Thursday, July 27 Five who belong in the Hall
	By Brian A. Shactman ESPN.com Approaching the "Who's in/out" Hall of Fame discussion isn't easy in hockey. There are a fair share of no-brainers, and then there is always a crop of debatable calls. An example of a soon-to-be easy decision is Jari Kurri. Kurri, who last played in 1998, won five Stanley Cups and was a major cog in the Edmonton Oilers dynastic machine. He finished with 601 goals and was just two points shy of 1,400. Hard to argue with his candidacy considering both individual and team achievement. Case study: Housley vs. Murphy There are 136 forwards and 68 defensemen in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Obviously, there are more forwards playing hockey. But it still seems like the blueliners, especially the stay-at-home variety, get short shrift. Take Phil Housley vs. Larry Murphy. Housley and Murphy entered the league within a few years of Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey, two of the most prolific and accomplished defensemen of all time. It's conceivable that all four will retire within a season or two of each other, so when it comes to Hockey Hall of Fame time, both Coffey and Bourque are virtual locks to be first-ballot inductees, while the other two wait in the shadows. What about Murphy, who has played the third-most games in NHL history, or Housley, a near point-a-game player over an 18-year career? Both should make the Hall, but it will take a few extra years. But if it came down to one or the other, which is likely in any given year they are eligible, who would get the nod first? Murphy has plenty of points (1,195) and has won his share of Stanley Cups. Meanwhile, Housley has never won a Cup, yet has shown an incredible consistency -- he's actually been better the last two seasons than the two before -- especially on the power play, where he's amassed 350 career points. On paper, it's a close call, with the more conservative Murphy perhaps getting a little less attention than the flambouyant Housley. But there are two reasons Murphy should get the nod first. He's been on championship teams in Pittsburgh and Detroit. But what carries Murphy over the edge -- and is often overlooked with defensemen -- is the plus-minus category. Over the course of his career, Housley has taken more chances and left himself exposed on the defensive end. That's reflected in his minus-41, while Murphy has a solid plus-206, a marked 247 goal differential with Housley. In five years or so when both are eligible for induction, it will be interesting to see what the voters decide. -- Brian A. Shactman ESPN.com compiled a short list of present and future Hockey Hall of Fame candidates: 1. Cam Neely The numbers: 13 seasons, 726 GP, 395 goals, 299 assists The case: Injuries shortened his career, and Neely missed several prime playing years -- his first string of injuries began when he was in his late 20s. Had Neely remained healthy, 600 goals and 1,000 points would have been a foregone conclusion. He could have gone into the Hall as one of the most punishing and prolific right wings in NHL history. At his best, Neely dominated with scoring and with punishing checking. Without dropping a glove, he might have been the game's most feared player. Hockey often rewards longevity, and although Neely didn't last long enough, he deserves a hard look. 2. Dale Hawerchuk The numbers: 16 seasons, 1188 GP, 518 goals, 891 assists The case: Hawerchuk was supposed to be voted in this year, but Joe Mullen and Denis Savard will be inducted in the player category, and Hawrchuk will have to wait another year. It shouldn't take longer than that for a guy who eclipsed the 500-goal and 1,400-point milestones in 16 seasons. Team achievement is not as important than longevity and career numbers, but it's far from irrelevant. And Hawerchuk never sipped from the Stanley Cup. That might have hurt him this year. 3. Glenn Anderson The numbers: 16 seasons, 1129 GP, 498 goals, 601 assists, 1120 penalty minutes The case: Anderson hoisted the Cup six times, and although his career totals aren't eye-popping, they are impressive enough -- especially considering his role with Edmonton -- that he should make it into the Hall sooner rather than later. However, like Hawerchuk, Anderson could have been inducted this season and was overlooked, despite having more Cups and better numbers than Mullen, who might have gotten a push for his record-setting achievements as an American-born player. 4. Neal Broten The numbers: 17 seasons, 1099 GP, 289 goals, 634 assists The case: If it is the "Hockey" Hall of Fame and not the "NHL" Hall of Fame, Broten should make it some day. He averaged almost a point per game over 17 seasons in the NHL, which makes him a decent cadidate on his professional numbers alone. But he also played on the 1980 U.S. Olympic team which won the gold medal in historic fashion, and Broten is a legend in Minnesota -- where he played his high school and college hockey. At the University of Minnesota, he won a national title and the Hobey Baker Award as the best college player. 5. Rod Langway The numbers: 15 seasons, 994 GP, 51 goals, 278 assists The case: Langway stepped out of Larry Robinson's shadow in Montreal when Langway became a member of the Washington Capitals. Langway won the Norris Trophy twice as the league's top defenseman and was the rare blueliner who won despite being a stay-at-home defenseman. In fact, only once in his career did he score more than 10 goals (11 in '80-81) and in '89-90, he went 58 games without a goal. But, he stabilized the Capitals and was both solid and punishing. Over a 15-season career, he was plus-272. Look past his offense, compare him to some other defenseman in the Hall, and Langway looks like someone overlooked. Brian A. Shactman is the NHL editor at ESPN.com		ALSO SEE Baseball: Five who belong in Hall Basketball: Five who belong in Hall Football: Five who belong in the Hall Hockey: Offensive cycles a Hall headache? In-depth: The Hall of Fame debate