Possible candidates for the 2023 HHOF class

For the first time in a long time, the Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed a class of new inductees on Monday.

After COVID-19 delayed the enshrinement of the 2020 class until last November, the Hall’s selection committee did not name a set of 2021 inductions. This year, there are six getting the call.

Just as they stuck together their whole career, Vancouver Canucks legends Daniel and Henrik Sedin are getting the nod as a pair, joining goaltender Roberto Luongo, Daniel Alfredsson, Riikka Sallinen and Herb Carnegie as members of the 2022 class.

Now, we look ahead to next year’s crop, featuring holdovers from this year and fist-time eligible players. Just like this year’s group, there are plenty of deserving candidates.

There were 21 goaltenders selected before the New York Rangers took Henrik Lundqvist 205th overall in the 2000 NHL Draft. Not one of them went on to have the kind of success the King did.

Lundqvist spent his entire 15-year playing career on Broadway, finishing with a record of 459-310-96, a save percentage of .918 and a goals-against average of 2.43. He was as consistent as they came from the start.

He made his debut as a 23-year-old and immediately took over as New York’s No. 1 goaltender, winning 30 games and earning the nod for the NHL’s All-Rookie Team. The Swede never let his guard down, tallying an 11-season run that saw him post a 2.28 GAA and a save percentage of .921 while playing in five All-Star games. In addition to being sixth on the NHL’s all-time goaltender wins list (459), he owns the Ranger record for wins, playoff wins (61), shutouts (64) and games played (887). 

Lundqvist’s performance sharply declined during the 2018-19 and after another tough season the following year, he had his contract