New names likely to extend Hockey Hall of Fame wait time for others
It could be a three, four or five Olympic-ring circus when the 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame induction class is revealed on Tuesday.
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The first-year eligible players include a number of former NHLers whose deeds under the Games' flag could fast-track their chances.
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Which might mean disappointing news for the Hall's ever-growing parking lot, already crowded with names such as Alex Mogilny, Henrik Zetterberg, Patrick Marleau, Curtis Joseph and Rob Brind'Amour, before a backlog of 1970s and Original Six hopefuls.
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Yet it's hard to argue that Canadians Carey Price, Duncan Keith, Ryan Getzlaf and Joe Thornton shouldn't get due consideration after their three-year wait, long NHL careers capped by gold medals in either the 2010 and 2014 Games or the 2016 World Cup before best-on-best hockey was halted until this year.
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Jennifer Botterill, a favourite with American Meghan Duggan to join the Hall's female list for a couple of years, also has a slew of Team Canada golds dating back to the '02 Olympics and world championships.
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There also are two prominent internationals with Boston Bruin ties now in the Hall picture: Dominant defenceman Zdeno Chara and franchise wins goaltending leader Tuukka Rask.
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'Call it a feast of new selections,' said an insider familiar with the process. 'It's going to be a great year for the Hall leading up to (the November induction). But you never know what can happen in the final voting.'
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The 18-person selection committee began gathering in Toronto on Monday and will announce their choices Tuesday afternoon live on TSN. A maximum of four male and two females can be chosen, along with builders and on-ice officials.
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Hall voting remains decidedly non-transparent. One of the 18 puts forward a nomination, either their own or received by them through public submission, hoping for the necessary 75% approval. However, names that miss the cut and voting results are never revealed and the committee does not comment afterwards on close calls.
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CTV News
41 minutes ago
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an hour ago
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