Herb Cain, Forgotten by the Hall of Fame

Recently, upon announcement that the 2019 Hall of Fame class would have to wait an extra year for their induction ceremony, Chairman of the Selection Committee Lanny McDonald was quoted; "Whether you wait three or four years or more, it really doesn't matter. If you're a Hall of Fame, you're going to go in at one point." He's referring to the class of 2019 being bumped a year, but one can also take his statement as referring to some long-retired players from hockey's past that may finally receive their due. 

Herb Cain is one of these forgotten players and he should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Cain is a deserving player who has been passed over or simply missed by the Hall of Fame selection committees through the years. Herb Cain played 13 NHL in the 1930s and 1940s and totalled 206 goals and 400 points over 571 games. He helped his teams win two Stanley Cups and was named a 2nd team All-Star in 1943/44 when he topped the NHL with 82 points to set a single season points record. Herb Cain remains the only eligible player to have led the NHL in points and NOT be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Frankly, I don't see how this is.  

Herb Cain produced as many, or more Top-Ten seasons in the following four significant categories than sixteen different players who all were elected to the Hall of Fame. These single season categories are Even Strength Goals, Goals Per Game, Adjusted Goals and Offensive Point Shares. 

Adjusted Goals is a method of equalizing scoring numbers across different eras. Goals are normalized to an 82 game schedule with 18 skaters per team and league averages of 6.00 goals scored per game. 

Offensive Point Shares is similar to WAR (Wins Above Replacement) in baseball. It is an estimate of the number of Team Points contributed by a player due to their offence.

The following chart shows the number of times Herb Cain placed in the Top-Ten in the NHL in these four categories, comparing him to 16 different Hall of Fame players, many of whom were his contemporaries.

Herb Cain consistently produced better than each and every one of these players. Admittedly, some of these players were less known for their offensive prowess and others played in an expanded NHL when Top-Ten finishes were more difficult, but the fact remains that the numbers do not lie. Herb Cain matches up well with all of these Honoured Members and should rightfully join them in the Hall of Fame.

When we look Career Point Shares contributed by a player, Cain stacks up well once again. While not as dominant as his Top-Ten placements, he rates right in the middle of the pack with these same 16 Hall of Fame players. Instead of looking strictly at total Career Point Shares, I averaged the number per games played to eliminate career games played discrepancies. 

Cain bests six different Hall Members and is right there in the neighbourhood with four others, particularly Clint Smith who was elected in 1991. For the life of me, I have no idea why Smith is in the Hall while Cain is not. Their careers are eerily similar in length, quality and overall production. They scored the same number of career points, Smith being somewhat more of a playmaker to Cain's goal scorer. Smith won one Stanley Cup to Cain's two. Cain was selected an All-Star once, Smith never.  In 1943/44, the year Cain topped the league in Points, Smith led in Assists. Smith did win two Lady Byng trophies, barely topping Cain in voting in 1944. Is Smith in the Hall on the strength of two Most Gentlemanly awards? I certainly hope that's not the only thing that swayed the selection committee.

Here are a few additional numbers about Herb Cain's career;

• During his record-breaking season in 1943/44, Cain produced 44 points in the first 25 games for an average of 1.76 Pts/Game. His linemate and Hall of Famer, Bill Cowley was injured on Jan. 8, 1944, yet through the remaining 24 matches Cain had 38 points for an average of 1.58 Pts/Game, a minimal drop-off. Out of these 38 2nd-half points, only two involved Cowley when he returned near the end of the season. Critics often say that Cain "rode the coat-tails" of his linemate Cowley on the way to his record season. This claim appears to be greatly exaggerated if not flatly false. 
• During the same 1943/44 campaign when Cain set his career high for Points/Game, among all Hall of Fame forwards who were in their prime that year, 8 of the 11 players also set their career high for Points/Game. The truth is it wasn't only Cain capitalizing on the league-wide higher scoring trends, he simply excelled more than anyone else.
• The following year, 1944/45, Cain scored 32 goals to finish second in the NHL behind only Maurice Richard's 50.
• Cain's two Stanley Cups are equal or higher than 26 of his contemporary Hall of Fame forwards.
• Cain's career average of 0.36 Goals/Game is equal or higher than 20 of the same group.

As I have stated, I honestly see no reason for Cain to have been passed over by the Hall of Fame selectors. His numbers definitely stack up favourably against his contemporaries. He has the Cups, he has the accolades. Mr. Chairman of the Selection Committee Lanny McDonald, perhaps it is time to select a deserving member to the Hall of Fame who had to wait well over "three or four years". Herb Cain; Member Hockey Hall of Fame, that has a real nice ring to it.