On the Tuesday Grill Room TV show,( on Sun TV in Toronto ) with guest host Rob Higgins from XM Radio, veteran sportscaster Jim Tatti, and my good friend from the Fan 590, David Alter, the popular subject of discussion was the Hockey Hall Of Fame inductees. On a personal note, I was quite pleased that Jim Devellano finally got into the Hall. In his case, it was long overdue. As the head scout for the New York Islanders, Jim drafted all of their key players, who were the foundation of their Stanley Cup dynasty in the early 1980’s. From Long Island, he was hired as the General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings in 1982, and rebuilt them from a sad sack team that could only draw fans to their home games, by giving away a car at each one, to a dynasty that has won 4 Stanley Cups since then. His first draft pick with the Wings was Steve Yzerman, also a Hall Of Famer,and the recently appointed general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Devellano groomed Ken Holland from being a minor league goalkeeper, to a scout working in Western Canada, and then on to the role of general manger of the Red Wings. Remarkably, Devellano was a high school dropout, who began his hockey career as a volunteer scout with the St. Louis Blues, as soon as they joined the National Hockey League in 1967. His compelling story is completely detailed,in the well written book by my buddy Roger Lajoie, in “The Road To Hockeytown”.
The point of contention on the program, and no doubt for most hockey fans as well, was the one name that everybody was hoping they would see on the list, and that of course was Pat Burns, who is seriously ill with Cancer. What is baffling, is why the Hall Of Fame committee can not make a special exemption, so that he can be inducted right away, as opposed to waiting until he has passed on. Why not honor him while he is still alive ? I’m sure that hockey fans everywhere, are disappointed with him not being included, considering his tragic circumstances.
Another discussion topic, also Hall Of Fame related, was whether or not Don Cherry belongs in the Hockey Hall Of Fame. As a broadcaster, the former Bruins and Colorado Rockies ( NHL ) coach, certainly is deserving of some kind of recognition, in some Hall Of Fame. I’m not sure that it’s the Hockey Hall Of Fame, but for his longevity as a broadcaster, and as a passionate commentator on the sport, there is no doubt that at some point in time, he will get some form of honor, for his dominating presence in Coaches Corner, on Hockey Night In Canada, and his lifelong devotion to the game of hockey.