Free Republic

TORONTO — Former Minnesota North Stars standout Dino Ciccarelli was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, it was announced today. Ciccarelli played 19 NHL seasons with five teams, recording 608 goals and 592 assists in 1,232 games. In nine seasons with the North Stars, he led the team in scoring five times. "This is a tremendous honor that I will cherish for the rest of my life," Ciccarelli said. "I really appreciate the support of my coaches, the fans and mostly importantly my family throughout my 19-year career."

Lou Nanne still has Dino Ciccarelli's back. The former Minnesota North Stars general manager gave Ciccarelli his big break in 1979 despite skepticism that the undrafted teenager with the sandpaper attitude and poster-boy name was too small and too fragile to survive the NHL. A quarter century later, Nanne is raising Cain with the Hockey Hall of Fame, which decides today whether Ciccarelli's 608 goals, 1,200 points and uncanny tolerance for abuse are worthy of induction. "It's ridiculous he's not in there," said Nanne. "There's no doubt his numbers are there. There are guys in there who are no comparison."...