Wild Insider: Class of '07 may be best

Rick Stewart, Getty Images

6 DECEMBER 1992, SCOTT STEVENS OF THE NEW JERSEY DEVILS CHECKS WAYNE PRESLEY AGAINST THE BOARDS DURING A GAME AGAINST THE SABRES.

This year's Hall of Fame inductees -- Mark Messier, Ron Francis, Al McInnis and Scott Stevens -- could be tough to top.

By Michael Russo, Star Tribune

Last update: November 11, 2007 - 11:44 PM

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WILD WEEK IN REVIEW Record: 1-0 • The Wild completed a four-game homestand on a positive note with a second consecutive victory (2-2) by beating the Oilers for the 14th time in 18 meetings. With Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra out because of injuries, Mark Parrish scored two goals and Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Kurtis Foster added one apiece. STAR TRIBUNE'S STAR OF THE WEEK: Mikko Koivu, center With Wes Walz absent, Koivu is quickly becoming the Wild's heart-and-soul. Jacques Lemaire has given him more responsibility than any player, and in the Wild's lone game last week, Koivu notched his second-career three-assist game and won 18 of 24 faceoffs. THIS WEEK: Four games Tonight: at Colorado, 7 p.m.; Tuesday: at Calgary, 8:30 p.m.; Thursday: at Edmonton, 8 p.m.; Friday: at Vancouver, 9 p.m. • A crucial four-game trip takes the Wild to each of its Northwest Division rivals. So far, the Wild is 4-0 at home vs. the Northwest and 0-2-1 on the road vs. the Northwest. That better change, or the Wild will return home next weekend reeling. MICHAEL RUSSO

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In 100 years, the Class of 2007 could still be the class of all classes.

Monday in Toronto, it's hard to imagine a more impressive group of four being enshrined into the Hall of Fame at one time than Mark Messier, Ron Francis, Al MacInnis and Scott Stevens.

All four ex-captains epitomize competitiveness, leadership and winning.

In 25 seasons, Messier, maybe the best captain in NHL history, won six Stanley Cups, becoming the first NHL captain to lead two teams (Oilers and Rangers) to the Stanley Cup. He played 1,756 games, trailing only Gordie Howe. His 1,887 points put him behind only former teammate Wayne Gretzky.

In 23 seasons, Francis, one of the best passers in league history, won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins. He played the third-most games (1,731) and dished out 1,249 assists, second to Gretzky. His 1,798 points are fourth behind Gretzky, Messier and Howe.

In 23 seasons, MacInnis, one of the hardest shooters in NHL history, scored 340 goals and 1,274 points, both third among defensemen. He won a Stanley Cup with Calgary in 1989 and a Norris Trophy in 1999.

In 22 seasons, Stevens, one of the nastiest hitters in NHL history, won three Stanley Cups with the Devils, playing 1,635 games for fifth most in history. He scored 980 points, but his value was not found in the boxscore -- unless it was the penalty-minute section (2,785, 14th all-time).

Wild coach Jacques Lemaire and General Manager Doug Risebrough had personal histories with Stevens and MacInnis.

Stevens was as fearsome a competitor as there was in the NHL, proving you don't have to be an enforcer to intimidate. Pavel Bure scored 58 and 59 goals in Florida, but put him against Stevens, and the Russian Rocket's presence was purely a rumor.

Stevens' open-ice hits often bordered on illegal. Just look at his playoff hits on the Islanders' Pat Flatley, Detroit's Slava Kozlov or Anaheim's Paul Kariya. Or flash back to Stevens clobbering Eric Lindros, pushing the oft-concussed Lindros closer to last week's retirement.

"He was hitting guys in practice as much as in games," said Lemaire, a Hall of Famer himself. "Every kid who came to the Devils, Scott was the example I used. He was working after every practice, doing stops and starts and that time, he was 34, 35 years old.

"If the kid was relaxing, shooting pucks or sitting on the bench, I would go up and say, 'Is he crazy, this guy? What is wrong with Scott? Why does he work that hard?'

"Maybe he was not the easiest to talk to during a game because the response was so intense, because he was so focused on the game. But I would always say, 'if you want to win the Cup, you need a guy like this.' He'll give everything he has."

Risebrough, MacInnis' former teammate, coach and GM in Calgary, never saw Hall of Fame on MacInnis' radar.

"I give Al a lot of credit," Risebrough said. "He made himself into a player. His skating wasn't great nor his conditioning. But he got in the door because he had this shot.

"He wouldn't have been a Hall of Famer if he didn't have the work ethic. He's got a Hall of Fame heart and a Hall of Fame work ethic. He came in with the shot but every part of his game was good at the end."

Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com

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