When thinking back to the glory days of the 1980's for the Edmonton Oilers, one recalls all the great all-stars and future hall-of-famers on their roster.Whether it be Kurri, Gretzky, Messier, or even Paul Coffey, all have been recognized for what they accomplished both individually and as a group. Heck, even good old Dave Semenko comes to mind being the enforcer protecting all of these greats. However, one name that never seems to be mentioned in the same breath as those listed is number nine Glenn Anderson.
For years, I have watch the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony and it seems as though this debate is always brought up and the same question is asked: Why is Glenn Anderson not in the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame? To this question, one can only respond with one simple answer: who knows?
Obviously, Anderson was not as flashy of a player as Mark Messier or Wayne Gretzky, however, he was not a pushover either. He was the type of player who was not afraid to go into a corner or lay a hit on his man.
That being said, over the course of his 17 year career, Glenn was no stranger to the score sheet either. The five time all-star right winger finished his career having played in 1,129 games with four different teams. He scored 498 goals and added 601 assists to go along with 1,120 penalty minutes. Averaging nearly a point per game in the regular season, Anderson finished just short of the coveted 500 goal plateau and sits 38th on the All-Time Goals list, ahead of Hall of Famers such as Peter Stastny and Darryl Sittler.
However, this consistency was not limited to regular season play either. In 225 career playoff games, Glenn recorded 214 points (93 goals and 121 assists). These numbers make Anderson fourth all-time on the playoff scoring list behind former teammates Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier as well as fifth on the playoff goals list. Along with these personal statistics, Anderson was a member of six Stanley Cup winning teams, five with the Oilers and one with the New York Rangers in 1994.
Thus the question remains, why is Glenn Anderson not a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame?
Is it because he was overshadowed by so many of the all-stars on his roster? Possibly. Could it be that critics feel that Anderson only achieved such statistical success because of the players around him? Maybe. Or could it be the newly rumored reason, that Glenn Anderson is not a Hall of Fame hockey player, for the mere fact that he is secretly homosexual?
Although each of these answers are just speculation, none of them seem valid enough to refute the numbers and they don’t lie. But for now, Glenn Anderson remains on the outside looking in when it comes to the Hockey Hall of Fame, and remains hockey’s all-time most underrated player.
Let’s just hope the National Hockey League realizes this before it has its own Pete Rose on its hands.
Alan Bass gives you the major news pieces in the Flyers' organization this past week. (Read More)
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4 months ago
yea, i deffinitly agree that glenn anderson has been kept from under the spot light..i think this is only because of Edmonton being how good they were back than and how many good players they had, glenn never really had the time to shine.. Players like Wayne Gretzky and Mark messier are very well known and were the top rated players of that era, and for that reason i think that is why mr. anderson was left without getting much recognition
4 months ago
"Is it because he was overshadowed by so many of the all-stars on his roster? Possibly. Could it be that critics feel that Anderson only achieved such statistical success because of the players around him? Maybe."
I'd answer those questions with a: "definitely."
He certainly benefited, stats-wise, from playing with Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, Kurri etc.
Glenn certainly hung-on for too long. He was well past his prime, and he definitely messed-up his point-per-playoff-game by doing so.
In my opinion, he was an average winger, that played on a dominant team, with dominant players. And I'd have to vote 'no' if I had the call.
Anyways, nice piece here. A legit argument, and the stats/objective to back it up.
4 months ago
Anderson was a great player.
Anyone who saw him play that's not biased would have to agree.
You got Peca type chaos v the opposition, and goals so clutch it's good enough to put him in the HHof F easily, on playoff performances alone.
Bernie Federko? Please.
As an old school fant my ratings are simple for the greatest of great Oilers
- gretzky
- coffey(I'm admitting to being biased now lol)
- messier
- kurri
- anderson
- fuhr
- insert anyone you like
The young kids don't remember Anderson, but I'd personally take him over Weight/Guerin/Smyth tc etc in a heartbeat, for my team.
Or here is a better question: How many cups would Oilers have won WITHOUT Anderson?
4 months ago
fan*
etc**
4 months ago
T be in the hall you must be a role model and a good player. Most people don't know what went on behind the scenes those days. If he wasn't a hockey star, he would of been in Jail. I loved Glen as a Oiler, but not as a respected Canadian Citizen. The old boys who vote the hall, have honor in mind.
Ecerp wrinten by GLEN MACGREGOR
Former NHL star Glenn Anderson is facing possible jail time for failing to pay more than $112,000 in child support for his 12-year-old son.
Anderson, 41, owns two homes in the Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos and has a net worth of approximately $600,000. But in court documents, he claims he is "broke" and unable to find suitable work. He wants a B.C. court to reduce the amount owing and cut the monthly $2,961 he is supposed to pay to support his son, Nicholas.
Anderson last made a voluntary payment in 1998, according to the child's mother, Patricia O'Connor of Vancouver.
The former Edmonton Oilers star has not held steady employment since his 16-year NHL career ended with the New York Rangers in 1996. He spends much of his time golfing and travelling to charity hockey tournaments, according to court documents.
Despite his arrears, in 2000 Mr. Anderson paid $17,000 US for a new dock and $7,000 US for a hot tub at his Turks home.
Although Anderson wants access to Nicholas, he admits in discovery he has never bought the boy a birthday or Christmas present, nor has he ever called to say hello. Nicholas knows who his father is and has seen him on TV, but he has had no direct contact with Anderson since a brief visit when he was five.
O'Connor, a single mother, says her son would love to play hockey, just like his dad, but she can't afford to buy him the equipment.
"He'd like to go to camp, play hockey, get a Game Boy," she said. "I'm thinking about paying my bills, whether I'm going to be evicted."
O'Connor was laid off from her job with a high-tech company in January and is two months behind in rent
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4 months ago
To get into the hall, you must also have honor. The old boys who decide , may never let him is, as he is not a good role model for the youth of the game.
writen by GLEN MACGREGOR
Former NHL star Glenn Anderson is facing possible jail time for failing to pay more than $112,000 in child support for his 12-year-old son.
Anderson, 41, owns two homes in the Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos and has a net worth of approximately $600,000. But in court documents, he claims he is "broke" and unable to find suitable work. He wants a B.C. court to reduce the amount owing and cut the monthly $2,961 he is supposed to pay to support his son, Nicholas.
Anderson last made a voluntary payment in 1998, according to the child's mother, Patricia O'Connor of Vancouver.
The former Edmonton Oilers star has not held steady employment since his 16-year NHL career ended with the New York Rangers in 1996. He spends much of his time golfing and travelling to charity hockey tournaments, according to court documents.
Now, the British Columbia agency that tracks down "deadbeat dads" is asking a provincial court to jail Anderson.
"We've brought a motion to have him jailed for contempt of court for his ongoing failure to abide by the court order to pay child support," said Paul Hundal, lawyer for the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program
Despite his arrears, in 2000 Mr. Anderson paid $17,000 US for a new dock and $7,000 US for a hot tub at his Turks home.
Although Anderson wants access to Nicholas, he admits in discovery he has never bought the boy a birthday or Christmas present, nor has he ever called to say hello. Nicholas knows who his father is and has seen him on TV, but he has had no direct contact with Anderson since a brief visit when he was five.
O'Connor, a single mother, says her son would love to play hockey, just like his dad, but she can't afford to buy him the equipment.
"He'd like to go to camp, play hockey, get a Game Boy," she said. "I'm thinking about paying my bills, whether I'm going to be evicted."
O'Connor was laid off from her job with a high-tech company in January and is two months behind in rent.
3 months ago
Who's Bill Semenko? Is he any relation to Dave?
3 months ago
Child support payments have nothing to do with his play on the ice. The Hall of Fame is for on-ice achievement and Anderson's resume fits the bill. Please tell me how Clark Gillies gets in and Anderson doesn't?
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