Sports “Fantastic Four” Enter Hall of Fame By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor Pe year’s class of NHL Hall of Fame inductees is quite possibly the strongest of all time. Mark Messier, Scott Stevens, Al MacInnis, and Ron Francis were all inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on November 12. Jim Gregory was also inducted in the builder’s category. All four were phenomenal players and all of them hold special places in the history of the game. Mark Messier is considered one of the greatest leaders in hockey history. He is the only man to captain two different teams to the Stanley Cup, the Edmonton Oilers in 1990, and the New York Rangers in 1994. In a career that spanned an incredible 25 years, Messier played 1756 games, only Gordie Howe played more. He sits second all time in career points with 1887, behind only Wayne Gretzky. Remarkably, he amassed all of those points without ever capturing a league scoring title. Messier’s 694 goals rank him seventh all time, and his 1193 assists place him only behind Gretzky and Ron Francis in that category. In 2006, the NHL created the monthly Mark Messier award, given to players who display outstanding leadership. He has won the Hart trophy as the NHL MVP twice, in 1989-90, and 1991-92. He has also been awarded the Lester B. Pearson award as the league MVP as voted on by his fellow players twice as well, in the same years he won the Hart. In 1984, Messier was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP. He has been an NHL first team all-star four times, twice at centre and twice as a left-winger. Messier also competed in an astounding 15 NHL all-star games. His crowing achievement however, was being the driving force behind six Stanley Cup victories, including his famous 1994 win, when he captained the Rangers past the Vancouver Canucks to break the infamous New York cup curse. 16 Messier will always be remembered for promising victory against the Devils in the playoffs that year, and being his team’s best player to deliver. Messier skated for the Oilers, Rangers, and Canucks, although his time here was forgettable. He was briefly property of the San Jose Sharks, but never played a game for them. all-star three times. He played in 13 NHL all-star games, won the league’s plus/minus award in 1994, and captured the 2000 Conn Smythe trophy. Stevens was selected fifth overall in the 1982 NHL entry draft by the Washington Capitals, and became historic as one of the first players to truly test the NHL’s free agency in 1990. He departed Washington to play for the St. Louis Blues, but was awarded to the Devils in compensation just a year later. He played 1365 games in his career, which puts him fourth all time. Without a doubt, Al MacInnis is the hardest shooter in NHL history. The legendary defenseman had an absolute cannon from the point, once breaking goalie Mike Luit’s helmet in half. Amazingly, MacInnis has never played with a composite stick. He stuck with wood throughout his career. He played in 15 NHL all-star games, and won the hardest shot competition seven times. MacInnis was drafted by the Calgary Flames 15" overall in the 1981 NHL entry draft. He won a Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1989, and was named Messier retired a the playoff Ranger in 2004, “ MVP that year. becoming the last All fe our were He skated for player to retire Calgary for 13 who skated in the p hen omen al Dp lay ers seasons before 1970s. being traded to and all of them hold Aegee “You’re really the St. Louis at the mercy ; ; Blues in 1994- of the people Sp ecial Pp laces mn the 95. He teamed around you,” said story of the NHL.” with Chris a tearful Messier. Pronger in St. “Nobody can do Louis to form it alone. For anybody to have success at this level, you need the support of people and I’ve had it in spades in my career. Players who’ve shared the same vision and dedication and drive to be a champion. Without that, nobody can stand alone. I’m thinking about all those people.” Another fabulous leader was New Jersey’s Scott Stevens. The long time Devils captain is the only player in team history to have his jersey number (#4) retired. He holds the distinction of being one of the NHL’s most devastating hitters of all time. His most famous moments came when he crushed opposing players in the playoffs. Eric Lindros, Ron Francis, Daymond Lankow, Paul Kariya, and Slava Kozlov were the targets of some of his biggest hits. Stevens led the Devils to three Stanley Cups in 1995, 2000, and 2003. He captained the Devils from 1992 until the day he retired in 2004. Stevens was never a big scorer, and it was that the prevented him from ever winning the NHL’s Norris trophy as best defenseman, but Stevens was a first team all-star twice and a second team one of the most powerful defensive tandems in NHL history, and was with the Blues until he retired in 2003, after a serious eye injury. After Pronger suffered a season ending injury in 2003, MacInnis assumed the team captaincy. The Blues waited until 2005 to name a new captain. MacInnis also was a star on Canada’s gold medal winning 2002 Olympic team, and had his #2 retired by St. Louis in 2006. MacInnis sits third in all time among goals for defensemen with 340, and is also third all time among defensemen for assists and points. In 1998-99, MacInnis won the Norris trophy as the league’s top blueliner. The fourth man inducted into the Hall of Fame this year was Ron Francis. The slick centerman from Sault Ste. Marie has more assists than any player not named Wayne Gretzky with 1249, and is without a doubt one of the best passers the game has ever seen. Francis won Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh in 1991 and 1992, but didn’t get the recognition he deserved behind Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr. He was twice the Penguins captain, and played seven and a half years for the franchise. Francis will always be though of as a Hartford Whaler/Carolina Hurricane though. He captained Hartford from 1985- 1990 before going to Pittsburgh, and became the captain once again a year after he returned in 1998. However, by the time Francis, who was taken fourth overall in the 1981 NHL entry draft by Hartford, came back, Hartford had moved to Carolina, and was rechristened the Hurricanes. Francis won the NHL’s plus/minus award in 1995, the same year he won the Frank J. Selke award as the league’s top defensive forward. Francis played in four NHL all-star games and won the league’s Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanlike conduct. Francis war also honored with the King Clancy memorial trophy in 2002 as the NHL’s best in community service. Francis’s 1721 games played puts him third all time, and he is also fourth all time in points with 1798. Francis also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs in his final season. All of these players had outstanding and spectacular careers. Each advanced the game and gave it something that it couldn’t have gotten otherwise. The leader, the hitter, the shooter, and the passer, together they are the greatest Hall of Fame class ever.