Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour still waiting on call from Hockey Hall of Fame

Has the time finally come?

The Hockey Hall of Fame will announce its inductees Wednesday for the Class of 2023 and once again Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour will wait to see if his name is called.

While his wait has been a long one, Brind’Amour has the credentials to be selected as a player: 1,184 points in 1,484 games with the Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues. He also won two Selke Awards as the NHL’s best defensive forward.

And, of course, the Stanley Cup.

Brind’Amour was the Hurricanes’ captain in 2006 when Carolina gave the state of North Carolina its first — and only — major-league championship.

Justin Williams was a member of that 2006 Cup championship team, earning the versatile forward the first of three Stanley Cup titles during his 19-season career. Williams, 41, earned two Cups with the Los Angeles Kings (2012, 2014) and in his first year of eligibility for the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice praised Brind’Amour’s long playing career during the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. Maurice was the Canes’ coach when Carolina reached the Cup Final in 2002, and later coached Brind’Amour again near the end of the center’s career.

“He touched all parts of the game as a player,” Maurice said of Brind’Amour. “He was a power-play guy, a penalty killer. He was a defensive forward and an offensive forward. all at the same time.”

If Brind’Amour, 52, was the consummate team captain, Williams was clutch. His moniker, “Mr. Game 7,” came from his stellar play in the biggest playoff games — seven goals and 15 points in winning eight of nine Game 7’s, including the final goal in the Canes’ 3-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the 2006 Cup Final.

Williams won the Conn Smythe Trophy with the Kings as playoffs MVP in 2014. Brind’Amour does not have a Conn Smythe on his hockey resume although he easily could have been chosen after the 2006 Cup run. Canes rookie goalie Cam Ward was the selection.

Williams later returned to Carolina and served as the team captain in 2018-19, Brind’Amour’s first as head coach. Promising to make the Canes “relevant” again in the NHL. Williams helped Carolina to its first playoff berth since 2009, the first of five straight playoff appearances under Brind’Amour.

Williams, who retired in October 2020, now serves as a special adviser to Don Waddell, the Canes president and general manager.

The Hurricanes’ other representatives in the Hockey Hall of Fame: former owner Peter Karmanos Jr.; former president and general manager Jim Rutherford and former Canes captain Ron Francis, who won two Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins before coming to Carolina. Karmanos (2015) and Rutherford (2019) entered the hall in the “builder” category; Francis was inducted in 2007.

The Class of 2023 selections, made by the 18-member hall of fame committee, will be announced at 3 p.m. on the NHL Network and TSN. Those selected must have 75% of the committee’s votes.

Former New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist is also in his first year of eligibility. One thing missing on his impressive resume: a Stanley Cup.