On June 21, the Hockey Hall of Fame will be meeting to select the 2023 class of inductees. It’s unlikely any former members of the Colorado Avalanche will get the call, unless a Theo Fleury or Pierre Turgeon are surprise inductees, and it might be a while until someone who wore burgundy and blue gets in.
With that being said, there are a few members of the current Avalanche squad that seem destined for the Hall of Fame when their careers are over with. All of these players still have a ways to go in their careers, and a lot can happen, but things look good right now.
Who are those players?
Near Locks
Nathan MacKinnon
He’s a Calder Trophy winner, a three-time Hart Trophy finalist, a Stanley Cup champion, has six All-Star appearances, and he’s just 28 years old. While there’s always a chance his career falls off a cliff, I wouldn’t bet on it. MacKinnon looks like he’s headed towards the HHOF some day. Even beyond that, he’s got a World Championship Gold Medal, and played in the World Cup in 2016, where he scored one of the more exciting goals from the last decade. It’s important to note that this isn’t just the NHL Hall of Fame, but the Hockey Hall of Fame, so international accomplishments do matter.
It’s been difficult for MacKinnon, because the NHL hasn’t participated in the Olympics since he’s hit his stride in the league, so he hasn’t been able to showcase his skills on the International stage in a long time. It sounds like that will change in the future, so he’ll have more opportunities there.
He’s over a point-per-game in the regular season, and his playoff numbers are some of the best in the history of the NHL, as he’s got 100 points in just 77 playoff games. He’s elite, and yet, one of his teammates might already have a better case than him.
Cale Makar
- One Norris Trophy and a three-time nominee
- A Stanley Cup
- A Conn Smythe Trophy
- A Calder Trophy
- Three-time All-Star
- A Hobey Baker award
And he’s just 24.
Barring some massive collapse, Makar should be headed towards the HHOF some day. He currently sits at over a point-per-game in both the regular the postseason, and is entering his prime. With International tournaments inevitably in his future, he’s as close to a lock as you can get, as long as he can stay healthy.
On The Right Path
Mikko Rantanen
Rantanen has elite numbers with the Avalanche, as he’s over a point-per-game in the regular season, and like MacKinnon, his postseason numbers are dominant, but wingers have a harder time getting in than centers. Internationally, he captained his World Junior team to a Gold Medal as well. He’s on the right path, and at 26, has plenty of time to fill out his resume, but I struggle to say he’s a “lock.”
Look at Alexander Mogilny, who might finally get in this year. He was a true trailblazer, as he was the first Soviet hockey player to defect to the West. And on the ice, he was dominant, scoring at over a point-per-game in nearly 1,000 games, and he even had a 76 goal season. On top of all that, he’s got a Stanley Cup ring. And yet, he’s had a tough time getting in, despite a great resume.
If Rantanen continues down this path, he’ll give himself a shot, but wingers are a little tougher to predict.
Hall of “Very Good”
Gabriel Landeskog
Even if the knee injuries had not occurred, Landeskog would have had a very difficult case. I imagine he’s headed towards getting his number retired by the Avalanche, and that’s well-deserved, but the HHOF might be a little out of reach. With just one 30 goal season under his belt, and career numbers well below a point-per-game, it doesn’t seem likely, despite his two-way prowess and leadership qualities.
Hopefully he’s able to return and continue building his case in the future.
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