Hockey Hall of Fame chances for seven of league's grizzled veterans

Kevin Allen | USA TODAY

The inseparable connection between identical twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin made it twice as sad to hear they will retire after this season.

“We normally only have to deal with one star retiring,” said Brian Burke, the man who made the trade to bring them both to the Vancouver Canucks in the 1999 draft. “(But) we are losing two players that exemplify elegance on the ice and class off it.”

The Sedins’ combination of production and prestige earned by the how they carried themselves suggest they will enter the Hockey Hall of Fame together. The novelty of being the highest-scoring brother tandem in NHL history would demand that.

But their retirement is also a reminder that the NHL has a collection of 36 and older players who will follow the Sedins, 37, into retirement in the near future.

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Here's a look at their Hall of Fame chances of some members of that group:

Zdeno Chara, age 41, Boston Bruins: The 6-foot-9 defenseman is a slam dunk. It’s not about numbers with Chara. It’s about the respect he has around the NHL for his ability to be a difference-maker. How many non-goalies can impact a game the way Chara can? He has a Stanley Cup, a Norris Trophy and perhaps the hardest shot in NHL history. More importantly, he is an intimidating presence and a player who has continued to improve into his 40s.

Joe Thornton, 37, San Jose Sharks: Way too much is made of his lack of a Stanley Cup. When you take a step back and look at his resume, he will go down in NHL history as one of the greatest playmakers in league history. He won the Hart and Art Ross trophies in 2006, and he’s always been a popular teammate. No doubt he will enter the Hall of Fame.

Henrik Lundqvist, 36, New York Rangers: He’s been among the league’s most effective goalies (.919 save percentage) — and best-dressed player — almost from the day he entered the NHL in 2005. He owns an Olympic gold medal, a world championship and a Vezina Trophy. He has a career .922 postseason SV% and backed a Stanley Cup Final run in 2014. A lack of a Stanley Cup won’t prevent him from entering the Hall of Fame.

Jaromir Jagr, 46, Kladno (Czech Republic): He’s included only because he started the season with the Calgary Flames. One of the NHL’s all-time most dominant players, he could have been in the Hall of Fame five or six years ago if he didn’t insist on challenging longevity records.

Henrik Zetterberg, 37, Detroit Red Wings: He is 46 points away from 1,000, but his points per game average (.88) is higher than the Sedins. He is a member of the Triple Crown Club, meaning he has won a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold and a world championship. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2008 and the King Clancy Award for leadership in 2015. He has 120 points in 137 postseason games and could be helped by advanced statistics because he has a career 55.1% Corsi percentage, according to hockey-reference.com. A defensive-minded player, Zetterberg always plays against the best opponents. He will make the Hall of Fame.

Roberto Luongo, 38, Florida Panthers: Some might want to debate this, but we believe there will be little debate among Hall of Fame selectors. He likely will have more than 500 wins (he's at 469 now) when he retires, and he owns a .919 career save percentage, much of that earned while playing on less-than-stellar teams. He has won an Olympic gold and a world championship, and he took the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011. Extra credit for being one of the game’s most thoughtful and popular players.

Patrick Marleau, 37, Toronto Maple Leafs: Even though Marleau has 534 goals and 1,127 points, there is always push-back in the hockey world about his Hall of Fame candidacy. The speedy forward is one of the league’s most consistent scorers, but he’s never secured any major awards or been close to them. He has never won the Stanley Cup, but he has won an Olympic gold medal. The goals/points may not be enough.