Teemu Selanne likely will be the headliner in the Hockey Hall of Fame's Class of 2017, and Daniel Alfredsson might be the only other candidate who is eligible for the first time to join him.
The Hall of Fame will reveal its newest class Monday after the 18-member selection committee completes the voting process. A candidate needs to receive 75 percent of the vote to earn induction. A maximum of four former NHL players can be inducted each year.
Selanne, a forward, is 11th in NHL history in goals (684) and 15th in points (1,457). He is third in power-play goals (255), tied for third in game-winning goals (110), fourth in power-play points (588), and 25th in games (1,451).
The only players with more NHL points who are not already in the Hall of Fame are Jaromir Jagr (1,914), who is expected to play his 24th season in the League in 2017-18, and Mark Recchi (1,533).
Beyond his numbers, Selanne won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, the Calder Trophy in 1993, the Rocket Richard Trophy in 1999, the Masterton Trophy in 2006, and four Olympic medals, including a bronze at Sochi in 2014, when at 43 years old he had six points and was voted the most valuable player.
He would be the second Finland-born player after Jari Kurri in 2001 to be inducted into the Hall.
Alfredsson, a forward, could get his Hall call too. He had 1,157 points (444 goals, 713 assists) in 1,246 NHL games and was an Olympic gold medalist with Sweden in 2006. He's the Ottawa Senators' all-time leader in goals (426), assists (682) and points (1,108). He won the Calder Trophy in 1996.
Alfredsson, though, is not considered a lock to be a part of the Hall's Class of 2017. In fact, it's possible Selanne is the only former NHL player in the class. It would be the first time since 2010, when Dino Ciccarelli was the lone former NHL player inducted. Wayne Gretzky was the only former NHL player in the 1999 class; before that, it was Dick Cowley in 1968.
There are several former NHL players who have been eligible for multiple years who could finally get their Hall call Monday.
Recchi, a forward in his fourth year of eligibility, won the Stanley Cup three times as a player and is 12th in League history in points (1,533), 15th in assists (956), 20th in goals (577) and fifth in games played (1,652). He is the only retired player with at least 500 goals and 1,500 points in the NHL who is not in the Hall of Fame.
Another viable candidate is forward Paul Kariya, who is in his fifth year of eligibility.
Kariya, like forward Pavel Bure (inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2012) and center Eric Lindros (inducted in 2016), had his career cut short because of injuries, but he was a dominant player when healthy.
He had 989 points (402 goals, 587 assists) in 989 NHL games. He won gold with Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, the 1994 IIHF World Championship and the 1993 World Junior Championship. He's a two-time Lady Byng Trophy winner and was one of the greatest college hockey players of all time, winning the Hobey Baker Award and the national championship with Maine in 1993.
Center Jeremy Roenick, in his sixth year of eligibility, scored 1,216 points (513 goals, 703 assists) in 1,363 NHL games, but he never won the Stanley Cup or an individual trophy.
Forward Alexander Mogilny, in his ninth year of eligibility, had 1,032 points (473 goals, 559 assists) in 990 NHL games. He won the Stanley Cup in 2000 with the New Jersey Devils, making him a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation's Triple Gold Club. Mogilny also won gold medals with the Soviet Union at the 1988 Calgary Olympics and the 1989 World Championship.
If Mogilny is a candidate, then forward Theo Fleury should be too.
Fleury, also in his ninth year of eligibility, finished his NHL career with 1,088 points (455 goals, 633 assists) in 1,084 games. Fleury won the Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989 and gold medals with Canada at the 1988 World Juniors, 1991 Canada Cup and 2002 Olympics.
Forward Dave Andreychuk, in his ninth year of eligibility as well, finished his NHL career with 640 goals and won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. He is the only retired 600-goal scorer who hasn't already been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and his 274 power-play goals are the most in League history.
Maybe this is the year the selection committee puts in Kevin Lowe, a stay-at-home defenseman on the dynastic Edmonton Oilers teams through the 1980s. The six-time Stanley Cup winner had 431 points (84 goals, 347 assists) in 1,254 NHL games.
The top candidates among former goalies are Chris Osgood (fourth year eligible) and Curtis Joseph (fifth year eligible).
Osgood compares favorably to 2016 inductee Rogie Vachon. Osgood had 401 wins and won the Stanley Cup three times, including twice as the starter. Vachon won 355 games and the Cup twice, once as a starter. Osgood had 50 shutouts; Vachon had 51.
Joseph is fourth all-time in NHL wins (454) and sixth in games played (943). He had 51 shutouts and seven 30-plus win seasons, including twice topping out at 36.
The 2017 induction ceremony will be in Toronto on Monday, Nov. 13.
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