Selecting the next 10 years of Hockey Hall of Fame inductees

Having unveiled the best possible Class of 2023 last week, there should be no surprises. The only first ballot selection with a sound case (* denoted with an asterisk), King Henrik should fly into the Hall faster than Connor McDavid with a jetpack.

2024

• New to the Ballot: Pavel Datsyuk, Shea Weber, Ryan Miller, Patrick Marleau, Pekka Rinne
  

Datsyuk, the slippery magician and two-way force, dangles his way to election on the first try. He’s joined by the underrated Weber, a four-time year-end all-star and anchor on three best-on-best Team Canada titles. Two long-overlooked players join them in Turgeon (most career adjusted points outside the HHOF) and Barrasso, a prickly personality but a five-time Vezina finalist and two-time Cup winner in Pittsburgh.

2025

• New to the Ballot: Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Joe Thornton, Carey Price, Tuukka Rask, Ryan Getzlaf, Jason Spezza, P.K. Subban, Braden Holtby
  

Now, this is a HHOF class. In any era. In any fan’s eyes. Four first-ballot titans of their time. Chara earned Norris votes 14 times in a fear-inducing 24-year run. Keith is a two-time Norris winner, with three Cups and a Conn Smythe to boot. “Jumbo” Joe Thornton, 12th all-time in career points, is both one of the best playmakers in NHL history and one of its most beloved dudes. Despite an uneven career, Price was unmatched at his best. One of three goaltenders to win MVP since 1962, he remains an inspiration to Canada’s Indigenous community off the ice. This should be just the third class in history with four first-ballot players (2007, 2009).

2026

• New to the Ballot: Jonathan Toews, Patrice Bergeron, Eric Staal, Craig Anderson, Jonathan Quick
  

Now, retirement planning begins. We’re going to assume that dynamic two-way forces Bergeron and Toews have played their last games. The first-ballot duo is joined in 2026 by long-retired, fellow well-rounded forwards Elias and Zetterberg. The class forms a barbershop quartet that would sing so sweetly in all situations that Jacques Lemaire would go to bed well-rested every night. Between them, 28 top-10 Selke finishes (14 by Bergeron!) and a dozen Stanley Cup final appearances. Love this class.

2027

• New to the Ballot: Jaromir Jagr, Marc-Andre Fleury, Corey Perry, Phil Kessel, Nicklas Backstrom, Jeff Carter, Mark Giordano
  

Like every HHOF discussion for the last 10 years, we’re going to assume this upcoming season is Jagr’s last. Why is he highlighted in blue? He’s in a distinguished tier of PPS called the Inner Circle, one of just 23 post-expansion players exceeding the standard by at least 100. The best of the absolute best. While Jagr’s induction would bring the house down solo, Penguins fans would melt if he’s joined by cherished goaltender Fleury.

Rask, owner of the seventh-best adjusted save percentage in NHL history (minimum 500 games) would become the first Finnish HHOF puck stopper. Long-retired Suter, second to Gonchar in adjusted points by an eligible defenseman, finally gets his curtain call.

2028

• New to the Ballot: Patrick Kane, Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski, Claude Giroux, Ryan Suter
  

We’re giving Kane only two more seasons based on the recovery and outlook of his hip surgery. Arguably the greatest American-born player in NHL history, he’ll headline 2028 with underappreciated Norris winner Burns. Durable, dominant, and fun, Burns is worthy, regardless if he secures a Cup before retirement. Joining them? Long-time American holdovers LeClair and Tkachuk were both unfairly overlooked by virtue of the offensive graveyard of their peaks. Adjusted for the era, the pair combined to score 40 goals 11 times.

2029

• New to the Ballot: Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Anze Kopitar, Kris Letang, Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Sergei Bobrovsky, John Carlson
  

We’ll assume Ovechkin passes Wayne Gretzky’s goal record in three years and retires at 40. He’ll cruise into the HHOF with Malkin, whose current contract ends in 2026. This ties a bow on an unusual relationship and their 1-2 draft slot in 2004. While Ovechkin’s greatness has been celebrated for two decades, the game-breaking Malkin quietly joins him in the Inner Circle. Currently, the pair are the fifth and 13th most HHOF-worthy forwards in PPS, post-expansion. They’re joined by L.A.’s Slovenian sensation Kopitar and uber-talented Thrasher Kovalchuk (eight times a top 10 goal scorer in an abbreviated NHL career).

2030

• New to the Ballot: Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, Brad Marchand, Alex Pietrangelo, John Tavares, Vladimir Tarasenko, Taylor Hall
  

If the 2025 or 2029 Class left you weak in the knees, 2030 might put you on LTIR. The perpetually brilliant face of hockey and the #3 forward all-time in PPS, Crosby, is joined by an electric array of first-ballot talent. Joining Sid up front is all-world sniper Stamkos, who sneakily has a shot at Inner Circle status. Two of the finest blueliners of the cap generation, Karlsson and Doughty, complete a cohort that might sniff best-ever status. The retiring talent in and around 2028 to 2032 will yield a sizzling pack of no-doubt choices.

2031

• New to the Ballot: Victor Hedman, Roman Josi, Artemi Panarin
  

This is The Defenseman Class. Six-time Norris finalist Hedman leads the charge, joined on the first shot by Nashville’s Josi, plus multiple Cup-winning stalwarts Letang and Pietrangelo. This is a top four that even Darryl Sutter couldn’t find an issue with every single night. Well, maybe.

2032

• New to the Ballot: Nikita Kucherov, Johnny Gaudreau, Dougie Hamilton
  

We’re really far into the future now. While we can assume a 65-year-old Paul Maurice is still delivering entertaining press conferences and the Leafs are one gritty sixth defenseman from a Cup, we’re now projecting players set to retire in six seasons. In 2032, Kucherov is the valedictorian, joined by underappreciated class clown Marchand. Panarin has quietly had a prime for the ages, and his willingness to openly oppose the War on Ukraine should be remembered favorably. Though Tomas Vokoun is statistically a better choice than Miller, it might take me until 2052 to move that needle; as such, the Vezina-winning Miller, regarded as hockey’s best for a spell, is a fitting selection.

Closing Thoughts

We’re at the finish line, electing a maximum of 40 players. In real life, this is not a realistic outcome. Why go there? To show how many worthy stars are still left out. The HHOF has been built big over nine decades, so it’s illogical to raise the bar when the sport has more available NHL talent than ever.

Just from the salary cap era, forwards Tavares, Pavelski, Perry, and Getzlaf eclipse the PPS standard and deserve a spot. While they can likely be sprinkled in post-2032, what about the past generation of holdovers? We tried to elect most of them, but Peter Bondra, Marian Gaborik, Eric Desjardins, and Vokoun, among others, remain statistically qualified but excluded.

We’ve passed on qualified players that for off-ice reasons are a near certainty to have blown their access to the HHOF’s prestigious platform (i.e., Theoren Fleury, John Vanbiesbrouck, Tim Thomas, Jeremy Roenick). There are also those short of the PPS standard that will get notable consideration like Kessel, Backstrom, Marleau, or Quick, among the many “New to the Ballot” options above. Or an off-the-board choice the Committee famously makes on the regular.

No matter the outcome, the next decade of HHOF action will be captivating. The slam dunk choices bring seismic star power to the forefront. But it’s through the holdovers that the standard is truly set. The HHOF has some fascinating decisions to make about who fills those gaps in the next decade. So, while it’s been a blast playing psychic for the day, we’ll turn it over to the Selection Committee to set the fortunes of hockey’s highest honor. And remember to enjoy the ride — celebrating hockey’s best is supposed to be fun.