Surprising candidates included in potential 2023 Hall of Fame class

The 2022 NHL Hockey Hall of Fame Class was named yesterday, as the likes of Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Roberto Luongo, and Daniel Alfredsson were announced as forever being enshrined in Toronto. 

But who could next year's list feature? Some of the names suggested by TSN could be an eye-opener for some. Not surprising at all is former New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. 

"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)."

However, are the following candidates worthy of being named to the Hockey Hall of Fame? You decided. 

Corey Crawford:

"While Crawford did not play during the Chicago Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup run of 2010, he backstopped them to a pair of Cup victories in 2013 and 2015, winning the William M. Jennings Trophy in each of those two campaigns. 

For a franchise that has employed some elite goaltending over the years, Crawford ranks near the top in nearly every statistical category for netminders. He’s third in games played (488) behind Tony Esposito and Glenn Hall, second in wins (260), third in total saves (12,778), second in save percentage (.918) and third in goals-against average (2.45)."

Justin Williams: 

"The career statistics might not scream Hall of Fame, but few players of the modern era align more with winning than Justin Williams.

Nicknamed “Mr. Game 7” for his tendency to show up when it mattered most, Williams played 19 seasons in the NHL with four different teams and had playoff success at pretty much every stop."