Dave Barr, who previously worked as an assistant coach in Minnesota, will join Peter DeBoer‘s coaching staff for the New Jersey Devils.

Barr, who played for two seasons with the Devils, recorded 128 goals and 204 assists in 614 games in the NHL. After his final game in the NHL, Barr went on to play for the Kalamazoo Wings and the Orlando Solar Bears, both of the IHL.

When his playing career  neared an end, Barr began the transition into coaching many former players take.

He was an assistant coach with the Solar Bears before becoming the head coach of the Houston Aeros in the 2000-2001 season. For two seasons he served as General Manager of the Aeros as well and won the Calder Cup in 2003.

Barr continued on his coaching path by coaching and managing for five seasons the Guelph Storm of the OHL. While with the Storm, he won a championship in 2003-2004 and the OHL Coach of the Year in 2005-2006.

Luckily for the Devils, Barr transitioned into NHL coaching back in 2008 when he became an assistant coach for the Colorado Avalanche. After one disappointing season though, the Avalanche fired the entire coaching staff. Barr then went on to join Todd Richards‘ staff for the Minnesota Wild.

In April though, Barr became available as the Wild relieved him of his duties.

The Edmonton Journal reported earlier this month that Barr had a standing offer to become a coach for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL.

Barr along with Larry Robinson, Adam Oates and goaltending coach Chris Terreri will round out DeBoer’s coaching staff for the upcoming season in New Jersey.

With the NHL inducting five members into the Hockey Hall of Fame last week, Angela James and Cammi Granato became the first females inducted into the Hall joining Jimmy Devellano and Daryl Seaman as Builders and Dino Ciccarelli as the lone Player of the 2010 HoF class, I decided to have our own vote of players and coaches/builders that haven’t been voted in yet, but many feel should garner consideration.

Following similar criteria to the Hall’s standards, 75% of the vote for induction with slight variances to allow a maximum of 4 players and 2 coaches/builders, I gave the writers of the Hot Stove staff a list of 14 players and 5 coaches/builders to choose from.  Each writer then had 5 votes for players, ranked 1-5 for tie-breaking purposes, and 3 votes for coaches/builders, ranked 1-3 also for tie-breaking purposes.

Here is the list of 14 players and 5 coaches/builders that were on our ballot:

Players:

Dave Andreychuk
Tom Barrasso
Pavel Bure
Doug Gilmour
Eric Lindros
Kevin Lowe
Joe Nieuwendyk
Adam Oates
Mike Richter
Phil Housley
Mark Howe
Pierre Turgeon
Pat Verbeek
Keith Tkachuk

Coaches/Builders:

Pat Burns
Fred Shero
Mike Keenan
Pat Quinn
Billy Reay

With 12 writers responding, 75% would be 9 votes.  However, only 1 player received the prerequisite number of votes, with 3 others right behind at 8 votes.  I decided to include the three names who received eight votes, but it goes to show that the induction process isn’t as easy as everyone thinks.  Some players that I felt should have garnered more votes, didn’t.

It still appears that the Hall is a forward heavy shrine, with goalies having to be outstanding instead of better then average to receive consideration. Tom Barrasso‘s back-to-back Stanley Cups in ’91 and ’92 with Pittsburgh, Calder Vezina and Jennings Trophy’s, 369 Wins (2nd all-time US born goalie) were only enough for 50% of the votes.  Not to say that forwards have it any easier though.  The “standard” used to be 500 goals and 1000 points but that was in the good old days.  Doug Gilmour, a player I feel should be in but didn’t receive my vote, has 450 goals and 1414 points in his career.  Surely you can forgive the 50 goals he’s short considering the 400+ points and being the heart and soul of the Leafs for many years, but even he only received 33% of the vote.

What do you have to do to get in?

Dave Andreychuk
Adam Oates
Kevin Lowe
Joe Nieuwendyk

Score 640 goals or 1079 assists or be part of an Oilers Dynasty that won five Stanley Cups in seven years or win three Stanley Cups with three different teams.  Those are the four inaugural inductees into the NHLHS HoF.

The Coaches/Builders were a little more clear cut, with 3 candidates receiving 75% or more of the vote.  The “standard” for coaches/builders used to be 500 wins and a Stanley Cup, but exceptions can and have been made.  Fred Shero coached the Flyers to 2 Stanley Cups in the 1970′s but fell well short of 500 wins.  Pat Quinn has 684 career wins, but no Stanley Cups.  Which one receives an exception?  Do both deserve an exception?  Do neither deserve an exception?  Its tough choices like these that the Hall staff have to face every year.

Pat Burns
Mike Keenan

Win 501 games and 3 Jack Adams Awards with 3 teams or win 672 career games.  Those are the 2 inaugural inductees in the coaches/builder category in the NHLHS HoF.

It seems the staff at NHLHS has a soft spot in their collective hearts for Pat Burns.  Receiving 11 of 12 1st place votes to go along with his 2nd place vote, Burns is the only player or coach/builder to be named on every single ballot.  Could his current health situation have had an affect on the staff?  Did they vote with their hearts instead of their heads? Maybe, but I’m not gonna argue, as I was one of the 11 that voted Pat Burns in 1st.  Every vote by every voter in every Hall has a little bit of Heart in it.

As I wrap this up, I am happy with the current class of inductees, and can begin to appreciate the process that the Hockey Hall of Fame has to go through.  Sure there are some names that didn’t make it this year and sure they’ll be up again next year for induction, but there will also be new names on the list to consider.  Its never an easy process but every player male of female, coach or builder that gets inducted should feel privileged, as they had to endure a long process to make it, a process that started for many when they were 4 or 5 years old and continues, for some into their 40′s others into their 70′s.  It is indeed the Ultimate Lifetime Achievement Award.

Congratulations to the 2010 Hockey Hall of Fame class! And to the 2010 NHLHS Hall of Fame class, hope you graduate to the 2011 HHoF.

Jose Simoes
NHLHS Staff
jsimoes@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @RTRHockey

Former NHLer Adam Oates was hired last Tuesday June 29^th, 2010 as an assistant to newly hired John MacLean’s coaching staff. Oates will join goalie coach Chris Terreri and assistant coach Larry Robinson under the leadership of Coach MacLean.

Oates is known for his playmaking skills and leadership on the ice. He was nominated for the Lady Byng Trophy six times. Adam played for the Red Wings, the Blues, the Bruins, Caps, Flyers the Ducks and Oilers where he retired in 2004. Amongst those teams he played a total of 1,337 games with 1,079 assists and 341 goals totaling in 1,420 points over the course of 14 seasons with the NHL. His impressive skills with assists made his numbers comparable to Gretzky during the 90s.

His knowledge of the game will make him a key component to the NJ Devils coaching bench. Last season Oates was an assistant coach to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

As for the “other” matter surrounding the organization, Lou Lamiorello has placed his offer on the table for free agent superstar Ilya Kovalchuk however, Kovalchuk has yet to decide on exactly what he is looking for and wants to do.  The saga continues…..

Shannon Caulfield
NHLHS New Jersey Devils Correspondent
scaulfield@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Shannybaby99