Predicting every NHL team’s future Hall of Famers

Ottawa Senators – Daniel Alfredsson

Quietly, Daniel Alfredsson was one of the best players of the post-1995 lockout era. Among players with at least 900 games played, he ranks 13th in points per game. Everyone above him is at least a really good candidate. Alfredsson has only one major award, but it’s a Calder Trophy.

His lack of awards and a Stanley Cup aren’t going to help his cause. That’s probably why he’s already had to wait two years on the ballot. But Alfredsson ought to get in eventually. His case is too strong.

Ottawa Senators – Erik Karlsson

Erik Karlsson is barely 30 years old and he’s still got a cement-strong Hall of Fame case. He could retire today on another team and he’d be one. Karlsson, Keith, and Lidstrom are the only defensemen to win multiple Norris Trophies in the salary cap era. Karlsson’s the only right-handed defenseman to do it.

His impressive run from 2011 to 2019 is enough for me to say, “Yup, he’s a Hall of Famer regardless of what he does from here on out”. You could make the case Karlsson’s the best right-handed defensemen of all-time.

Ottawa Senators – Bryan Murray

Darn shame he didn’t get in while he was still alive. Again, builders are complicated, I get that. But still, Murray deserves to be a Hall of Famer and they’ve made him wait too long.

Honorable mentions: Dany Heatley’s an interesting candidate. His counting stats aren’t great, but for a five-year span, he was among the best players in the world. Probably not enough to get in, but it’s enough to at least get into the conversation.

Jason Spezza is one of my favorite players to watch, but he’s probably in the Hall of Very Good, not the Hall of Fame. He’s been underrated for most of his career, which isn’t a good sign. A Stanley Cup, though, could get him into the conversation.