Top Five Lightning Players Who Should Be In The Hockey Hall Of Fame
It may have gotten lost due to all of the free agency news, but there was a big moment that happened after the conclusion of this last NHL season. Shortly after the season concluded, the Hockey Hall of Fame announced its 2024 class. Talented players like Shea Weber, Pavel Datsyuk and Jeremy Roenick will soon take their place alongside other legends of the game.
Unfortunately for Tampa Bay Lightning fans, none of the people being inducted this year ever played for their team. And that’s a shame. There have been a lot of great players who donned the Bolt at some point in their careers and who have a large argument about being inducted into the Hall. And today, we at RBLR Sports want to recognize a few of these guys.
Just a disclaimer, we are only counting people who are retired and are no longer playing. No active players will be counted. Otherwise, we’d be here all day, mainly listing half of the 2021 Stanley Cup-winning team.
So, with that disclaimer out of the way, here are the top five Lightning players who should, and hopefully one day will, be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Honorable Mention: Phil Esposito
Some of you may be confused by this. You may be asking yourself “Wait, isn’t Phil Esposito already in the Hall of Fame?” Well no, you’re not crazy. He is in the Hall. But he arguably should be in there again.
When the Hall of Fame chooses to induct someone, that person is inducted as part of a specific category. Those categories are player, builder and referee/ linesman. Esposito was inducted as a player because of course he was. He’s genuinely in the conversation to be one of the ten greatest hockey players of all time. However, he should get a second induction as a builder.
The people inducted as builders are coaches, executives and sometimes owners. This is the category that Jon Cooper will be put into once he retires. Esposito arguably deserves to be inducted as a builder for his work in founding the Lightning. He brought the sport of hockey to a southern area, one of the most non-traditional hockey markets you can find. And he made it work. Today Florida has a thriving hockey fandom and that can be attributed to Esposito.
This is actually something the man himself has said he would like to have happen.
“I make no bones about it, what I did to get the franchise was a hell of a lot harder than what I did as a player,” Esposito said in an interview. “Because I love playing and God gave me the talent. I’d rather be in the Hall of Fame as a builder than a player.”
The reason this is an honorable mention is this probably won’t ever happen. Though it’s not against the rules, no one has ever been inducted into the Hall twice. And to be honest, there are probably other players-turned-executives who are more deserving to achieve this.
Still, Esposito’s work in founding the team created the groundwork for a future hockey dynasty, turned sunny Tampa into a hockey hotbed and helped play a role in helping hockey succeed in the sun belt, so we wanted to give him a shout-out.
Honorable Mentions: Petr Svoboda And Wendel Clark
Svoboda was drafted 5th overall by the Montreal Canadians in the 1984 NHL draft and would go into play 17 seasons in the league. He played his final three played 17 seasons in the NHL with the Lightning (the 1998-99 to 2000-2001 seasons).
In his career, he played in 1028 games and recorded 399 points. He was the first-ever Czech to play in 1000 NHL games. He won the 1986 Stanley Cup and helped lead the Czech Republic to its only Gold Medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics, where he scored the game-winning goal in the Gold Medal game against Russia.
As for Clark, he was the first overall pick in the 1985 NHL draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He would go on to play in the NHL for 16 seasons in which he played in 793 games, recorded 564 points and 330 goals and be named to two All-Star teams. His number 17 is now retired by the Maple Leafs.
Clark only played for the Lightning for one season, the 1998-99 season, in which he was traded in the middle of the year to the Detroit Red Wings, though he did represent the team at that year’s All-Star game.
The reason both the guys are honorable mentions is because while they both played for the Lightning, neither is exactly remembered for their time on the team because they were in Tampa for a short period. The players chosen for the main list were guys who can point to their time in Tampa to help strengthen their Hall of Fame arguments. Still both Svoboda and Clark have good cases for an induction, Svoboda has his longevity and impactful international career to point to while Clark is helped by being a legend for the Toronto Maple Leafs, so we wanted to mention them.
5. Dan Boyle
A man whose career defines the saying don’t give up.
Despite going undrafted, Boyle would go on to have a long and successful NHL career. The defensemen played in 1,093 games in a career that lasted from 1998 to 2016. He recorded 163 goals and 605 points.
Some of his best seasons came when he was a member of the Lightning. He was traded to the team in the middle of the 2001-2002 season from the Florida Panthers. He would go into play in Tampa for six seasons, in which he put up 253 points.
Boyle managed to rack up several career accolades. He was named to the NHL All-Star Second team twice. He represented Canada at several international tournaments, including the 2010 Olympics where he won a Gold Medal. And of course, he played a key role in helping theLightning win the 2004 Stanley Cup.
A talented and dependable defenseman, Boyle has a resume that’s worthy of getting honored in Toronto.
4. Nikolai Khabibulin
Until Andrei Vasilevskiycame to town, this was the guy many fans said was the best goalie in Lightning history.
Khabibulin was drafted with the 204th pick in the 1992 draft by the original Winnipeg Jets. He eventually made his NHL debut in 1994 and would go on to play in 18 NHL seasons.
He played in 799 games and won 333 of them. He had 46 shutouts and a .907 career save percentage.
His best seasons were his ones with the Lightning. He played in Tampa for four seasons. He won 83 of 192 games and made two All-Star games during that time. But his most famous contribution to the team was his dominant performance during the 2004 playoffs. His play, which j clouded five shoutouts, led the Lightning to their first-ever Stanley Cup.
In addition to his time with the Lightning, Khabibulin has a large trophy case. He made four All-Star games, was the save leader in the 1997 playoffs, recorded three shutouts in a single playoff round which is an NHL recorded and won a Bronze and Gold medal at the Olympics.
For his playoff dominance alone, as well as some notable regular season and international accolades, the Bulin Wall should have a plaque hanging on the wall of the Hall of Fame.
3. Fredrik Modin
Another key piece of the Lightning’s 2004 Stanley Cup team.
Drafted 64th overall in the 1994 draft by the Maple Leafs, Modin would play 898 games and record 232 goals and 462 points in 14 NHL seasons. He spent six of those seasons with the Lightning, where he was one of the team’s best players, representing them at the 2001 All-Star game.
He was a very accomplished international player. He was the scoring leader at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He also helped Sweden win the gold medal at the 2006 Olympics and 1998 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. By winning a Stanley Cup, Olympic gold medal and a world championship, he is one of only 30 players to be in the Triple Gold Club.
His successful international career is already enough to at least consider giving him an induction. But when you add on his NHL accolades, especially his contributions to the Lightning, him being in the Hall should be a no-brainer.
2. Brad Richards
He’s already in the Lightning Hall of Fame. Why not the Hockey Hall of Fame?
Richards was drafted by the Lightning in 1998 and would go to play in 16 NHL seasons. His first seven seasons were with the Lightning and during that time he established himself as one of the best players in franchise history. His 553 points are currently the 6th most ever scored by a Lightning player. He also was named to the All-Rookie team in 2001, won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2004 and most famously won the Conn Smythe after helping the Lightning win the Stanley Cup. He scored seven game-winning goals during that run, which is the most in NHL history,
Richards raked up a few more accomplishments once leaving the Lightning. He played in the 2011 All-Star game and won another Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015. He also helped Canada win gold at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He ended his career with 1126 games and 932 points under his belt.
Richards’ career was some that is sadly underrated. But when you look at all he did in his career, you see one of the better players of the 2000s and early 2010s and an obvious future Hall of Famer.
1. Vincent Lecavalier
This one doesn’t feel like an if, it feels like a when.
Lecavalier was drafted first overall by the Lightning in 1998. A talented prospect, he was touted by journalists as the Lightning’s savior and future face of the franchise. Needless to say, he lived up to those predictions.
Lecavlier played in 17 NHL seasons and recorded 421 goals and 949 points in 1212 games. 1037 of those games and 874 of those points were for the Lightning. His 383 Lightning goals are the second most in team history, one of many Lightning stat categories Lecavalier is in the top five for.
His trophy case is humongous. 2004 Stanley Cup champion. 2007 Rocket Richard winner. Four-time NHL All-Star, one of which he served as team captain. 2007 NHL All-Star second team. 2008 King Clancy Trophy winner. Won the gold medal and tournament MVP award at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. NHL 2006 cover athlete. Inaugural member of the Lightning Hall of Fame. Only one of two players to have his number retired by the Lightning.
It should be really telling that despite all of the success and talented players the Lightning have had in recent years, a lot of fans still put Lecavalier on the team’s Mount Rushmore. That’s how good he was.
He was one of the NHL’s faces of the 2000s and a player whose play helped establish the Lightning. Hopefully, it won’t be long until #4 finally has a plaque in Toronto.
