Making the cut to be a part of the Hockey Hall of Fame is a dream for every NHL player -- along with winning the Stanley Cup, of course.
According to a recent ranking done by The Athletic on the chances of today's NHL stars etching their names in hockey history, three current players on the Toronto Maple Leafs made the list. Those players are Sergei Bobrovsky, Auston Matthews and John Tavares. Let's see where they landed.
They could retire today and still make it
Sergei Bobrovsky
This tier means just what it says. If Bobrovsky were to hang up the pads, blocker, glove and mask, he would be a sure in for the Hall of Fame. For this, there's no argument here. The 37-year-old has already had an illustrious career, winning back-to back Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024 and 2025. Not to mention two Vezina Trophies (2012-13, 2016-17).
During his time with the Panthers, Bobrovsky made a remarkable 50-save performance against the Leafs in the second round of the 2023 playoffs, which hopefully we can now forgive him for. This made him the second player ever in Panthers history to do so.
Bobrovsky is one of the oldest players in the league, but to be dominating at that age and winning two Cups in his thirties just proves how unbelieveable the guy is at his job.
Probably in -- and still rising
Auston Matthews
This isn't a bad place to put Matthews, as the Leafs captain has both solidified and carried on an era of sharpshooting hockey players (Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Kane). The tier itself means he is very much a borderline Hall of Famer. Since entering the league, no player has scored more goals than Matthews (428). Not to mention, he has scored 60-plus goals on two occasions (2021-22, 2023-24) and holds three Rocket Richard trophies to his name.
Additional accolades include the Ted Lindsey, Calder, and Hart trophies, as well as international-level awards like an Olympic gold medal and 4 Nations runner-up with the United States. While awards mean a lot to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, the way Matthews has shown his knack for scoring has helped evolve what it means to be a sniper in the NHL, which should really sit well with getting him in.
Although he had a down year last season, if Matthews puts home anywhere between 30 to 40 goals this season (hopefully more) with another Hart or Rocket Richard trophy, he can fulfill this ranking. The key for him to have a healthy season.
Keep compiling
John Tavares
This tier is centred around seasoned veterans on the edge of their respective careers, with some of them already proving capable of the Hall of Fame. For Tavares, this seems fitting. Yes, he hasn't won many NHL awards, but Tavres is still an Olympic gold medalist (2014 Sochi games), a Hockey World Cup gold medalist and a two-time World Junior gold medalist.
Just for how he has represented Canada on the international level should get him closer to the Hall of Fame, but a couple of trophies at the NHL level should really drive it home. If that's not possible, scoring 30-plus goals for the rest of his career should work. He's done that the past two seasons, so it should be effortless.
Overall, the rankings for Bobrovsky, Matthews and Tavares seem to be spot on as of now. To sum up, Bobrovsky keeps making a case for being a first-ballot Hall of Famer and is almost guaranteed for it. Matthews is borderline, but another season or two of some nasty goals, along with some silverware, should move him up. Tavares needs to keep his consistency rolling with at least another year or two of the scoring spark he provides for the Leafs on the ice.
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