To say that I’ve been thinking about yesterday’s announcement regarding the 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame Class would be an understatement. On Wednesday, the Hall Committee again revealed their list of inductees who will be honored in Toronto this November.

While it’s nice to see Henrik Lundqvist have his name called for the well-deserved honor, it’s beyond incomprehensible how badly the crack committee has failed. Somehow, the members that include Hall of Famers Mike Gartner and Lanny McDonald have omitted Alexander Mogilny. It’s now 14 years and counting for a Russian player who not only deserves to be in for his on ice achievements. But for his bravery in helping break barriers by defecting from the former Soviet Union to come over to North America and play in the NHL.

It’s truly disappointing on so many levels. For years, I’ve been outspoken about Mogilny’s exclusion. Far from alone, there are many pundits who cover the sport for a living that can’t comprehend how one of the greatest Russian hockey players has been denied entry into the Hall of Fame. It’s mystifying.

While I’ll extend congratulations to the rest of a class that includes Pierre Turgeon, Mike Vernon, Tom Barrasso, Ken Hitchcock, Pierre Lacroix and Caroline Ouellette, I can’t contain my disdain for a clearly biased committee that’s holding an undeserved grudge towards Mogilny due to the country he’s from.

At this point in a fake world full of mean-spirited people who live in their own bubble, xenophobia exists. Whether it be all the hate crimes against Asian people for a pandemic that they had nothing to do with, or a war started by a crazed sick old man that’s caused an absurd level of vengeance in the world towards athletes who represent Russia, it is extremely disappointing.

The term guilty by association is one that shouldn’t exist. Unfortunately, it does. The lyrics are best remembered in a Linkin Park hit song from the late Chester Bennington. I wish people treated each other better. It’s not fair. There should be more respect shown than there is. Too often, I see things that don’t make sense. Being decent should be easy. It doesn’t seem to work that way with Hockey Canada or the IIHF. They continue to punish Russia for a war that the athletes have no involvement in.

The only reason Mogilny isn’t in now is due to that irrational hatred. He has been screwed too many times. I’m sure he’s at peace with his family enjoying life rather than worrying over whether he makes some exclusive list that’s determined by a good old boys club. Hopefully, one day, his name will be called by the crack committee.

I’ve repeatedly gone over why the original Alexander The Great should be in the Hall of Fame. I’m not going to repeat myself anymore. For more on Mogilny, please refer to this special page dedicated to number 89. A number that has special significance. That’s the year he made the daring life decision to board a plane and defect during scary times. As many hockey fans, I’m thankful I got to see him play. He was a fabulous skater who could finish with the best and was an underrated passer. A triple gold member who won a Stanley Cup with the Devils following a successful decade with the Sabres and Canucks, Mogilny belongs in.

He’s been eligible since 2009. The unfair treatment has gone on long enough. What if they applied the same rules to Team Canada in the Under 20 World Junior Championships? Even with the past issues involving several players who were part of a sexual assault in a previous tournament, it wouldn’t be fair to the current roster representing them. However, they could’ve been punished by the IIHF. They even could’ve disciplined themselves.

Why should we look the other way? Maybe it’s because most people are forgiving. Imagine not being able to see Connor Bedard play on the world stage. That would’ve been a letdown. He led Canada to back-to-back gold medals. He set a new Canadian record for most career goals and points at the prestigious tournament. Without him, Canada doesn’t win gold. His overtime winner to defeat Slovakia to win the championship was one for the highlight reel.

No matter what, the election process for the Hockey Hall of Fame should be fair and unbiased. Pavel Bure had to wait until after they put in Cam Neely. As much as I enjoyed Neely’s career with the Bruins, Bure was by far the more dominant player. Sergei Zubov didn’t go in right away either. Even the great Sergei Fedorov waited until 2015 despite a brilliant career. Fedorov played with Mogilny to help the Soviet Union win gold in 1989 at the World Championships. They’d repeat in 1990 with Bure joining Fedorov on the same line.

The interesting aspect is that there have been other Canadian players who didn’t make it right away. Eric Lindros was the most dominant power forward of the 90’s. He patiently waited to be inducted in 2016. He was way over a point-per-game for his career despite concussions limiting him during the latter part. He was polarizing off the ice due to what happened in Quebec. But his play on the ice merited inclusion. Lindros has since spoken highly of Quebec. He’s a very misunderstood person who’s done a lot of good since his playing days.

I’ve yet to understand why quality players such as Steve Larmer, Rick Middleton, and Rod Brind’Amour aren’t Hall Of Famers. Both Larmer and Middleton had outstanding careers. Middleton is the one that got away in one of the worst trades the Rangers ever made. He scored at nearly a point-per-game clip while totaling 100 points in the playoffs for Boston. He retired at 34.

Larmer was over a point-per-game for his 15-year career spent mostly in Chicago. He was a key piece to the Rangers winning the Stanley Cup in 1993-94. A good scorer who also was a strong defensive forward, Larmer definitely helped the Rangers end a 54-year drought. He played one more year before hanging up the skates. Having also been on some good teams with the Blackhawks that went far, Larmer totaled 131 points in 140 postseason games. He has been overlooked for years.

The case for Brind’Amour is a bit different. He had 1,184 points over 1,484 games. After spending the beginning of his career in St. Louis, he became a key part of the Flyers. Always a good two-way center who played second fiddle behind the Legion of Doom centered by Lindros, Brind’Amour had an outstanding postseason in 1997. His 13 goals led all scorers. He had 21 points in helping the Flyers play for the Cup. They were swept by the Red Wings.

He spent two more years in Philadelphia before getting traded to Carolina for Keith Primeau in early 2000. It was with the Hurricanes where Brind’Amour cemented his reputation as one of the game’s best two-way players. He won two Selkes as the league’s top defensive forward. He also captained the Hurricanes to their only Stanley Cup in 2005-06. Highlighted by peak performances from Eric Staal, Cory Stillman, Justin Williams, and rookie goalie Cam Ward, Carolina was led by Brind’Amour, who posted 12 goals and 18 points during that run. He led them with four game-winners.

As an overall player who captained a team to a championship while being recognized as the game’s top defensive forward twice, Brind’Amour is overlooked. Winning hockey isn’t only about point production. It’s about leadership, grit, and intangibles. Those characteristics make Brind’Amour a good candidate. Ironically, he coaches Carolina. They’ve made two Conference Finals and won the Metropolitan Division twice. His credentials continue to get stronger.

For the most part, I’ve watched the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony on NHL Network. The speeches are always good. It’s fun to get the players, and builders’ perspectives. However, I’m drawing a line in the sand. As thrilled as I am for Henrik Lundqvist, who’s only the greatest New York Ranger this century, I can’t in good conscience watch the 2023 induction. Instead, I’ve decided to boycott it. Until they take the handcuffs off Russian players, I refuse to watch. I’ll catch what Lundqvist has to say on video. That’s what Twitter and YouTube are for.

I disagree with the selection of Barrasso. Are they suddenly going to open the door for Chris Osgood? Why isn’t Curtis Joseph in? It’s too confusing. Barrasso won two Cups, a Calder and Vezina. But I never viewed him as a great goalie. The Penguins won back-to-back championships due to Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Ron Francis, who they stole from Hartford. Barrasso was good. He didn’t need to be great. He didn’t have a good finish to his career. If he were Hall of Fame worthy, surely they would’ve stuck him in sooner.

At least Vernon had a Conn Smythe to go with his two Cups, which were won with Calgary and Detroit. He was better than Barrasso. But he waited a long time to get in. They hadn’t really been so lenient when it came to goalies. What changed? Good for Barrasso and Vernon, I guess.

If they’re both in, then Osgood should merit strong consideration. He won over 400 games to go with three Cups. He also was superb in helping the Islanders reach the playoffs in 2001-02. He took over for Dominik Hasek to help guide the Red Wings to another Cup in 2007-08. At 35, he was a big reason they won their fourth Cup in just over a decade. Osgood posted a 1.55 GAA, .930 save percentage and three shutouts to go with a 14-4 record.

Since this post focused on a questionable process that still won’t allow Jaromir Jagr to get inducted due to some ridiculous rule when he barely plays to help his hometown league back home in Kladno, Czech Republic, I’ll have a separate one on Lundqvist making it in his first year of eligibility.

The last thing I’ll say is that I think three years isn’t long enough for former stars. It should be a five-year waiting period. That way, they can right some wrongs. There needs to be a different process. Or perhaps a veteran’s committee. I know baseball doesn’t always get it right. But they at least try. The Hockey Hall of Fame should be for the game’s greatest players. It should be special. It doesn’t feel like it anymore.