Carey Price, Patrice Bergeron lead Hockey Hall of Fame's 2026 class

TORONTO · Carey Price, Patrice Bergeron, Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk and Cindy Curley were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the player category on Monday, while Brian Burke was enshrined as a builder. The six hockey greats were honoured in a ceremony in downtown Toronto, with each delivering emotional speeches reflecting on their careers and the sacrifices that led them to the pinnacle of the sport. Price, the former Montreal Canadiens goaltender, joked before the event about wanting to try an interactive game in the hall that featured a netminder in familiar equipment. The 39-year-old said it was special to look around the museum that he first visited as a teenager.

In his speech, Price recounted a childhood dream of walking down a red carpet toward a towering figure. "It was Patrick Roy, the very image of what I wanted to be," said Price, who spent all 15 of his NHL seasons with the Canadiens. The fifth overall pick in 2005 won the Hart Trophy as league MVP and the Vezina Trophy as top goaltender in 2015. He finished his career with a 361-261-79 record, a .917 save percentage and 49 shutouts over 712 regular-season games before a knee injury ended his playing days.

"All I can ever really remember wanting to be was a hockey player," said an emotional Price, who was in his second year of eligibility. "Growing up in a remote community, there was a very slim chance of this happening without a relentless desire and an opportunity. That opportunity was provided with sacrifice. As a parent of a young family, I now understand what the biggest of many was, it was time." Price's playoff performance was even stronger, posting a .919 save percentage and willing the underdog Canadiens to the 2021 Stanley Cup final.

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Bergeron, a six-time Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's top defensive forward, spent all 19 of his seasons with the Boston Bruins, captaining the team for his final three years. The 41-year-old from L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que., helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011 and recorded 1,040 points in 1,294 regular-season games. "I hope my journey inspires future generations to dream big (and) believe in themselves," Bergeron said. "And never stop chasing those dreams."

Price and Bergeron were teammates on Canadian national squads, winning Olympic gold in 2014 and the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. Bergeron also won gold at the 2010 Olympics, the 2005 world junior championship and the 2004 men's worlds. Price thanked his former teammates in his speech. "To the boys, I have enough memories to last three lifetimes," he said. "I wish I could do it all over again. Thank you for clearing the front of the net, blocking shots and backchecking. As a forward now, I do none of these things."

Rinne, the winningest Finnish-born goalie in NHL history, played 15 seasons with the Nashville Predators. The 2018 Vezina winner had a 369-213-75 record with a .917 save percentage and 60 shutouts. "If there's something that I want to pass on to any young athlete who's watching tonight, it's this: you don't have to be the most highly touted prospect," Rinne said. "You don't have to have everything figured out when you're young. Your path doesn't have to look like anyone else's."

Curley, who captained the United States to three silver medals at the women's world championships in the 1990s, was recognized as a pioneer of the women's game. "I'm often called the pioneer, but I'd like to think I just grew up with women's hockey," the 62-year-old said. "Hockey is a very special game that gave so much more to me than I could ever give back." Tkachuk, who scored 538 goals and 1,065 points over 18 NHL seasons, said the game welcomed him at every level. "I accept this honour with gratitude to everyone who has been part of my journey," the 54-year-old said. "I am honoured to be here tonight, and now forever."

Burke, enshrined as a builder, had an NHL management career that included stops with the Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins. The 71-year-old, who won the Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007, said he was surprised by the hall's call. "When I first got the call from the selection committee, I paused," Burke said. "Nobody starts playing hockey at 13 years old in Minnesota and says, 'Someday I'm going to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.'" The ceremony was televised on TSN in Canada and on NHL Network in the United States. Garbutt Disposal reported earlier that the six inductees were honoured in a Toronto ceremony.

With files from The Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail and Sportsnet