The greatest goal scorer in NHL history will be calling it a career this year, as Alex Ovechkin has announced this will be his final season in the NHL. The Washington Capitals' star announced the decision before the team's home opener this year. As Ovechkin prepares for retirement, other teams have celebrated him, giving gifts to the Great 8 as he visits their city one final time.

Ovechkin and the Capitals hope that he will get to lift the Stanley Cup one more time before his career ends. Regardless of the outcome of this season, the greatest goal scorer of all time will be heading to Toronto for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame at some point down the road. The biggest question is: when will it happen? Traditionally, players have to wait three years to be eligible, but there is the possibility that the Hall of Fame could waive the waiting period, something Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic explored.

“And Alex Ovechkin? He has announced this will be his final NHL season, and some have wondered if the Hockey Hall of Fame should waive its three-year waiting period for the all-time NHL goals leader, as it did for players like Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky,” LeBrun wrote.

Howe, Lemieux, and Gretzky are clearly three of the best to ever play the game. They did not have to wait to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Still, LeBrun does not think that Ovi will be given the same opportunity.

“The answer I got from the Hockey Hall of Fame was that it’s highly unlikely. First of all, the bylaw provision that gave the Hockey Hall of Fame Board of Directors the authority to waive the three-year waiting period was eliminated after Gretzky was elected in 1999. I think the rationale at the time was that it’s better for the inductee to be removed from the spotlight for a ‘reflection period' after their career. I also think the Hall wanted to eliminate the perception of a two-tier status of honored membership,” LeBrun added. “There’s also the fact that Lemieux, who was inducted into the Hall in 1997, came out of retirement during the 2000-01 season, so keeping the three-year waiting period in place is a way to avoid that kind of scenario.”

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There are a lot of reasons not to have Ovi be immediately inducted. If Ovechkin is put in immediately, what happens when Sidney Crosby retires? Do they do the same? If so, that does create two clear tiers to the Hall. Meanwhile, Lemieux came back and played again. So did Howe. He played in the WHA after being inducted into the Hall of Fame, and then played one season in the NHL when the Hartford Whalers moved from the WHA to the NHL.

While this is a weaker class of first-time players up for induction, there are still players who are not in the Hall of Fame that deserve that honor. This is a chance to give those former stars their moment. In the meantime, Ovechkin can wait, because his call will be coming one day.