will it be three years after...who knows? But he'll get in there.
