Hockey Hall of Fame Opens Doors

[zaxx 0]

I just saw this linked off Kuklas Korner and thought it was a great topic for a thread.

The Hockey Hall of Fame has added two entries each year reserved for Women to enter the Hockey Hall of fame. This is great news since there are a lot of great women hockey players who not only do not make the money of the male counterparts, but they also do not receive near the same honors.

Which women hockey players past and present would you nominate for the Hockey Hall of Fame?

I would take Cassie Campbell and Hayley Wickenheiser right off the bat, but those are the easy selections. Who else is deserving?

Source:

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/611286

(Edited to add source article)

Edited March 31, 2009 by zaxx

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

'Bout time.

[theman19 47]

Um, Cammi Granato Much? She's already the first woman inducted into the U.S. Hockey hall of fame.

[MacK_Attack 108]

Gotta think Manon Rheaume will be inducted rather quickly.

[OsGOD 3]

Gotta think Manon Rheaume will be inducted rather quickly.

she would get my vote and actually was the first to come to my mind

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

This is a great decision by the HHOF; one that has been long overdue. Hopefully, some of the pioneers of women's hockey won't be overlooked. When I was in high school, a city tournament was held and was billed as the "Powderpuff Tournament". I would nominate Abigail Hoffman and Angela James.

[12Newf 0]

this is the happiest day of Damien Cox's life.

[Datsyerberger 279]

Sadly, living where I do, I've seen nary a women's hockey game.

If you think hockey is unpopular in the south, then women's hockey...

Edited April 1, 2009 by Datsyerberger

[Lidstromrules16 7]

Gotta think this move is to allow Crosby to be inducted when the time is right

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Gotta think this move is to allow Crosby to be inducted when the time is right

No, Forsberg.

This was done to let "Peter the Great (Diver)" into the HOF.

[zaxx 0]

I should have known that this would turn into a Crosby (or Forsberg) bashing thread.

I just did a google search and found an educational link for those folk who choose to equate Crosby with women's hockey.

http://www.hhof.com/html/wmspla03.shtml

They profile many of the notable women from hockey through the years. It is a great read and it really beings to light some of the amazing talent that does not get a fair deal.

I for one would love to see some women playing in the NHL. Don't tell me it is too tough of a league. I have seen women beat the tar out of each other just to get the puck out of the corner. There are some would could replace many NHL players and shine!

[redwings1914 18]

Angela Ruggiero (local from Harper Woods)

[eva unit zero 271]

The first two should be America's Cammi Granato and Canada's Angela James.

Granato:

Greatest women's hockey player ever; she was actually a better player than her brother and could have been a top-six forward in the NHL easily if women were allowed at the time. Granato set all-time records of 54 goals and 96 points in her 54 Olympic and World Championship games.

James:

James was the first real star in women's hockey. Canadian James led Canada to domination of the early women's hockey tournaments and was the star that players like Hayley Wickenheiser and Cassie Campbell idolized. James performed on a level that matched Granato, but only played 20 games, retiring much sooner.

[DanZ 0]

I should have known that this would turn into a Crosby (or Forsberg) bashing thread.

I just did a google search and found an educational link for those folk who choose to equate Crosby with women's hockey.

http://www.hhof.com/html/wmspla03.shtml

They profile many of the notable women from hockey through the years. It is a great read and it really beings to light some of the amazing talent that does not get a fair deal.

I for one would love to see some women playing in the NHL. Don't tell me it is too tough of a league. I have seen women beat the tar out of each other just to get the puck out of the corner. There are some would could replace many NHL players and shine!

This is probably THE worst idea I've EVER heard regarding the NHL, or anything now that I think of it. I would stop watch hockey if that were to ever happen. I'm glad that this will probably never happen though. I can't begin to explain how bad of an idea this is. Honestly, I hope you're joking.

[Datsyerberger 279]

This is probably THE worst idea I've EVER heard regarding the NHL, or anything now that I think of it. I would stop watch hockey if that were to ever happen. I'm glad that this will probably never happen though. I can't begin to explain how bad of an idea this is. Honestly, I hope you're joking.

I'd like to hear a good explanation as to why. Grant you'd, I'd concede a few points off the bat:

1. Men have a general size/strength advantage on women.

2. Male bodies are generally more configured for violent abuse.

3. The unknown variable on how women would affect a predominantly male locker room environment.

Now, having covered those points:

I think, if this ever were to happen, men and women's hockey should be separated in all but the uppermost level (read: AHL & NHL). A dedicated women's hockey league allows for more diversity in women at those levels, where they don't have to compete with the size of men (so, say, a 5'2" woman doesn't have to go up against Zdeno Chara). However, it should be noted that some of the strongest people in the world, as far as size to weight ratio goes, are women. Furthermore, there are women 5'8" and taller, and there are NHL players 5'8" and taller.

I don't see any reason why a woman can't be as mentally as gifted or skilled as a man. In fact, since women on average tend to have higher reflexes than men, you could see some exceptional women goaltenders, for example. Also, why women are less prone to aggression than men, you're kidding yourself if you think there aren't any aggressive women out there. Hell, look at Alex Semin. The only x-factor I can see is point 3, and the ever present sexual tension and interactivity between genders. But honestly, I think a mature society can overcome that (as has been shown in some other sports with mixed gender leagues, or the military, for that matter).

Anyhow, I see no reason why physically well-developed and exceptionally talented women, with the proper size for the NHL, could not compete at the upper echelon of the sport (and frankly, I don't think I'm the only one who gets a good grin out of the thought of some 6'2" woman delivering a brutal open ice check on -insert hated player here-).

Edit: Due to the massive de-railing this line of conversation could cause in what should be a thread of appreciation for and discussion of aforementioned HoF-worthy women hockey players, I'm going to re-post this into its own thread. Please respond there rather than here.

Edited April 1, 2009 by Datsyerberger

[toby91_ca 620]

The first two should be America's Cammi Granato and Canada's Angela James.

Granato:

Greatest women's hockey player ever; she was actually a better player than her brother and could have been a top-six forward in the NHL easily if women were allowed at the time. Granato set all-time records of 54 goals and 96 points in her 54 Olympic and World Championship games.

No way she could have been a top 6 NHL forward. I guess we'll probably never know. She was invited to attend the NYI training camp before, but she declined.

[MacK_Attack 108]

I for one would love to see some women playing in the NHL. Don't tell me it is too tough of a league. I have seen women beat the tar out of each other just to get the puck out of the corner. There are some would could replace many NHL players and shine!

Haley Wickenheiser can barely cut it in the third-division Swedish league. There's no way any woman could play in the NHL unless she was 'roided up to the gills.

[theman19 47]

Haley Wickenheiser can barely cut it in the third-division Swedish league. There's no way any woman could play in the NHL unless she was 'roided up to the gills.

Size and strength wise? yeah, totally.

Skills wise is a different matter. The only way a woman could play in the NHL is if she was A. a goaltender or B. Fast and aware, like Steve Sullivan M. St. Louis fast. Even then i've seen both of those guys get rocked, that's not something the hockey public would want to see a pretty young female hockey player have two of her teeth knocked out by Dion Phaneuf (points to the first person to make a sloppy seconds joke)

The problem with the woman goalie scenerio is that Most goalies are either very large and cover up a lot of the net (or have padding that makes them that way) or have incredible positioning and agility. The latter have a tougher go of it obviously and it's pure skill. A woman goalie would have to be in the best shape of her life to play the position AND be incredibly dexterious.

Will it happen, (beyond the lightning's gate stunt) Probably, but women's hockey has to come A LONG way for that to happen. Playing a few times every couple of years isn't going to get it done.

[zaxx 0]

Size and strength wise? yeah, totally.

Skills wise is a different matter. The only way a woman could play in the NHL is if she was A. a goaltender or B. Fast and aware, like Steve Sullivan M. St. Louis fast. Even then i've seen both of those guys get rocked, that's not something the hockey public would want to see a pretty young female hockey player have two of her teeth knocked out by Dion Phaneuf (points to the first person to make a sloppy seconds joke)

The problem with the woman goalie scenerio is that Most goalies are either very large and cover up a lot of the net (or have padding that makes them that way) or have incredible positioning and agility. The latter have a tougher go of it obviously and it's pure skill. A woman goalie would have to be in the best shape of her life to play the position AND be incredibly dexterious.

Will it happen, (beyond the lightning's gate stunt) Probably, but women's hockey has to come A LONG way for that to happen. Playing a few times every couple of years isn't going to get it done.

Every player in the NHL (no matter the position) must be in the best shape of their life and have some additional skills. These are the upper 1% of athletes, not your normal people. A normal women would not survive in the NHL, no more then a normal man would. Hockey hits hurt and a small number of people can take them.

If I saw a women playing in the NHL and she got her bell rung by Dion, well I would not be upset to see it. (Unless she was on my team, lol). The players on the ice know the risks and any women who made it there would need to be aware of the same risks. Plus women can deal with one hell of a lot more pain then any man.

The real question would be how would Dion deal with the pain after having his bell rung by a women.

[55fan 5,133]

Every player in the NHL (no matter the position) must be in the best shape of their life and have some additional skills. These are the upper 1% of athletes, not your normal people. A normal women would not survive in the NHL, no more then a normal man would. Hockey hits hurt and a small number of people can take them.

If I saw a women playing in the NHL and she got her bell rung by Dion, well I would not be upset to see it. (Unless she was on my team, lol). The players on the ice know the risks and any women who made it there would need to be aware of the same risks. Plus women can deal with one hell of a lot more pain then any man.

The real question would be how would Dion deal with the pain after having his bell rung by a women.

:clap: