Six more legends will be entering the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto this year. According to an announcement from the Hall, Patrice Bergeron, Brian Burke, Cindy Curley, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne, and Keith Tkachuk will be inducted into the class of 2026.
A part of the famous 2003 NHL Draft class, Bergeron earned his spot in the Hall of Fame in the first year of his eligibility. In a separate show of recognition for his impressive playing career, the Bruins shared that they would be sending Bergeron’s ’37’ to the rafters during the 2026-27 season.
Few would have predicted what Bergeron would become. A second-round pick, Bergeron became synonymous with the Frank J. Selke Trophy throughout his career, finishing in the top five in voting for 14 consecutive years, while winning the award six times. He wasn’t just a boon on the defensive side of the puck, either, scoring 427 goals and 1,040 points in 1,294 games throughout his career.
Additionally, the peak of Bergeron’s career came during the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs, when he helped Boston capture its first Stanley Cup championship in 40 years, scoring six goals and 20 points in 23 games throughout that spring’s postseason run. For the last three years of his 19-year career, Bergeron served as the captain of the Bruins. He finished his tenure as one of the greatest players to wear the spoked ‘B’, finishing third in games played, goals, and points, while being fourth in assists.
Meanwhile, Burke gets the call after serving as a league executive for four decades. Beginning in the 1987-88 season, Burke has served as a Director/President of Hockey Operations or General Manager for the Vancouver Canucks, Hartford Whalers, Anaheim (Mighty) Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
During his tenure with the Canucks, Burke facilitated the moves needed to draft Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin to Vancouver, as well as Ryan Kesler. Additionally, he was the General Manager of the Ducks when they won the Stanley Cup in 2007 against the Ottawa Senators. However, there is one trade that likely still haunts him, when he acquired Phil Kessel in 2009 for a trade that netted the Bruins Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton.
Curley, the only female selected to the Hall of Fame this year, has already been elected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Playing for the inaugural IIHF Women’s World Championship in 1990, Curley owns one of the most ridiculous scoring lines to this day, registering 11 goals and 23 points in five games during that summer’s contest.
Unfortunately, knee surgery caused her to retire prematurely in the mid-1990s. Since then, she has been actively contributing to USA Hockey through various roles, including serving on the Hockey Board of Directors, youth councils, legal counsel, and the girls’ and women’s sections, among others.
Back to the player inductees, Rinne and Price are each regarded as some of, if not the best, goalies of their generation. Rinne, who played 15 seasons in the NHL, all with the Nashville Predators, finished with a 369-213-75 record in 683 games with a .917 SV%, 2.43 GAA, and one Vezina Trophy. Unfortunately, Rinne was never able to help the Predators win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship, but he got them close in 2017 when they lost in the Stanley Cup Final to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Still, in terms of production, Price likely has the edge of the two. Despite having his career cut short due to injuries, Price was unbeatable at times, posting a 361-261-79 record in 712 games with a .917 SV% and 2.51 GAA. Unlike Rinne, Price’s trophy cabinet was filled to the brim, particularly because of one of the greatest single-seasons from a goaltender during the 2014-15 campaign. That year, at 27 years old, Price finished with a .933 SV% and 1.96 GAA in 66 games, winning the Hart Memorial Trophy, Lester B. Pearson (Ted Lindsay) Award, William M. Jennings Trophy, and Vezina. Price’s one similarity with Rinne is that he backstopped the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, but lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Lastly, Tkachuk gets the nod after 16 years of waiting. Tkachuk remains one of the greatest U.S.-born players in NHL history, being seventh all-time (USA) in scoring with 538 goals and 1,065 points in 1,201 games.
Unfortunately, Tkachuk was unable to capture the Stanley Cup or even play in the Final throughout his 18-year career. Still, he played a huge part in the NHL’s move to Phoenix in the late 1990s and became synonymous with the blue note in the early 2000s.
Photo courtesy of Anne-Marie Sorvin of USA TODAY Sports.
