Does hockey immortality await Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron?
ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski last Thursday included the Boston Bruins defenseman and center on his list of the top 10 active NHL players who are “destined” for enshrinement into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Boston has reached the playoffs 10 times in the last 13 seasons, and Wyshynski believes Chara’s and Bergeron’s longevity of excellence are leading factors why the team has been in Stanley Cup contention and why they deserve a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
The 10 Hall of Fame contenders Wyshynski ranked range from strong-case candidates for enshrinement to “stone-cold locks.”
Bergeron was No. 10 on Wyshynski’s list, largely because he perennially is one of the NHL’s premier defensive forwards.
“Four Selke Trophies and a seven-time finalist (so far), plus that Stanley Cup and international success,” Wyshynski wrote. “Anecdotally, he might be the most admired NHL forward outside of (Sidney) Crosby in his generation. The Bruins are going to end up sending a few players to the Hall from their decade-long run of contention.”
Wyshynski ranked Chara at No. 4, which all-but assures the Hall of Fame is in his future.
“Unless it involves a strand of his hair and an aggressive human cloning program, there will never be another Zdeno Chara,” Wyshynski wrote. “He’s 6-foot-9, a Stanley Cup champ and a Norris winner and is fourth in scoring for a defenseman (640) over the past 20 years. Luckily, the Hall of Fame has high ceilings.”
The Hockey Hall of Fame will induct three-time Selke Trophy winner Guy Carbonneau, Czechoslovakian pioneer Vaclav Nedomansky, longtime NHL executive Jim Rutherford, women’s legend Hayley Wickenheiser, legendary Boston College head coach Jerry York and former NHL defenseman Sergei Zubov into its ranks Monday.
