The Hockey Hall of Fame will be inducting four players from the National Hockey League into their museum in 2025. The quartet this year are forwards Joe Thornton and Alexander Mogilny, and defensemen Zdeno Chara and Duncan Keith. Let’s take a look at these four former NHL All-Stars.
Zdeno Chara
Chara of Trencin, Slovakia was an elite NHL defenseman, who played primarily with the Boston Bruins from 2006 to 2020. He was also with the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Ottawa Senators. Chara won a Norris Trophy with the Bruins in 2009, and Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011. The seven-time NHL All-Star had 680 points in 1680 games, and was an impressive +301. Chara’s +33 led the Bruins in the 2010-11 NHL season. What impressed everyone about Chara was his size. At 6’9″, 250 pounds, he was among the most intimidating players in the entire league.
Duncan Keith
Also known for his defensive proficiency, Keith of Winnipeg, Manitoba, had 646 points in 1256 games with the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers from 2005 to 2020. He won three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013, and 2015), two Norris Trophies (2010 and 2014), and won the Conn Smythe Trophy while with the Blackhawks in 2015. You could argue that Keith’s best hockey was the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He led all players in postseason assists (18), and postseason plus/minus (+16).
Alexander Mogilny
Everyone knows of the prolific goal scoring prowess of Russian Alexander Ovechkin. However, you could make the argument that Mogilny was the best Russian goal scorer in the NHL prior to the Great 8. Mogilny of Khabarovsk, had 473 goals in 990 NHL regular season games with the Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils, and Toronto Maple Leafs from 1989 to 2006. It was the 1992-93 season where Mogilny deserved significant attention. He led the NHL with 76 goals and 11 power-play goals while with the Sabres. Mogilny also had 559 assists and 1032 career points. Mogilny won a Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2000, and won the Lady Byng Trophy with the Maple Leafs in 2002-03. He only had 12 penalty minutes in 73 games.
Joe Thornton
The veteran centre from London, Ontario had 430 goals and 1109 assists for 1539 points in 1714 games with the Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Florida Panthers from 1997 to 2022. Thornton’s finest NHL season came in 2005-06. In a remarkable year, he became the first player in NHL history to win the Hart Trophy while playing for two teams in the same season (Bruins and Sharks). Thornton led the NHL that year in assists (96) and points (125). He then led the NHL in assists twice more (92 in 2006-07, and 67 in 2007-08).
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