The Hockey Hall of Fame inductions are just a few days away, which means it's time to debate and argue over those who should be in the Hall but are not. We'll make a case for Mark Howe. He was a terrific junior player who helped lead the Toronto Marlboros to the 1973 Memorial Cup championship and was voted the tournament's most valuable player. Viewed as a future National Hockey League star, he chose instead to join his father Gordie and brother Marty in the World Hockey Association, where at age 18 he was voted rookie of the year. He played six years in the WHA, mostly as a winger, and was voted to one first all-star team and one second all-star team. But his most productive years were in the NHL, where he switched to defence and was one of the league's best over 16 seasons. He was voted to the first all-star team three times and was thrice runner-up for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman. In 1986, he was the league's plus-minus leader with 85. His career NHL statistics are 197 goals and 545 assists for 742 points in 929 games. His points-per-game average is better than the numbers for two of his contemporaries, Larry Murphy and Borje Salming, both of whom are in the Hall. Howe averaged .799 points a game; Murphy .790; and Salming .686. Arguably, Howe was a better defensive player than either. And, of course, there are his WHA numbers - 208 goals and 296 assists for 504 points in 426 games. In the 1980s, Howe was often described as the best defenseman never to win the Norris Trophy. Now, he's the best former defenceman not to be in the Hall of Fame.