4. Herb Brooks – 2006 Induction
Of course, Herb Brooks made the Hockey Hall of Fame for his work with Team USA. He was the coach for the most famous hockey game of all time and possibly the greatest underdog story ever told. Herb Brooks was the man who took a bunch of kids and beat the powerful U.S.S.R. in 1980. The famous “Do you believe in miracles?” that made Al Michaels the announcer he is today came off the win in that semi-final game in the Olympics. It was the tournament that made Herb Brooks famous, and it launched a career in coaching.
That coaching career had a very tumultuous stint with the New Jersey Devils. Before Lou Lamoriello was known as a genius, he was still known as a man who couldn’t keep a head coach for longer than a few seasons (and even that felt like a “miracle” at the time). The same goes for Brooks, whose time in NJ almost had fans losing faith in Lou.
Brooks was brought to New Jersey to take them to the next level. He lasted one year, as he called for the team to get younger after a five game ousting at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs in 1993. Since he had a huge philosophical difference, he resigned with two years left on his deal.
This was a Hall of Fame coach a decade before he joined the Devils. Remember, it’s the “Hockey” Hall of Fame, not the NHL Hall of Fame. It would have been nice if Brooks worked out. Who knows how different history would be if he stuck around.