CONCORD, N.C. – Charlotte Motor Speedway will host a first-of-its kind Speedway Children’s Charities fundraiser on Wednesday, July 1, bringing the cult-classic movie “The Goonies” to life on the speedway’s 16,000-square-foot HDTV.

Families can tune in from the comfort and safety of their vehicles through an FM radio transmitter, practicing safe social distancing all while enjoying the popular 1985 adventure-comedy.

Gates open at 6 p.m. and the movie is scheduled to begin 7 p.m.

Following the show, guests will be treated to one of the first Fourth of July fireworks spectacles in the region, as a dazzling pyrotechnic display lights up the night at approximately 9 p.m.

“What better way to kick off a fun-filled holiday weekend than spending time with family, enjoying a classic movie and giant fireworks display under the stars,” said Kelly Watts, executive director of the Charlotte chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities. “All of that while supporting Speedway Children’s Charities, giving back to communities in need right here in the Charlotte region, and you just can’t beat a night at the drive-in.”

Admission is just $40 per car, with proceeds benefiting the Charlotte chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities.

Restroom facilities will be available. Otherwise, guests will be asked to remain in their vehicles to follow the latest best practices for social distancing.

Speedway Children’s Charities will host a second drive-in movie night on July 8, with the 2016 animated film “The Secret Life of Pets” lighting up the screen.

Gates open at 6 p.m. and the movie starts at 7 p.m. Entry for July 8 is $30 per car.

CONCORD, N.C. – For the first time in tour history, the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Models and DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds will race over two phases to complete the 2020 schedule.

Both tours are set to race 26 times in 46 days over seven calendar weeks.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced the delay of the entire tour, pushing the schedule back by just over three weeks. DIRTcar officials have since reorganized the schedule and divided the tour into two halves that will host spectators at all events.

The spectator capacity for each event will be determined by the track, following the guidelines on mass gatherings set forth by local municipalities.

Fans are encouraged to check with their local track’s website and social media channels for updates on the number of spectators permitted at the facility on race day.

The tour’s opening phase for both series will be at Indiana’s Brownstown Speedway on Wednesday, July 8, and concludes with a stop at Belle-Clair Speedway on Sunday, July 26.

The modified action resumes with the second phase at Fairbury Speedway on Friday, July 31, and the late model action resumes Tuesday, Aug. 11 at Sycamore Speedway before both tours wrap up and crown champions Saturday, Aug. 22 at Oakshade Raceway.

The break in the action allows Late Model drivers to participate in Fairbury Speedway’s Prairie Dirt Classic and Cedar Lake Speedway’s USA Nationals, both featuring the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models.

Friday and Saturday night late model races will still pay $10,000 to the winner; the other days of the week will serve as $5,000-to-win shows.

The late model champion’s check will be worth $25,000 and the DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds will battle for $5,000.

Weekly point funds for the late models will also be distributed throughout the schedule.

WHEATLAND, Mo. – Following a season in which he captured pro late model track titles on the asphalt at both Lebanon I-44 Speedway and Bolivar Speedway, Brennon Willard knew it was time for a change.

The 36-year-old now finds himself behind the wheel of a dirt super late model for the first time, contending for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors with the Lucas Oil MLRA.

Willard piloted a dirt B-Mod for a short stint nearly 10 years ago, before returning to his asphalt roots and the confines of Lebanon I-44, which his family owns and operates.

He expects the upcoming season to present its share of challenges, but is looking forward to traveling with the MLRA and being able to focus solely on his racing program.

“After last season I decided I was tired of not getting to go racing and have fun, so I traded Mike Marlar my asphalt late model for one of his dirt late models,” said Willard. “Being able to go race and have fun and not having to worry about running the race track side of things, like worrying if the line-ups are right or if the hot dogs are right at the concession stand, is the most gratifying thing about the transition.”

In the weeks leading up to the start of the 2020 season, Willard made yet another move by trading his newly acquired Longhorn Chassis for a Barry Wright Race Car.

The move to the BWRC matches him to the same chassis make used by his father in the 80’s and to that of his longtime friend and MLRA regular, Tony Jackson Jr.

“Our set-ups are basically the same, and our crew guys go back and forth, so it’s just nice being able to share knowledge,” Willard said of Jackson. “When we raced asphalt together we liked very similar race car set-ups, so I think on dirt it will be the same way eventually once I get it figured out.”

As Willard continues down the MLRA trail, he expressed how critical seat time will be to his progression towards the top.

“With asphalt you practice for hours, but with dirt you only get a lap and a half. We’re going to tracks I have never been to before, and only getting a lap and a half of practice and then having to go right out and qualify,” Willard pointed out. “That part is very tough.”

After getting acclimated to the strong caliber of competition in the series opening weekend, Willard now has his sights set on a more familiar venue, as the MLRA rolls into Lucas Oil Speedway Wednesday night.

“I’m looking forward to Wheatland. We’ve at least gotten to practice there, so I’ve probably got about 60 laps around that place,” Willard noted. “It’s going to be the first track all year that I have actually been to and driven on.”

With 16 events remaining on the MLRA schedule, the driver of the Hudson Feed and Grain No. 3w acknowledged the battle for the Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie award will be uphill, yet a challenge he is looking forward to trying to conquer.

“I know how tough it is, and it seems like this year’s field of cars in the MLRA may be the toughest it has been in recent years, so it isn’t going to be easy,” he said. “I feel like the only way to learn and get better is to go race against the best and obviously we are doing that right now. I raced some of the biggest races on asphalt and got my butt kicked because I wanted to know where I stood. We may not be very good right now, but I’m going to get better every time on the race track.

“You have to rise up to the people around you, so that’s what I’m going to make myself do.”

LEXINGTON, Ohio – The Trans-Am Series presented by Pirelli is set for its 33rd visit to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course during the June 26-28 Vintage Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio.

Trans-Am made its Mid-Ohio debut as part of its second season, with Jerry Titus winning in a Ford Mustang fielded by the legendary Carroll Shelby.

Roger Penske took back-to-back victories in 1968-69, with Mark Donohue and Ronnie Bucknum piloting his Chevrolet Camaros.

Other winners during the Golden Years were George Follmer, who won for Bud Moore in a Mustang in both 1970 and 1971, and Milt Minter, who triumphed in a Herb Adams Pontiac Firebird in 1972.

After a nine-year hiatus, Trans Am returned in 1982, with Elliott Forbes-Robinson winning in a Joe Huffaker Pontiac Trans-Am. Willy T. Ribbs claimed victory in 1983, driving Neil DeAtley’s Camaro.

Trans Am ran 10 consecutive seasons beginning in 1985. Jack Roush won four of them, with Wally Dallenbach (1985 in a Mercury Capri), Scott Pruett (1987 in a Mercury Merkur XR4Ti), Dorsey Schroeder (1989 in a Ford Mustang), and Tommy Kendall (1994 in a Mustang).

Greg Pickett (1986 and 1992 in a Camaro) and Darin Brassfield (1990-91 in a Rocketsports Oldmobile Cutlass) were two-time winners, while Jack Baldwin triumphed in 1993 in Buz McCall’s Camaro and Hans Stuck won in 1988 in a Group 44 Audi Quattro.

“I always enjoyed racing at Mid-Ohio, and I always felt I had a chance to win there,” Brassfield said. “We spent a lot of time there testing – it was one of Rocketsports’ test tracks. I also won a couple of times there in IMSA. The key was probably having a well-balanced car. It was also relatively hard on brakes, because the backstraight is downhill.

“Even though it seems you’re turning right all the time, there are also significant left-handers that mean a lot.”

The series raced six times over the next two decades. Paul Gentilozzi won three straight times with three different makes: 1998 (Corvette), 1999 (Mustang) and 2001 (Jaguar XKR).

Butch Leitzinger triumphed in 2002 in a Tom Gloy Corvette, while Jorge Diaz Jr. won in 2009 in a Jaguar XKR.

Trans Am returned in 2012, and has competed at Mid-Ohio annually since. Ernie Francis is riding a six-year winning streak (coinciding with his championships), winning in TA3 in 2014-15; TA4 in 2016; and TA from 2017-19.

“Honestly, I just can’t wait to get back to real racing – I don’t care which track it is,” Francis said. “I’ve just been sitting here staring at my race car, getting ready to get back behind the wheel again. I have a lot of good memories of racing at Mid-Ohio, and it seems every time we go back there we get pretty good new ones. They’ve all been pretty good victories.

“Last year was nice. We had Boris Said out there and a bunch of other drivers who were fast. That made for a nice victory for us.”

Simon Gregg is a two-time Mid-Ohio winner, scoring in 2012 and 2016 in Jim Derhaag’s Corvette. Other TA winners include Cliff Ebben in 2013 (Mustang); Doug Peterson in 2014 (Corvette); and Paul Fix in 2015 (Corvette).

In TA2, races were won by Bob Stretch (2012), Cameron Lawrence (2013), Adam Andretti (2014), Gar Robinson (2015), Lawrence Loshak (2016), Tony Buffomante (2017), Rafa Matos (2018) and Marc Miller (2019).

Miller won in a Dodge Challenger and Buffomante in a Ford Mustang; the other TA2 races were won by Chevrolet Camaros.

Mark Boden is also a three-time winner at the circuit, in TA3 in 2017 and 2018 in addition to SGT in 2019, driving a Porsche 991 GT3 Cup.

The weekend kicks off on Thursday for Trans Am with a mixed-class test. Friday opens with an official practice with split qualifying sessions in the afternoon for TA/XGT/SGT/GT, followed by a late practice session for the TA2 group.

Saturday TA/XGT/SGT/GT opens the day with a 100-mile (or 65 minutes) feature starting at 1:25 p.m. Eastern, followed by a 20-minute TA2 qualifying at 5:55 p.m. Eastern.

The weekend concludes on Sunday with the TA2 100-mile race (or 65 minutes) at 1:45 p.m. Eastern.

PLYMOUTH, Ind. – Brady Bacon, Justin Grant and Kevin Thomas Jr. are three individuals who have found recent AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series success at Plymouth Speedway.

All three are amped up and vying to become the first two-time USAC winner at the track in Friday night’s event at the three-eighths-mile dirt oval in Plymouth, Ind.

Grant, from Ione, Calif., found instant success in the series’ inaugural visit to Plymouth in 2017, leading all 30 laps wire-to-wire. In the process, he established the 30-lap track record of 7:36.34.

Grant has been a solid citizen at Plymouth in all four of his previous USAC visits, including an eighth in May 2018, a fourth in July 2018 and a third in 2019. He leads the AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car standings entering Friday’s event.

Of note, Grant recently won back to back at both 34 Raceway in Iowa and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Missouri during the first weekend of June.

Also a two-time winner in 2020 is Brady Bacon, a USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car winner at Plymouth in July 2018.

Bacon won consecutive races at Florida’s Bubba Raceway Park in February and is third in the standings coming into Friday.

He’s also had his share of success at Plymouth with a fifth in May 2018, then won his heat and led the final 15 laps en route to victory in July 2018.

Bacon was also fourth in 2019 and led six laps mid-race.

Thomas owns a pair of USAC National Sprint Car track records at Plymouth. The 10-lap record of 2:12.03 from May 2018 belongs to the Cullman, Ala., driver, as does the 12-lap standard from July 2018 at 2:43.81.

He swept the night in May 2018 by setting fast qualifying time, winning his heat race and putting the cherry on top with a feature win, leading the last eight laps in a race that was ultimately decided on a last lap battle for the victory with Robert Ballou.

Additionally, Thomas won his heat in 2017 and has added another pair of top-10 runs, a 10th in 2017 and a ninth in July 2018. Thomas also won his first career NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Series feature at Plymouth back in 2015.

Ballou has been strong since his return from a near one-year absence from AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car racing due to injury, notching a seventh at 34 Raceway, a third at I-55 and a second in the most recent race at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind. behind first-time series winner Stephen Schnapf.

At Plymouth, Ballou briefly led the aforementioned final-lap scramble with Thomas in 2018 and wound up finishing third after blitzing through the field to earn hard charger honors from 11th.

In each of the last three USAC sprint races at Plymouth, Chase Stockon has led laps. He led two in May 2018 in finishing fourth. In July of that same year, the 2019 Jason Leffler Memorial Award winner won his heat and led the first 15 laps before dropping back to seventh in the final rundown.

Stockon, who aims to make his 300th consecutive AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car start on Friday, led the opening lap in 2019 and finished eighth.

In his first visit to Plymouth in 2017, Stockon set quick time during qualifying, won his heat race and took home a sixth-place finish in the feature.

Chris Windom runs second overall in the series standings, 15 behind Grant, and is still seeking his first win in the division for 2020. He’s already won twice in NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget action and he leads the points there.

Windom has been a consistent contender at Plymouth in USAC sprint cars as well, with an eighth in 2017, a heat race victory in May 2018, a second in July 2018, and in the most recent trip in 2019, led 11 laps and finished sixth.

C.J. Leary is a past winner in a sprint car at Plymouth, winning the unsanctioned Tony Elliott Classic there in 2016. He also holds claim to the one-lap USAC track record around Plymouth at 12.996, set in July 2018.

The 2019 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champion has seen progressively improved results in recent Plymouth events, finishing 10th in May 2018, eighth in July 2018 and finishing runner-up to Tyler Courtney in 2019.

Carson Short, fresh off his first career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series win at Tri-State Speedway last weekend, has had a pair of solid results in recent times at Plymouth under the USAC banner, finishing seventh in May 2018 and upping it to a best of sixth in July 2018.

Dave Darland recently moved to second on the USAC National Sprint Car division’s fast qualifier list with the 61st of his career at Tri-State, four behind Tom Bigelow’s 65.

He does own a series record 62 wins and would like nothing better than to win a 63rd Friday at Plymouth, where he led a lap in May 2018 and ran sixth, then won his heat and finished third in July 2018.

Anton Hernandez continues to learn the ropes of the AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car circuit and has shown great speed, with a pair of top-10 finishes during the first five races of the campaign, a pair of eighth place finishes at Ocala and I-55.

Coming into the season, Hernandez had never competed in a USAC National Sprint Car event. The series’ top rookie thus far, Hernandez stands 11th in the points coming in and makes his USAC debut at Plymouth Friday.

Friday at Plymouth, the grandstands open at 4 p.m. ET, with hot laps set for 6 p.m. Along with the sprint cars, the event card also features 600cc non-wing micros and 4 Cylinders.

New Arizona Coyotes president Xavier Gutierrez says his top focus is finding a long-term arena solution to keep the team in Arizona.

It's a yearslong issue for the franchise that he now inherits.

"I know there have been a lot of conversations before I've gotten here," Gutierrez told ESPN. "I'm going to reengage in all of the conversations that have been had, and start to go down the road of what makes sense. When I took the job, [owner] Alex Meruelo told me finding a solution for where we should be located was priority one through five. I thought it was one through five, and he quickly corrected me and said, 'No, it's priority one through 10 for you.'"

Meruelo took over majority ownership of the Coyotes last year, becoming the first Latino owner in league history. Meruelo hired Gutierrez in June, making him the NHL's first Latino chief executive.

The Coyotes have played at Gila Arena in Glendale since 2003, but have been looking for a new home that is closer to their fan base for the past several years. The Coyotes, who will play in the NHL's 24-team postseason, finished 28th in league attendance for 2019-20, averaging 14,605 fans, which is roughly 85% capacity.

When Meruelo took over, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters that the Coyotes needed a new arena "because Glendale is not viable long term."

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly added that the league hoped Meruelo would be the one to "crack the code." The Coyotes are often mentioned in relocation rumors, though none have been substantiated. The team is scheduled to switch from the Pacific Division to the Central Division when Seattle joins the NHL in 2021-22.

The Coyotes are in a year-to-year lease with Gila Arena, and have already committed to playing there for next season.

"It's been year-to-year to date, but with this pause, we are evaluating whether that is the right approach," Gutierrez said. "The reality is, there is an option to stay here for longer. There are options for new arenas elsewhere. But you don't just go to Home Depot and pop up a new arena so it's going to take a little bit of time. So what we're evaluating is whether continuing the year-to-year, or even a mid-term commitment, makes sense if we do really pursue a new stadium."

Gutierrez said any discussions around the new arena circle around the idea: what makes the most sense for long-term prosperity for the franchise. Gutierrez, who attended Harvard and Stanford Law School, has an investment background, and has also started a real estate private equity firm.

"The East Valley [in the Phoenix metropolitan area] is certainly where you see a lot of the corporate growth," Gutierrez said. "What you're seeing now, here in the East Valley, is the pop-up of the capital coming to what is clearly a growth-technology center. A perfect example of that is Silicon Valley Bank, for the first time ever, having a branch here."

Meruelo said that if it were not for COVID-19, the team would be "much further ahead" on arena plans. "It's really set us back at least six to nine months," the owner said.

Gutierrez is also committed to expanding the fan base -- reaching what he calls "hockey fans in waiting" -- by specifically targeting youth, women and Latinos.

The Tampa Bay Lightning reopened their training facility Wednesday, a source confirmed to ESPN.

The news comes five days after the team announced that three players and additional staffers tested positive for coronavirus.

General manager Julien BriseBois said last week that the players who tested positive were self-isolating and "are asymptomatic other than a few cases of low-grade fever."

"With a significant rise in cases in the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County and the State of Florida we are imploring everyone in the Bay Area, especially young people, to help slow the spread of this pandemic by diligently following the recommendations of the government officials by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and continuing to wash their hands regularly," BriseBois said in a statement. "We need to work together as a community to slow the spread."

The NHL is currently in Phase 2 of its return-to-play program, which allows for small, voluntary group workouts. Initially, only six players were allowed on the ice at a time, with only noncontact drills allowed. However, the NHL expanded the rules this week to allow 12 players for on-ice sessions.

A decent number of Lightning players stayed in the Tampa Bay area during the NHL's pause. A source said that 18 players have been working out at Amalie Arena since the NHL opened its Phase 2 program on June 8.

The Lightning announced their positive tests on Friday, the same day Florida reported 3,822 new cases of the coronavirus, a one-day record.

MLB also temporarily shut down its spring training sites in Florida. Five players on the Phillies, who were training in Clearwater -- just 23 miles from Tampa -- also tested positive last week.

The Hockey Hall of Fame announced a six-member class for 2020, including first-ballot inductees Jarome Iginla and Marian Hossa.

The class also included defensemen Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson, both of whom saw long waits end; Canadian hockey goaltender Kim St-Pierre in the women's category; and Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland in the builder category.

Iginla is one of the most respected players in recent NHL history and considered one of the game's greatest ambassadors. He will be the fourth Black player inducted, after Grant Fuhr, women's hockey pioneer Angela James and Willie O'Ree. Iginla and Fuhr are the only Black NHL players enshrined for their on-ice accomplishments, while O'Ree was chosen in the builder category in 2018 for breaking the league's color barrier 60 years earlier.

"Growing up, I loved playing hockey. I didn't view myself as a Black hockey player, but I was also aware that I was," Iginla said. "My mom was just reminding me today of a picture I took with Grant Fuhr when I was 10 and he was in his early 20s. It's pretty neat to think that he got to the Hall of Fame, and I got there with him. If there are other minorities, other Black kids growing up seeing that it's possible, it'll be special to other kids like it was to me."

Iginla's 625 career goals rank him 16th all time in the NHL, and he ranks 34th with 1,300 points in 1,554 career games with the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings. Iginla led the NHL in points and goals in 2001-02, winning the NHLPA's player of the year award. He would lead the league in goals again in 2003-04.

His international achievements are just as sterling: two Olympic gold medals with Canada in men's ice hockey, including the primary assist on Sidney Crosby's overtime "Golden Goal" to win the 2010 Vancouver Games. He also won gold at the IIHF world championships in 1997, gold at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and gold in the 1996 world junior championships. Iginla, however, never had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.

"This selection is hard to believe and makes me reflect and look back on my career," Iginla said. "I was always just trying to make the NHL, and this recognition means a lot to me and my family."

There was little debate about whether Hossa would be in the Hall of Fame, but his status as a first-ballot choice -- typically reserved for superstar players and those who amassed a slew of NHL Awards -- was a mild surprise.

Hossa joins 2015 inductee Chris Pronger as the only players to go into the hall while still under contract. Like Pronger, Hossa qualified because he hasn't played in three years. He retired in 2018 because of a skin disorder.

Hossa had 525 career goals and 1,134 career points, and had 89 points in 110 playoff games, which included five trips to the Stanley Cup Final, winning three times with the Chicago Blackhawks. Considered one of the best defensive wingers of his generation, Hossa played 1,309 games with the Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.

"This is an amazing day for me and my family. I never thought I would have [this] amazing career," Hossa said. "My dream came true when I won [my] first Stanley Cup and this is definitely something special, to be [among] the top players and people in the National Hockey League."

Lowe had been eligible since 2001. He played 1,254 games in the NHL, winning five Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers' dynasty and a sixth one with the New York Rangers in 1994. Considered a defensive defenseman and a backbone of those teams, Lowe was given a hearty endorsement by former teammate Wayne Gretzky at the 2018 Hall of Fame induction.

"It was never fun to play against Kevin. He was one of the most reliable defenseman you could imagine," said Lanny McDonald, the Hockey Hall of Fame president and former Calgary great. "But we all knew he was leader of the pack. Yes, they had Gretzky, they had [Jari] Kurri, they had [Mark] Messier, they had [Glenn] Anderson and they had Fuhr. But every time something happened -- and we had all kinds of battles between Calgary and Edmonton -- Kevin Lowe was in the thick of it."

Wilson had an even longer wait. The current general manager of the San Jose Sharks, Wilson has been eligible since 1996. He won the Norris Trophy in 1982 with Chicago and was a top-four finisher for the award three other times. His offensive numbers rank among the greatest ever among defensemen: an 0.81 points-per-game average that ranks ninth among defensemen with at least 650 games played. He was a model of consistency for about 11 seasons but overshadowed by Hall of Famers like Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey and Rod Langway.

"It was a pleasant shock, and that's an understatement," Wilson said. "The timing? I didn't even think about it. It never meant a thing to me."

St-Pierre had the most appearances and wins as a goalie for the Canadian women's national team. She won three Olympic gold medals with Canada and five more in the IIHF world championships. She became one of only three women at the time to win a Clarkson Cup -- the championship in the defunct Canadian Women's Hockey League -- a world title and an Olympic title. She was the first woman to win a men's regular-season game in Canadian Interuniversity Sport history with McGill in 2003.

"It's quite the honor, especially as a goalie," she said. "I need to thank my parents. I used to be a figure skater. Then one day I saw Patrick Roy playing for the Canadiens, and wanted to be a goalie. I want to thank my parents because they said [they would] support me, even if I was the only girl playing on the team."

Holland, currently the general manager of the Oilers, was the GM of the Red Wings from 1997 through 2014. He facilitated a Red Wings run of playoff appearances and championships that included Stanley Cup wins in 1998, 2002 and 2008. During his tenure in Detroit, his team won more combined regular-season and playoff games (1,044) than any other NHL franchise. Holland also as instrumental behind the scenes in the NHL, helping bring to life such concepts as 3-on-3 overtime.

Among the players still waiting for their call to the Hall of Fame: forwards Daniel Alfredsson, Alex Mogilny, Rod Brind'amour and Jeremy Roenick; defenseman Sergei Gonchar; and goaltenders Tom Barrasso and Curtis Joseph. Next year's class could include first-year eligible Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

The Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 16 in Toronto, but it's unclear whether it will happen. The NHL still is working on trying to resume its season after suspending play in March, with the playoffs potentially extending into October and delaying the start of next season until December or January.

The 18-member selection committee voted remotely for the first time because of travel difficulties posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Those living in the Toronto area met in a conference room to determine the inductees, who got congratulatory calls from chairman of the board Lanny McDonald.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

With the first phase of the 2020 NHL draft lottery set for Friday, there is a chance that we'll know the destination of consensus No. 1 prospect Alexis Lafreniere by week's end. Whichever team is lucky enough to land the top slot will have a chance to nab the talented left winger, who joined Sidney Crosby as the only players to win the CHL Player of the Year Award in back-to-back years. The hype has been building for some time, and we will finally have an idea of what will happen next for the prospect in this postponed draft process.

Before an NHL team has a chance to add Lafreniere to its list of prospects, let's take a look back and pinpoint the most hyped prospects for all 31 teams over the past 30 years. There are obviously quite a few No. 1 overall picks on this list, as there's always an absurd amount of hype for top picks, whether they deserve it or not.

Note: For franchises that have relocated, I tried to avoid prospects from the old clubs, with a few exceptions. Also, I limited this to prospects from the past 30 years. Draft pick number and year are in parentheses for each player.

Jump to a team:
ANA | ARI | BOS | BUF | CGY | CAR | CHI
COL | CBJ | DAL | DET | EDM | FLA
LA | MIN | MTL | NSH | NJ | NYI
NYR | OTT | PHI | PIT | SJ | STL
TB | TOR | VAN | VGS | WSH | WPG

Anaheim Ducks: Paul Kariya, LW (No. 4, 1993)

Kariya was the Ducks' first draft pick, and was he ever a good one. He had just led the University of Maine to the national championship with 100 points -- a record that still stands for NCAA freshmen -- and was the first freshman to win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's best player. Despite concussion issues that shortened his career, Kariya put together a Hall of Fame résumé, with 989 points in the NHL, including 669 in 606 games with the then-Mighty Ducks.

Arizona Coyotes: Kyle Turris, C (No. 3, 2007)

In franchise history, it would be difficult to top Teemu Selanne ... but given that he never played in Arizona, we'll take it another direction. The highest draft pick in Coyotes history, Turris actually was ranked No. 1 by the NHL's Central Scouting bureau -- ahead of Patrick Kane. After winning the British Columbia Hockey League MVP award and helping Canada to gold at the 2007 U18 World Championship, Turris was highly regarded for both his skill set and his character. He went to Wisconsin, where he starred as a freshman, and signed the following season.

Boston Bruins: Joe Thornton, C (No. 1, 2000)

A big kid who averaged more than two points per game in his last Ontario Hockey League season, Thornton had all the makings of a star. He was the first top pick for the Bruins since 1982, and the excitement from the team was evident at the draft. Despite a slow start to his NHL career, Thornton has put together a résumé that will make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Buffalo Sabres: Jack Eichel, C (No. 2, 2015)

The consolation prize for not landing Connor McDavid in 2015 was an exciting one. The Sabres finally secured a franchise center to build their team around in Eichel, who was the first freshman since Kariya to win the Hobey Baker. In the ensuing years, however, things haven't really played out. Yes, Eichel has been all he was expected to be and more, but he will be on his third GM when next season begins, and Buffalo looks no closer to being competitive.

Calgary Flames: Dion Phaneuf, D (No. 9, 2003)

Picked in the vaunted 2003 draft, Phaneuf spent the next two years in junior and continued to build a résumé as one of the most feared hitters in the game. In his final year of junior, he put up good numbers and helped Canada to gold at the world junior championships.

Carolina Hurricanes: Eric Staal, C (No. 2, 2003)

When the Penguins took Marc-Andre Fleury No. 1, the Hurricanes knew they were about to land a future franchise center. Staal was a dominant force in the OHL the previous season. He jumped right into the NHL the following season, dominated the AHL in the lockout year and then became a leading player in the Hurricanes' run to the Stanley Cup in 2006. Looking at all of franchise history, however, it'd be hard to top the Hartford Whalers' No. 2 pick in 1993, Chris Pronger.

Chicago Blackhawks: Patrick Kane, RW (No. 1, 2007)

The Blackhawks had never had the first overall pick in the club's long history, but their timing couldn't have been better when they finally landed it. Kane had just torched the OHL with the London Knights and starred for the U.S. in the WJC. Even though there were concerns about his size, he had as much skill as anyone who had entered the draft in recent years. The foundation for Chicago's Stanley Cup-winning teams was nearly set with this pick.

Colorado Avalanche: Peter Forsberg, C (No. 6, 1991)

OK, this is a little bit of a cheat because Forsberg started his NHL career with the Quebec Nordiques. But as a child of the 1990s who grew up on Forsberg, I wasn't passing this one up -- no offense to Nathan MacKinnon or Cale Makar, of course.

Traded to the Nords in the Eric Lindros deal that inadvertently provided the foundation for the Stanley Cups won by Colorado in 1996 and 2001, Forsberg was a phenom by every measure. His numbers in Sweden's pro league were incredible, and he had the highest-scoring World Junior ever (31 points in seven games). Then he really came to international prominence with his famous, gold-medal-winning shootout goal against Canada at the 1994 Olympics.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Rick Nash, LW (No. 1, 2002)

The Blue Jackets got the No. 1 pick in the third NHL draft in franchise history and used it on Nash. He was an absolute physical beast, with skill to boot. He had all the makings of a superstar, but the Jackets never found a way to adequately build around him. Nash holds many of the team's franchise records, including games played, goals, assists and points.

Dallas Stars: Jack Campbell, G (No. 11, 2010)

In franchise history, Mike Modano is the guy (1988 draft pick). But in the past 30 years, the Stars have not had a ton of high draft picks, thanks to sustained success throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. That brings me to Campbell, who was as hyped a goalie prospect as there had been since Carey Price. Having won a World Junior and two U18 gold medals in the span of a year, Campbell had a winning pedigree and a lot of exposure. It took him a long time to find his game in the NHL, but he has rounded into, at the very least, a dependable backup.

Detroit Red Wings: Sergei Fedorov, C (No. 74, 1989)

Although drafted in 1989, Fedorov took a few years before he made the jump to North America, so we are counting him here. His defection from the Soviet Union while in Seattle at the Goodwill Games was the stuff of legend. Drafted in the fourth round, Fedorov would have gone higher if there hadn't been uncertainty about teams being able to bring Soviet-born players to North America. The trouble the Red Wings went through to get Fedorov to the team says a lot about what they thought of the player. They smuggled him out of his team's hotel, took him in a limo to the airport, hopped in Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch's private jet and were in Detroit before Soviet team officials realized Fedorov was gone -- on his way to a Hall of Fame career highlighted by three Stanley Cups in Detroit.

Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid, C (No. 1, 2015)

Referred to throughout his draft year as "McJesus," McDavid had pedigree that was unmatched. Anyone who saw him play knew he was on a different level than any of the three other recent first overall picks for Edmonton -- and anyone else league-wide since Sidney Crosby, if not beyond. McDavid has continually lived up to the hype and is building a highlight reel a mile long that will stretch only further as he continues his otherworldly play in the NHL.

Florida Panthers: Aaron Ekblad, D (No. 1, 2014)

Only the second player in OHL history to earn "exceptional player status" and enter junior a year early, Ekblad looked to be on the fast track to stardom. He had a spectacular draft season, with 53 points in 58 games for the Barrie Colts, and was largely unchallenged as the No. 1 prospect that season. But history might not look as kindly on this pick, even though Ekblad has been a dependable blueliner for the Panthers, because Leon Draisaitl went two picks later.

Los Angeles Kings: Drew Doughty, D (No. 2, 2008)

Doughty received potential No. 1 buzz over the course of the 2007-08 season, based on how dominant he was as a 16-year-old the previous year. Even though his numbers dipped in his draft year, Doughty had all the tools to be a star defenseman in the league. He made good on the projections, becoming a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman and a core player on both Olympic and Stanley Cup champion teams.

Minnesota Wild: Kirill Kaprizov, LW (No. 135, 2015)

You know the hype is big if we have a guy here who isn't even in the league yet. But it's real. Ever since his draft year, Kaprizov's profile has grown. He has been dominant at the World Juniors, has two goal-scoring titles in the Kontinental Hockey League and scored the gold-medal-winning goal at the 2018 Olympics. The wait has been painful, but he's coming soon -- probably.

Montreal Canadiens: Carey Price, G (No. 5, 2005)

It wasn't immediate, but within a few years, Habs fans knew they had something special in Price. That was especially true after he starred for Canada's gold-medal team at the 2007 World Juniors. After an early postseason exit in the Western Hockey League, Price was sent to the AHL, where he backstopped the Hamilton Bulldogs to the Calder Trophy and earned MVP honors with a .936 save percentage in 22 games as a 19-year-old. There was no denying at that point that Montreal had its goalie of the immediate future.

Nashville Predators: Seth Jones, D (No. 4, 2013)

How did the Preds feel about Jones unexpectedly falling to No. 4? Look no further than the giddiness of the typically reserved David Poile as he made the pick at the podium. Jones made the immediate jump to the NHL and got buzz to make the 2014 Olympic team as a rookie. He's now a member of the Blue Jackets and still looks like he has a Norris Trophy in his future.

New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes, C (No. 1, 2019)

The Devils had picked first overall just three years earlier (Nico Hischier), but there was not as large a consensus that the talented Swiss center was the top prospect. Hughes absolutely was. Having set multiple records with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, home to most of the best American players of the past 20 years, he came in with a lot of pedigree. Hughes mania took over soon after his draft, and optimism skyrocketed in New Jersey.

New York Islanders: John Tavares, C (No. 1, 2009)

There's a really strong case for Rick DiPietro here, given the fact that he was the first goalie to go No. 1 in the expansion era. But people knew about Tavares long before he was drafted. The first player to be granted "exceptional status" by the OHL to enter a year early, Tavares had 433 points over four seasons in the OHL and was the no-brainer pick at No. 1.

New York Rangers: Kaapo Kakko, RW (No. 2, 2019)

I think there's a good case to be made for Chris Kreider, after his legend grew in a strong career at the World Juniors and in college. Or there's the slow burn and buildup of Igor Shesterkin, the goalie of the future on Broadway. But Kakko mania was very, very real last year. The fact that Kakko played a leading role on three Finnish gold-medal teams at the U18 championship, World Junior and men's World Championships -- all in a year -- allowed his legend to grow even more pre-draft.

Ottawa Senators: Alexandre Daigle, RW (No. 1, 1993)

Famous for not living up to the hype, Daigle was the consensus No. 1 prospect going into the first draft in which the Sens had the No. 1 pick. Daigle was not a lock to be a legend by any means, but having Chris Pronger go one pick after him to the Whalers exacerbated the scrutiny. Daigle had franchise cornerstone potential, though, given his 137 points during his draft season.

Philadelphia Flyers: Eric Lindros, C (No. 1, 1991)

You could make the case that Lindros was one of the most hyped prospects of all time for any team. He was viewed widely as the natural successor to Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux after he recorded 149 points in 57 games for the Oshawa Generals in his draft year.

Drafted first overall by the Nordiques, Lindros refused to sign and spent the 1991-92 season playing for Canada at the 1992 Olympics at 18 years old. His rights were then traded to the Flyers for a package that included Ron Hextall, Chris Simon, Mike Ricci, Kerry Huffman, two first-round draft picks, the rights to Peter Forsberg and cash. That trade gave the Flyers their future captain and built the foundation for the Avalanche's mid-1990s success. Lindros fought through injuries but finished with an incredible NHL career that landed him in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Sidney Crosby, C (No. 1, 2005)

The reward for the Penguins' surviving the lockout and staying in Pittsburgh was a lucky bounce of the lottery balls that landed them a generational talent who led them to three Stanley Cups (so far) and put to rest any notion that the team was on shaky ground in Pittsburgh. There isn't a way to overstate Crosby's hype coming into that 2005 draft. He was "The Next One," and he has lived up to it every step of the way.

San Jose Sharks: Patrick Marleau, C (No. 2, 1997)

After scoring 125 points for the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL, Marleau was the easy choice behind Thornton in the draft. He was widely considered the best player available, and there was some talk that he had more upside than Thornton. As we know now, the Sharks eventually got both players. It's difficult to think of the Sharks these days and not think of Marleau.

St. Louis Blues: Erik Johnson, D (No. 1, 2006)

The Blues probably thought they had the second coming of Pronger when they landed Johnson at No. 1. At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, he had the size and mobility to be a dominant NHL defenseman. Johnson gave the Blues their first No. 1 overall selection, spent his draft-plus-one season at the University of Minnesota and starred for USA at the World Juniors, solidifying lofty expectations.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Vincent Lecavalier, C (No. 1, 1998)

The Lightning have hit big on three top picks in their history (Lecavalier, Roman Hamrlik and Steven Stamkos), but where would they be if they had not taken Lecavalier at No. 1 in 1998? Art Williams, the Lightning's new owner at that time, proclaimed that Lecavalier would be the "Michael Jordan of hockey." Hyperbole aside, Lecavalier became the face of a franchise that had been searching for an identity since it entered the league in 1992-93. Before the 1998 draft, the Lightning had been to the postseason once. Lecavalier took years to fully blossom as a player, but his No. 4 hangs in the rafters at Amalie Arena for a reason.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews, C (No. 1, 2016)

Although Wendel Clark generated his fair share of buzz by going No. 1 in 1985, Matthews arrived at a time when it seemed like the Leafs had reached the peak of their suffering. Selecting him was a huge piece in a rebuilding team's opportunity to propel itself forward. Continuing a stretch of exceptional No. 1 talents, Matthews had all the makings of a top center in the league, and he has already made good on that projection.

Vancouver Canucks: Pavel Bure, RW (No. 113, 1989)

In recent years, Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes have captured the imaginations of Canucks fans and brought a lot of optimism to British Columbia. Long before them, however, Bure was almost mythical.

Bure was a dominant force for the Soviets at the World Juniors in 1989, providing Canada its first glimpse of his talent. The Russian Rocket appeared in two more WJCs, including the 1991 tournament in Saskatchewan. By then, Canucks fans were salivating as Bure scored 12 goals in seven games. He was signed ahead of the following season and began his Hall of Fame career.

Vegas Golden Knights: Cody Glass, C (No. 6, 2017)

A big center who put up big numbers in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks, Glass will always have a spot in Golden Knights history as the team's first amateur draft pick. He debuted this season with 12 points in 39 games.

Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin, LW (No. 1, 2004)

The Caps had to wait an extra year after drafting Ovechkin, thanks to the lockout, but he was an incredible prospect, and everyone knew it. Ovechkin's exploits at the U18 and U20 international tournaments showed how far ahead of his peers he was. He played in three World Junior Championships, including the legendary 2005 tournament in which he tied for the lead in goals. Ovi was as NHL-ready as a prospect has ever been.

Winnipeg Jets: Patrik Laine, RW (No. 2, 2016)

The Jets jumped up in the draft lottery to have a shot at Laine, who pushed Matthews for No. 1 late in his draft year. After dominating in a gold-medal performance for Finland at the World Juniors, Laine led Tappara to the Finnish league championship, winning playoff MVP honors. Then he went to the World Championship and was Finland's best player in a silver-medal performance, earning tournament MVP honors as a 17-year-old. It seemed for the Jets at the time that getting the No. 2 pick was almost as good as getting the top one.

It's revelation week for the Hockey Hall of Fame's Class of 2020, which means a fresh set of inductees and a vitriolic collection of debates over perceived snubs by the selection committee.

If only there were a formula that could determine Hall worthiness ...

Well, three years ago, we created one. It's a simple four-quadrant test that one can apply to prospective Hall of Fame candidates to see whether they have the stuff of legends, and here it is:

1. Individual production: This encompasses a player's statistical records, within the context of his era.
2. On-ice impact: What did that individual performance mean for the player's teams and teammates? "Winning" is sort of a nebulous concept, but there are ways to explore this impact -- postseason scoring, scoring rates in team wins, impact on teammates via with-or-without-you (WOWY) stats -- that can help quantify it.
3. Prestige: Could this player be considered among the top three in his position at any time during his career? This is where awards and accolades come in, as well as comparisons with his peers.
4. Cultural impact: The fame aspect of the equation, but also the most subjective one. Did this player revolutionize his position or cause others to emulate him? Was he considered a star? Was there something transcendent about this player?

We applied this test to all 31 NHL teams, looking at players (active and alumni), coaches and execs who are locks for the Hall, those whose candidacy can be debated and those who need a few more years to percolate before we know if they're Hall-worthy.

Something to keep in mind: Unlike baseball, these guys don't go in wearing the hat of a certain team on their plaque. We're putting active players with their current teams, and retired players on the teams with whom they're most associated. Don't get too bent out of shape about the team with whom a player is paired.

Let the debates begin!

All stats from Hockey Reference, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.

Anaheim Ducks

Top candidate: Ryan Getzlaf, C

One of the top all-around centers of his era, with 965 points in 1,052 games. He had 17 points in 21 playoff games in the Ducks' 2007 Stanley Cup run, before he was the team's top-line center. Overall, he has 120 points in 125 playoff games. He won gold twice with Canada at the Olympics and was a part of their World Cup of Hockey win. Quadrants 1 and 2 are solid, and it could be argued he was a top-5 center in the NHL at the apex of his powers. But does he have that extra "something" to move him to the elite level where some of his peers reside?

Up for debate: Ryan Miller, G

Miller won the Vezina Trophy in 2010, the same year that he backstopped the U.S. men's Olympic team to an overtime loss to Canada, settling for silver. But that season made him a star. Overall, Miller has a record of 387-281-86 in 780 games. In some ways, he was Dominik Hasek lite: making some pretty bad Buffalo teams look a lot better with his goaltending. But there are so many other goalies from his era with better numbers, even if Miller's impact was palpable.

Give him a few years: John Gibson, G

One bad season on a bad team doesn't derail what has been a strong start for Gibson, who has 139 wins in 279 starts and a .918 save percentage at 26.

Arizona Coyotes

Top candidate: Shane Doan, RW

Doan is a first-year candidate in 2020 who falls squarely into that "great player on some not very great teams" category from which the Hall of Fame plucks some entrants. Doan had 402 goals and 972 points in 1,540 games with the Winnipeg Jets (V1.0), Phoenix and Arizona Coyotes. During that span, he appeared in 55 playoff games. He never was in the running for a major award -- although he captured the Messier Leadership Award and the King Clancy, which are indicative of how respected Doan is in hockey circles. That's his best virtue, after a very good but never great career.

Up for debate: Phil Kessel, RW

One of the most prolific scorers of his era. Kessel has 861 points in 1,066 games, including 371 goals. His durability is exemplary: Kessel is up to 844 consecutive games played. Imagine how stronger his case might have been had Sidney Crosby not won the Conn Smythe that should have gone to Kessel in 2016?

Give him a few years: Taylor Hall, LW

A Hart Trophy win is a solid base on which to build a Hall case for Hall, as are 563 points in 627 games. Where he spends the next five to eight seasons will determine everything about his bid for immortality.

Boston Bruins

Top candidates: Patrice Bergeron, C; Zdeno Chara, D

Chara is a lock. He won one Norris Trophy, is a five-time finalist for the award, and was fourth since 1999 in points among defensemen (647) in the most games played (1,469), with a league-best plus/minus (+295). His 6-foot-9 frame makes him a mythic figure in hockey, too. Bergeron has three of the four quadrants solidified; the fourth, individual production, should be satisfied when Bergeron breaks 1,000 points in the next few seasons. His four Selke trophies, eight nominations and reputation as a prototypical two-way center for his generation cement him for the Hall.

Up for debate: Tuukka Rask, G; Tim Thomas, G

Rask has 291 wins in 536 games. For all goalies since 1999, he has the best save percentage (.922) and is tied for the best goals-against average (2.26) with Martin Brodeur -- another netminder who had to endure the "product of his team" label. With a Vezina and Jennings to his credit, the 32-year-old is making his case. That .927 playoff save percentage would look even more impressive with a Stanley Cup win of his own. Thomas had a five-season run of utter domination from 2007 to '12, including two Vezinas and a Conn Smythe in Boston's 2011 Stanley Cup win. His recent admission about post-concussion struggles, combined with his journeyman origin story, might outshine the controversy his political leanings caused during his playing days.

Give them a few years: Brad Marchand, LW; David Pastrnak, RW

Marchand's goal-scoring explosion in recent campaigns -- 198 goals since 2014, which is fifth best in the league -- makes him an intriguing potential candidate, but a lack of individual awards and a reputation that has taken a licking might prevent him from serious consideration. Pastrnak has had a tremendous start to his career, as his 115 goals since 2016 are behind only Alex Ovechkin and Auston Matthews.

Buffalo Sabres

Top candidate: Alexander Mogilny, RW

Mogilny is in his 11th year of eligibility, but as the induction of Vaclav Nedomansky showed last year, there has been a shift in the selection committee toward Russian and Eastern European players. Mogilny is a Triple Gold Club member with a 1.04 points per game average (40th). He was also the first Soviet defection to the NHL. He's a four-quadrant candidate, especially with that sterling points-per-game average. He even won a Lady Byng in 2003. Could this be the year?

Up for debate: Jack Eichel, C

The Sabres' star is the best candidate they've got at the moment, with 337 points in his first 354 games. At best, he might have Quadrant 2 filled, even at a career minus-60. But he hasn't been a finalist for any individual awards, nor has he led the league in any significant category. It's difficult to establish prestige without having a played a minute in the postseason.

Give them a few years: Rasmus Dahlin, D; Jeff Skinner, C

We're being a bit generous with Skinner, who has 258 goals in 720 career games. But he's only 28 and is one season removed from 40 goals. Dahlin has 84 points in 141 career games, and at 20 years old has already shown flashes of what made him the first overall pick in 2018. There's not a ton to love about the Sabres these days, but having Dahlin as a building block is one positive.

Calgary Flames

Top candidate: Jarome Iginla, RW

By the time you read this, he might already be in. He has the numbers, with 625 goals and 1,300 points, with two goal-scoring titles to his credit. He never won the Stanley Cup and was edged by Jose Theodore for the Hart Trophy in 2002 by a razor-thin margin. But he won two Olympic golds, won at worlds, won in world juniors, won at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Also, he's Jarome Iginla. Of course he's in.

Up for debate: Theo Fleury, RW

Fleury has some incredible numbers, with 455 goals and 1,088 points in 1,084 games. He won the Stanley Cup with Calgary in 1989 and a gold medal with Canada in 2002. From 1989 to '94, he was one of the best offensive players in the league. Quadrant 4 is locked down: Fleury is one of the most electrifying talents in recent NHL history, whizzing around the ice at a listed 5-foot-6. But a lack of individual honors -- the best he did was fifth for the Hart Trophy, twice -- hurts his case.

Give him a few years: Johnny Gaudreau, LW

Despite a downtick this season, Johnny Hockey is a 0.96 points-per-game player, with 445 points in 464 games through seven seasons in Calgary. Like Fleury, he has that fourth quadrant transcendent quality to him, and one could argue he has a case for Quadrant 3 as a top left wing in the West for a few seasons.

Carolina Hurricanes

Top candidate: Rod Brind'Amour, C

If Guy Carbonneau got in last season, how can they keep Rod The Bod out? The current head coach of the Hurricanes won the Selke twice, and Carbonneau won it three times. He crushes Carbonneau statistically, too: 1,184 points in 1,484 games to 663 points in 1,318 games for Carbonneau. He had 18 points during the Hurricanes' 2006 Stanley Cup run, too. This year is his seventh year of eligibility. Will it be his last year of waiting?

Up for debate: Pat Verbeek, RW

We're using our Hartford Whalers cheat code here. The original "Little Ball of Hate" scored 192 goals in 433 with the Whale, as part of a career that saw him net 522 goals in 1,424 games. He won a Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999. His goal scoring puts him in some rare company filled with Hall of Famers, but he never got a sniff of a major award.

Give him a few years: Sebastian Aho, C

The Hurricanes have a few players worth keeping an eye on, including defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Jaccob Slavin, as well as forward Andrei Svechnikov. But four years into his NHL career, Aho has 263 points in 310 games, including 38 goals this season.

Chicago Blackhawks

Top candidates: Marian Hossa, RW; Patrick Kane, RW; Duncan Keith, D; Jonathan Toews, C

Four pillars of the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup runs should all enter the Hall sooner (in the case of Hossa) or later. Hossa, a first-year candidate, has the regular season (525 career goals and 1,134 career points), playoff (89 points in 110 playoff games) and international (28 points in 19 Olympic games) numbers. He went to the Stanley Cup Final five times, and was considered one of the best two-way wingers of his era. Kane is on his way to 500 goals, with 389 at 31. Keith was a machine: 1,138 career games, two Norris Trophies and a Conn Smythe. Toews also has a Conn Smythe. While his career numbers are a tick down from the others, the amount of prestige and impact he has had is catnip to Hall voters -- especially when it comes to Canadian exceptionalism in international play. Not a total lock, but we'll assume he's in.

Up for debate: Jeremy Roenick, C; Doug Wilson, D

Wilson has been eligible since 1996. He won the Norris Trophy in 1982 with Chicago and was a top-four finisher for the award three other times. His offensive numbers rank among the greatest ever among defensemen: an 0.81 points-per-game average that ranks eighth among defensemen with at least 657 games played. He was a model of consistency for about 11 seasons. But there were defensemen in his era -- Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey and Rod Langway among them -- who were a shade better. As for Roenick, you know the drill: The "fame" thing is undeniable. His 0.892 points-per-game average puts him right with Hall of Famer Joe Nieuwendyk. But no awards or championships.

Give him a few years: Stan Bowman, GM

Bowman built a dynasty in the cap era, where he had to jettison the guts of his first Cup-winning team and rebuild it into one that won twice more. If he's able to build another Cup contender or winner -- in Chicago or elsewhere -- could there be a Hall of Fame case?

Colorado Avalanche

Top candidate: Nathan MacKinnon, C

At this point you'd have to say that he's on the path. MacKinnon just completed his third straight 90-point season, leading the league in shots on goal in the past two seasons. He won the Calder, and should be a Hart Trophy finalist this season for the second time. And he's only 24.

Up for debate: Adam Foote, D

The Hockey Hall of Fame rarely makes room for specialized players. Clark Gillies as the resident enforcer for the Islanders is one of the few. Foote never scored higher than 31 points, never was considered for a Norris nor an All-Star team. But he was an Olympic selection twice, and won gold in 2002. He was also the defensive backbone of two Avalanche Cup teams. Does a defensive defenseman warrant immortality, and if so, does Foote earn it?

Give him a few years: Mikko Rantanen, RW

The Avalanche winger already has been a point-per-game player for the past three seasons, and has 250 points in his first 281 games. If he continues to be paired with MacKinnon, he'll be on a solid path, too.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Top candidate: Rick Nash, LW

Nash was forced into retirement due in part to a series of concussions, and was only 33 in his final season. He had 805 points in 1,060 games, including an outstanding 437 goals -- the same number Pavel Bure scored, actually. Nash put up incredible numbers on some really terrible Blue Jackets teams.

Up for debate: John Tortorella, coach

Torts has 655 wins in 1,327 career games, including a Stanley Cup championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. In other words, he's only 45 wins away from 700 in his career, a rarified benchmark only eight other coaches in NHL history have reached, although six of them were Tortorella's contemporaries. Thanks, revamped overtime rules!

Give him a few years: Seth Jones, D

He's 25 years old and really finding his stride as one of the better all-around defensemen in the NHL. There's a Norris Trophy in his future at some point, having finished fourth for the award in 2018.

Dallas Stars

Top candidate: Jere Lehtinen, RW

Lehtinen won the Selke three times as a winger and was a finalist a fourth time. His offensive totals weren't shabby either, with 514 points in 875 career games with the Stars. He won the Stanley Cup and played on five Olympic teams for Finland. There's some debate on whether Guy Carbonneau swung the door open for other defensive aces with his induction. If so, Lehtinen is top of the list.

Up for debate: Joe Pavelski, C; Corey Perry, RW

Two first-year Stars with similar numbers: Pavelski has 369 goals in 1,030 games, and Perry has 377 goals in 1,045 games. The big difference, of course, is that Perry has a Stanley Cup title, double Olympic gold and a Hart Trophy on his ledger.

Give him a few years: Miro Heiskanen, D

At 20 years old, the Finn is already developing into one of the best defensemen of his era. But, it's only Year 2.

Detroit Red Wings

Top candidate: Pavel Datsyuk, C

We're higher on Datsyuk than some. His candidacy is a lot like Bergeron's. He had three consecutive Selke Trophy wins and was a six-time finalist as a prototypical defensive forward, and has two Stanley Cup rings. He has a 0.98 points-per-game average but fell short of 1,000 points for his career before shuffling off to the KHL. Does his offensive explosiveness make up for that lack of flashy stats?

Up for debate: Chris Osgood, G; Henrik Zetterberg, C

Zetterberg has two quadrants locked down: his contributions to the Red Wings, with whom he played 1,082 games and had 960 points, and capturing the Conn Smythe in 2008. But he never got the respect for his defensive game that he deserved during his career, playing in Steve Yzerman's and then Datsyuk's Selke shadow. Osgood has a complicated case. He has 401 career wins and an impressive 74 playoff wins. His career playoff goals-against average is 2.09, which is ahead of Jacques Plante, Ed Belfour and Patrick Roy. Ultimately, Osgood is probably viewed as a product of his team, but his numbers put him in the conversation.

Give him a few years: Dylan Larkin, C

That 32-goal season in 2018-19 showed some considerable offensive upside. He turns 24 in July, and hopefully gets surrounded by players who can help him fulfill that promise in Detroit.

Edmonton Oilers

Top candidate: Connor McDavid, C

When we visited this topic in 2017, listing McDavid as having satisfied Quadrants 3 and 4 was termed "a huge leap of faith." Let's take an even bigger leap: With 469 points in 351 games, the third-best points-per-game average in Oilers history (1.34) and two scoring titles, McDavid has the Quadrant 1 requirements met. With a Hart Trophy and a Lindsay, McDavid is well on his way to meeting Quadrant 2, even if the Oilers have given him only 13 games of postseason spotlight. A great argument for the back of the pub: If McDavid had to retire tomorrow, does he get in the Hall of Fame for these brilliant first four seasons?

Up for debate: Kevin Lowe, D

He was the backbone of six Stanley Cup championship teams, including five with the dynastic Oilers, who already have produced six Hall of Famers. Wayne Gretzky wants him in the Hall, and there's a case for him. But has the Hall honored enough players from that Oilers dynasty where Lowe is the cutoff?

Give him a few years: Leon Draisaitl, C

Now that he has shown he can be his own star at even strength -- while partnering with McDavid on the power play -- Draisaitl is writing his own legend, with back-to-back seasons of 105 or more points and one year removed from 50 goals. Perhaps after much speculation on whether he could fill the role, the Oilers have found the Messier to McDavid's Gretzky.

Florida Panthers

Top candidate: Joel Quenneville, coach

Coach Q has 925 career wins, second only to Scotty Bowman in the history of the NHL. He led the Chicago Blackhawks to a modern dynasty of three Stanley Cups in six seasons, and won the Jack Adams in 2000 with the St. Louis Blues. A lock for the Hall.

Up for debate: Roberto Luongo, G

He's not eligible until 2022. Considering the Hall of Fame's inconsistent history with goaltending candidates -- as in, they don't enshrine many -- that might give one pause on Luongo. Then you remember this is a goalie who is third in wins (489), second in games played (1,044), second in shots against (30,924) and saves (28,409) while being ninth in save percentage (.919). Oh, and literally everybody loves him. It's hard to call a goalie a lock, especially one who didn't win a Vezina, but the NHL's official site has already started debating whether he'll make it on the first ballot.

Give him a few years: Sergei Bobrovsky, G

Bobrovsky currently looks strong in three of the four quadrants, with 278 wins in 507 games and a career .917 save percentage during what has been an increasingly offensive era. But it's those two Vezina wins that really propel him into the conversation. Since 2000, only Brodeur and Thomas had won the award twice.

Los Angeles Kings

Top candidates: Drew Doughty, D; Anze Kopitar, C

These are two strong Hall of Fame cases, despite the recent change in fortunes for their team. Kopitar is arguably a four-quadrant player: 950 points in 1,073 games, to go along with his two Selke wins. His 46 points in 46 playoff games during their two Stanley Cup wins fills Quadrant 2. Doughty has Quadrants 2, 3 and 4 fulfilled but doesn't have the same offensive output as some of his peers. His numbers taking a tumble at age 30 is a cause for concern, but then again he has played on a couple of terrible teams. But let's face it: There aren't many Canadian-born players who have been as celebrated as Doughty for the past decade. No reason to think that won't carry over to his Hall candidacy, as long as his numbers don't continue to crater.

Up for debate: Jonathan Quick, G

Quick had a run of dominance. He was probably the best goalie in the NHL in 2011-12, with a .929 save percentage and around 28 goals saved above average. He lost the Vezina to Henrik Lundqvist but won the Conn Smythe and the Cup. His overall run from 2011 to '18 put him on an elite level -- even if the players and system in front of him were given equal credit. He's 34, and his numbers are trailing off.

Give him a few years: The field

The Kings have the first- or second-best prospect pool in the NHL, and are a player in the draft lottery this summer. We'll just wager one of them works out, big time.

Minnesota Wild

Top candidate: Ryan Suter, D

The Wild are unfortunately the poster children for the "Hall of Very Good or Just OK." Suter is a good example of that: a steady, durable, unassuming defenseman who put up good offensive numbers (588 points in 1,142 games) but was only a Norris finalist once.

Up for debate: Marian Gaborik, RW

Gaborik has some prestige as an offensive dynamo during his peak, and has 407 career goals in 1,035 games. His 14 goals for the Kings during their 2014 Stanley Cup run led the postseason, and he was strong in international play for Slovakia. Not the strongest case, but a case.

Give him a few years: Eric Staal, C

His late-career resurgence with the Wild put him back in the conversation, as he's up to 436 career goals and 1,021 career points, which are both eighth among active players. His 28 points in 25 games in the Hurricanes' Stanley Cup run was one Cam Ward away from the Conn Smythe, too. It'll be interesting to see where these numbers end up.

Montreal Canadiens

Top candidate: Carey Price, G

Price had that one incredible season in which he won the Hart and Vezina in 2014-15, a rare feat for a goaltender. He has the respect of his peers and some solid numbers: fifth in wins (301) and third in save percentage (.918) in the past decade. The cap on goalies in the Hall hurts his chances, but back-stopping Canada to Olympic gold in 2014 and the World Cup of Hockey title in 2016 certainly bolsters his case.

Up for debate: Shea Weber, D

Weber never won the Norris -- thanks, Nicklas Lidstrom and Erik Karlsson! -- but has 570 points in 990 games and was absolutely considered one of the top defensemen of his era. He has two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada and another in world juniors. Considering the Hall of Fame selection committee has shown an ability to reach deep into the defenseman pool for candidates, Weber might actually be ahead of his teammate Price on this list.

Give him a few years: Claude Julien, coach

One assumes Julien will be behind the Canadiens bench as they grow into a contender, which means that 700 wins will be in sight. He currently has 658 victories, plus a Stanley Cup championship and two Eastern Conference titles with the Bruins.

Nashville Predators

Top candidate: David Poile, GM

The winningest general manager in NHL history -- in terms of regular-season success -- is not in the Hockey Hall of Fame yet. One assumes that'll change one day, especially with his father, Bud Poile, already in there. The selection committee loves a legacy.

Up for debate: Pekka Rinne, G

A four-time Vezina finalist who won the award in 2018, Rinne won 359 of 659 games and has a career .917 save percentage. One of the top goaltenders of his era, but with Lundqvist and Luongo probably ahead of him in line, does Rinne make the cut one day?

Give him a few years: Roman Josi, D

Josi is starting to finally get the recognition for his solid all-around game, which will result in his first Norris nomination and potentially a victory this season. He's 30, so he has a ways to go to build on 413 points in 632 career games.

New Jersey Devils

Top candidate: Patrik Elias, LW

One of the leading "Hall of Very Good" test cases. Elias had 1,025 points in 1,240 career games, including a 40-goal, 96-point 2000-01 season in which he was an NHL best plus-45. He finished sixth for the Hart that season, and therein lies the problem: Elias never won an NHL award, and that season was his only postseason All-Star team selection. Incredible numbers, but his 14-year career with the Devils left him short in Quadrants 3 and 4.

Up for debate: P.K. Subban, D

Well, Quadrant 4 is a cinch, as few players in Subban's run in the NHL can claim his level of ubiquitous fame. His three Norris nominations -- and one win -- from 2012 to '18 establishes him as a top-three player at his position. With 426 points in 713 games, Subban was an offensively productive player. His numbers have fallen off considerably in the past two seasons, but he's only 30.

Give him a few years: Jack Hughes, C

Look, Vincent Lecavalier had a bad rookie season too and went on to score 421 goals in the NHL. Granted, he's probably not a Hall of Famer, but you get the point: Don't judge a first overall pick by his inaugural season.

New York Islanders

Top candidate: Barry Trotz, coach

Trotz finished the 2019-20 season with 845 wins, only four behind Ken Hitchcock for third all time in NHL history. He was already one of the most respected coaches in the NHL before he won 205 out of 328 games with the Washington Capitals, including the Stanley Cup. He's still working his magic on the Island. It's hard to imagine he won't be in the Hall one day.

Up for debate: Zigmund Palffy, RW

Alex Mogilny is, in our estimation, a Hall of Famer. You know who else had a 1.042 points per game average for his career? That would be Palffy, with 713 points in 684 games. That included 329 goals. His run from 1995 to '98 produced 136 goals. No NHL awards or championships, though.

Give him a few years: Mathew Barzal, C

He has 207 points in his first 234 NHL games, and is without question one of the league's most dynamic playmakers. No truth to the rumor that we're including him here to up his restricted free agent asking price.

New York Rangers

Top candidate: Henrik Lundqvist, G

A four-quadrant candidate. A five-time Vezina finalist, with one win, who has 459 career victories and a .918 career save percentage. He was in double digits in goals saved above average in eight of his first nine NHL seasons. He backstopped the Swedes to Olympic gold and silver, even if the Rangers were unable to win a Stanley Cup for him. At least not yet.

Up for debate: Mike Richter, G

Can two monumental events propel a player into the Hall of Fame? Richter backstopped the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup in 54 years in 1994. He then stood on his head to propel the U.S. to its World Cup of Hockey win over Canada in 1996, capturing tournament MVP. He also had a solid NHL career with a 301-258-73 record. Canadian Paul Henderson had one great hockey moment and gets constantly mentioned for the Hall. Richter had two and doesn't. Wonder why that is ...

Give him a few years: Artemi Panarin, LW

He has 415 points in his first 391 games, for a career 1.06 points-per-game average. He won the Calder over Connor McDavid. Does he end up winning his first Hart Trophy over Leon Draisaitl this summer?

Ottawa Senators

Top candidate: Daniel Alfredsson, RW

One of the NHL's best ambassadors during his career, the former Senators captain had 444 goals (No. 63 all time) and 1,157 points (No. 54 all time) during his 17-season run with Ottawa (and that other season in Detroit). He won the Calder Trophy, although no other individual hardware, and won Olympic gold and silver for Sweden. Others might have him in the Hall of Very Good, but he has a Hall of Fame case.

Up for debate: Dany Heatley, LW

The Hall of Fame has shown the ability to honor players for torrid stretches of their careers, even if their overall career stats don't speak to immortality. Heatley's 219 goals from 2005 to '10 were third to Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk in that span. He doesn't really have a complete case for a candidacy, but that run was incredible.

Give him a few years: Brady Tkachuk, LW

Scoring 89 points in his first 142 games is a solid start for the young forward. Although we'll note that the Hall hasn't been kind to Tkachuks quite yet.

Philadelphia Flyers

Top candidate: Tim Kerr, RW

Dave Andreychuk's induction made the word safe for guys who score "garbage" goals, which is the slanderous label given to players who sacrifice their well-being to camp in the slot. Kerr was one of the best at it, and few players in NHL history can match his run from 1983 to '89: four straight 50-goal seasons and 272 goals, a run too easily dismissed by some as just a product of the 1980s. The puck still has to go in the net. Alas, not a sniff of a major award for Kerr, whose career ended at 33 with 370 goals.

Up for debate: Claude Giroux, C

He has 815 points in 889 games during his 13 seasons with the Flyers. He finished top-four for the Hart three times, making it as a finalist once. He doesn't meet the requirements of quadrants 2 and 4, although former Flyers coach Peter "he's the best player in the world" Laviolette probably would argue he fulfills quadrant 3.

Give him a few years: Carter Hart, G

He has won 40 of his first 70 NHL games, and 2019-20 was a breakout season for him. He would be a lock for the Hall if the Flyers played every game at home, where he's 31-12-3 with a .928 save percentage for his career.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Top candidates: Sidney Crosby, C; Evgeni Malkin, C; Patrick Marleau, C; Jaromir Jagr, RW

Jagr is second all time in career points (1,921), third in goals (766) and third in games played (1,733). Crosby is rapidly climbing both lists and is sixth in NHL history in points-per-game average (1.28), while being considered the best player in the world during a career that has seen him collect championships and awards like they're hockey cards. Malkin has the stats, the team impact and the prestige. The only quadrant that's not a slam dunk is the fourth one, which is one reason the NHL (incorrectly) left him off its Top 100 of all time list. As for Marleau, who is now a Penguin if you'll recall, he has 562 career goals. Despite questions about his impact and postseason performance, no one has scored more and not gotten into the Hall, active players notwithstanding.

Up for debate: Tom Barrasso, G

What an interesting career for the American goaltender: 369 wins in 777 games, winning the Calder and the Vezina in his rookie season with Buffalo. He'd go on to be a five-time finalist for the award. He's best known for being the Grant Fuhr for the Penguins' back-to-back Cups in 1991 and 1992; overshadowed by the team's offensive stars, but rock solid when he needed to be in the postseason, especially in that first run.

Give him a few years: Kris Letang, D

He's 33, which means his best shots at the Norris Trophy are probably behind him. But if Letang can win one, it could change the conversation around a player who does have some strong individual numbers (537 points in 808 games) in his favor.

San Jose Sharks

Top candidates: Erik Karlsson, D; Joe Thornton, C

Thornton is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He won the Hart and the Art Ross in 2005-06, and established himself as one of the best playmakers in NHL history during his 22-year career, as he's seventh all time in assists (1,089). Karlsson's Hall of Fame case is his incredible run from 2011 to '17, which included two Norris Trophy wins, and for being one of the best offensive defensemen in NHL history: His 0.82 points-per-game average is tied for eighth in NHL history for defensemen, with Hall of Famer Phil Housley. Injuries have impacted him lately, but he's still producing when healthy. Internationally, Thornton has Olympic gold, and Karlsson won silver.

Up for debate: Evgeni Nabokov, G

One of the more underappreciated goalies in the past 20 years, Nabokov had 339 wins in 697 games, finishing in the top five of the Vezina voting five times (although never winning). He was never the best goalie in the NHL but was certainly in the top five for a good chunk of his career. But that's not exactly a solid Hall of Fame case, and neither is losing your gig to Vesa Toskala.

Give him a few years: Brent Burns, D

Burns is creeping up the all-time defensive scoring leaders board, at 694 points in 1,113 games. That Norris Trophy win in 2016-17 bolsters his case, as does the fact that he has been a shot-generating machine for the better part of seven seasons. But the knock on Burns being a one-dimensional player -- which carries over from his time at forward in Minnesota -- is a drag on him. Burns is 35 and had a tough 2019-20 but could make things interesting with a few more productive offensive seasons.

St. Louis Blues

Top candidate: Keith Tkachuk, LW

His 538 career goals -- including back-to-back 50-goal seasons in the thick of the dead puck era -- are an undeniably impressive number, as are 1,065 career points in 1,201 career games. But unlike his former teammate Jeremy Roenick, he doesn't have that fourth quadrant filled. A great player, just not a transcendent one.

Up for debate: Ryan O'Reilly, C

He finally broke through with a Selke win and a Conn Smythe for the Cup-winning Blues last season, in a career that has seen him score 560 points in 804 games. If he goes on a Bergeron-esque run of defensive player awards, there's a lane for him to the Hall. Not a wide one, though, at this point.

Give him a few years: Vladimir Tarasenko, RW

Being limited to 10 games this season didn't help, but 214 goals in 507 games for the 28-year-old put him on track to score a considerable amount more of them by the end of his playing days.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Top candidate: Steven Stamkos, C

Stamkos has 422 goals in 803 NHL games, and he won the Rocket Richard Trophy twice. Injuries are a concern, but that might just end up making Stamkos a contender in the tradition of a Pavel Bure or Paul Kariya, making the most in a limited run: At 0.53, he has the 17th-best goals-per-game mark in NHL history.

Up for debate: Victor Hedman, D

Hedman won the Norris in 2018 and was a finalist in three straight seasons. Like Stamkos, he's a pillar of the Lightning's foundation. He's third in points (404) for defensemen since his breakout season in 2012-13. There have been a lot of great defensemen in the past decade, and Hedman is near the top of the list.

Give them a few years: Nikita Kucherov, RW; Andrei Vasilevskiy, G

Kucherov is rocketing up the goal-scoring ranks, with 221 of them in his first 515 games played. His 128-point, MVP season in 2018-19 cemented him as one of his era's most dominant offensive talents. Vasilevskiy led the league in wins for the past three seasons, and captured his first Vezina last season. At 25, he is without question a goalie to watch over the next several years, considering how good the team in front of him is.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Top candidate: John Tavares, C

He's building a strong case with 345 goals and 769 points in only 814 career games. He was a two-time Hart finalist for the Islanders and won Olympic, world junior and World Cup gold with Team Canada. We'd say he has Quadrants 1 and 3 locked down, and could easily nail down the other two if he ends up leading the Leafs to a Stanley Cup. Heck, they might waive the waiting period for the Hall if he pulled off that miracle.

Up for debate: Curtis Joseph, G

We're going to cheat a little on this one, because CuJo played more games (280) with the Blues than with the Leafs (270), even though he had one more win (138) in Toronto. We'd say his fame reached its apex with the Leafs, during a run of three straight 30-win seasons. Joseph has the stats case for the Hall of Fame: seventh in career wins (454), sixth in games played (943). What he lacks is the impact. Joseph never won a Vezina Trophy (despite being in the top four five times) nor a Stanley Cup. To date, Ed Giacomin is the only Hall of Fame goalie not to have won a Cup.

Give him a few years: Auston Matthews, C

With 285 points in his first 282 games, including a 47-goal season in 2019-20 at 22, we'd say that Matthews is very much on pace to end up with a Hall-worthy career at this juncture. And like with Tavares, if that career includes him leading the Leafs to the Stanley Cup and, like, winning the Conn Smythe? He might get his own wing at the Hall.

Vancouver Canucks

Top candidates: Daniel Sedin, RW; Henrik Sedin, C

The twins are first-year eligible in 2021. Logic would dictate that the Hall of Fame would induct both in the same class; alas, the Sedins have said they don't want to be on the same plaque, even if they totally should be. Of course, the Hall could go full chaos mode and induct Henrik -- who has a Hart Trophy win and more career points (1,070) -- while leaving Daniel to wait. Which would be cruel but hilarious.

Up for debate: Markus Naslund, LW

For a three-season stretch, Naslund was the best left wing in the NHL: scoring over 40 goals annually from 2000 to '03, culminating in a 104-point season that saw him win NHLPA Player of the Year honors and finish second to Peter Forsberg for the Hart. His overall numbers -- 869 points in 1,117 games -- fall short of the Hall standard, but he has Quadrant 3 locked down.

Give him a few years: Elias Pettersson, C

We're two seasons into this guy's NHL career and he has 132 points in his first 139 games. Last season, he won the Calder. This season, he generated MVP buzz. The sky's the limit for Pettersson.

Vegas Golden Knights

Top candidate: Marc-Andre Fleury, G

Flower's 466 wins put him fifth all time in the NHL. His career numbers (.913 save percentage, 2.57 goals-against average) aren't exactly immortal level. He has three Stanley Cup rings, although he was the clear-cut starter only for the first one. But Fleury is also a beloved figure off the ice, and there's no denying that his MVP-level performance in the Golden Knights' inaugural season powered one of the most unpredictable conference champions in NHL history.

Up for debate: Max Pacioretty, LW

The scoring winger had a four-season run in Montreal, where he tallied 141 goals. He's at 280 goals for his career, after a resurgent 32-goal season in Vegas. He turns 32 in November.

Give him a few years: Mark Stone, RW

The rest of the hockey world has finally caught up to the analytics community in understanding that Stone is awesome. He broke 20 goals for the seventh straight season and continues to defend on an elite level. He has 385 points, including 149 goals, in 449 career games, and at 28, he's entering his prime production years.

Washington Capitals

Top candidate: Alex Ovechkin, LW

A first-ballot lock already, with 706 goals and 1,278 points to go with a case of trophies: three Harts, three Lindsays, a Calder, a Conn Smythe, an Art Ross and nine goal-scoring titles. One of the greatest players of all time, with a shot at catching The Great One in goals.

Up for debate: Peter Bondra, RW; Sergei Gonchar, D

Ultimately, Bondra's inability to secure an NHL award or a championship drags down his individual accomplishments, but 503 goals in 1,081 games -- including four seasons over the 45-goal mark during the dead puck era -- are notable. Gonchar played 1,301 games and amassed 811 points. He won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009. A great defenseman who finished in the top five for the Norris Trophy four times ... but maybe not one of the greatest.

Give them a few years: Nicklas Backstrom, C; Ilya Kovalchuk, LW

At 927 points, Backstrom is closing in on the 1,000-point mark quickly. Another Stanley Cup win for the Capitals could cement his candidacy, but that "fame" component is missing. Perhaps Backstrom ends up becoming the next Sergei Zubov: great numbers, a part of winning teams but underappreciated in his time. As for Kovalchuk, he has 443 goals in 926 games, ranking him fifth among active players. One of the most dominant offensive players of his era, but his KHL sabbatical has left him short of that magic number of 500 goals. Does he have enough left to get there?

Winnipeg Jets

Top candidate: Paul Maurice, coach

Don't look now, but Maurice is seventh all time in coaching wins, with 732 in 1,600 career games. But one Eastern Conference title with Carolina and zero Stanley Cups is a bit of an issue.

Up for debate: Blake Wheeler, RW

Wheeler has always had sneaky great numbers: The 33-year-old is up to 761 career points and 264 goals in 931 games. It's a candidacy with room to grow, but some kind of hardware -- individual or otherwise -- is a necessity.

Give him a few years: Mark Scheifele, C

The 27-year-old has 444 points in his first 519 career games, and his consistency speaks to the kind of career that'll end with some gaudy totals. But it's the impact on which we're left waiting at this point.