4 players worthy of Hall of Fame induction in 2018
On Monday, the Hockey Hall of Fame will officially enshrine Dave Andreychuk, Paul Kariya, Mark Recchi, and Teemu Selanne into hockey history.
While this year's class is made up of worthy recipients, it's never too early to consider who could follow their lead in 2018:
Martin Brodeur
A slam dunk for induction into the Hall in his first year of eligibility, the iconic New Jersey Devils netminder brings a host of accolades to the table.
A three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Devils, Brodeur ranks first all-time in NHL wins with an astonishing 691 victories to his credit, and also tops the charts with 125 shutouts. He was a winner on the international stage as well, guiding Team Canada to its first Olympic gold in 50 years in 2002.
The Calder Trophy winner in 1994, a mantle full of awards followed over the course of Brodeur's career, including four Vezinas and five Jennings.
Alexander Mogilny
In 1989, Mogilny became the first Soviet player to defect to the NHL, blazing the trail for the many Russians who followed in his footsteps, including Sergei Fedorov, Pavel Bure, and Sergei Zubov.
Mogilny made his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres that same season, finishing his freshman year with 43 points in 65 games. Three years later, he potted 76 goals in a single campaign, a total that had only been seen by four players in league history.
Mogilny won the Stanley Cup with New Jersey in 2000, and retired as a member of the Devils four years later. He sits third all-time in NHL scoring among Russians, trailing only Fedorov and Alex Ovechkin.
Jeremy Roenick
Making his NHL debut with Chicago in 1988, Roenick brought a different brand of hockey to the Blackhawks, mixing an exciting combination of skill and grit.
It was an early preview of the career that followed for the budding power forward, one that included stops with the Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks.
In 2007, while with the Sharks, Roenick became only the third American-born player to score 500 NHL goals, potting his 500th against his former club, the Coyotes. Roenick, who announced his retirement in 2009, racked up 1,216 points over his career, good for third among U.S.-born NHLers.
Martin St. Louis
Never drafted into the NHL, the pint-sized St. Louis was determined to make the most of his career in an era that favored size over skill.
The early goings were tough. St. Louis struggled through his first two years with the Calgary Flames. But, after joining the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2000, not only did St. Louis turn around his own career, but the franchise as well, as he led the Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 2004.
St. Louis wrapped that campaign with a league-leading 94 points, as he was recognized as the Hart Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award (now known as the Ted Lindsay Award) winner. He won his second Art Ross as a member of the Lightning in 2012-13, finishing the lockout-shortened season with 60 points in 48 games.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)