Story Summary
Patrice Bergeron said it was “definitely surreal” and “very, very humbling” as he joined the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2026 for the opening event of induction weekend in Toronto. Bergeron, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk, Cindy Curley and Builder Brian Burke each stepped on stage in the Great Hall to receive their rings, with their Hall plaques already displayed among those of the sport’s established greats.
For Bergeron, the scale of the moment became especially vivid when he saw the plaques of fellow Boston Bruins icons Johnny Bucyk and Bobby Orr. The former Bruins centre said it was difficult to take in the fact that his own name now belongs in that room.
The ceremony carried similarly personal meanings throughout the class. Price reflected on seeing his plaque alongside those of Patrick Roy, a goalie he admired, and former Montreal Canadiens teammate Shea Weber. Rinne spoke of becoming the fourth Finland-born player inducted, following Jari Kurri, Teemu Selanne and Riikka Sallinen. Tkachuk recalled growing up watching the Bruins in East Boston before finding himself among the names of Orr, Ray Bourque and other Boston legends.
Curley, a Massachusetts women’s hockey pioneer, noted that her plaque is in the same column and on the same wall as Bergeron’s and Burke’s. Burke, meanwhile, considered his place alongside fellow Builders whose work shaped the NHL, including Harry Sinden, Bill Torrey, Cliff Fletcher, Lou Lamoriello, Pat Quinn and Gary Bettman.
Key Facts
- Brian Burke, Patrice Bergeron, Cindy Curley, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne and Keith Tkachuk received their Hockey Hall of Fame rings in the Great Hall in Toronto.
- The ring ceremony was the first event of Hockey Hall of Fame induction weekend.
- The plaques for the Class of 2026 were already on display in the Great Hall.
- Patrice Bergeron said seeing his name in the same room as Johnny Bucyk and Bobby Orr was “definitely surreal” and “very, very humbling.”
- Carey Price identified Patrick Roy as a player he looked up to and noted that former Montreal Canadiens teammate Shea Weber also has a plaque in the Great Hall.
- Pekka Rinne will be the fourth player born in Finland inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, following Jari Kurri, Teemu Selanne and Riikka Sallinen.
- Keith Tkachuk grew up playing street hockey in East Boston and watching the Boston Bruins.
- Cindy Curley said Bobby Orr was her favourite player growing up and praised Bergeron’s class and sportsmanship.
- Brian Burke selected Daniel Sedin second overall and Henrik Sedin third overall for the Vancouver Canucks in the 1999 NHL Draft.
- Brian Burke won the Stanley Cup as general manager of the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 with Teemu Selanne, Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer.
IHM Discussion
A Hall of Fame ring ceremony can look formal from the outside, but the Great Hall brings the achievement into sharp focus. The Class of 2026 arrived not simply to collect an honour, but to see their names placed within the visual history of the game.
Bergeron’s reaction captured the unusual perspective of an inductee. His career placed him among the defining Bruins of his era, yet he still looked across the room as a fan of Bucyk and Orr. That is the thread running through the class: elite careers do not remove the sense of admiration for the people who came before.
Price’s reflections bridged generations of Montreal goaltending, from Roy to Weber, while Rinne’s place carries clear significance for Finnish hockey. His acknowledgement of Kurri, Selanne and Sallinen recognised the small group he is joining, while his mention of other prominent Finnish players underlined how remarkable the distinction feels to him.
For Tkachuk and Curley, the ceremony had a distinctly Boston flavour. Tkachuk’s childhood was shaped by Bruins hockey, and Curley grew up with Orr as her favourite player before later admiring Bergeron. Their plaques now sit in the same building as the players who first made the sport matter to them.
Why It Matters
The opening ceremony establishes the human centre of induction weekend before the public celebrations continue. The Hall of Fame honours statistics, trophies and long careers, but the Great Hall also makes clear how those achievements connect across eras.
Bergeron’s presence adds another Bruins figure to a lineage represented by Bucyk and Orr. Price’s induction places one of his generation’s leading goaltenders beside Roy, while Rinne’s selection gives Finland a fourth player in the Hall. Curley’s recognition also preserves the contribution of a women’s hockey pioneer whose path and admiration for the game began long before the current era.
Burke’s Builder induction offers a different view of influence. His career included drafting the Sedin twins in Vancouver and winning the Stanley Cup in Anaheim, but his own attention turned to the executives and Builders he had long respected. The class therefore reflects several ways a hockey legacy can be made: through playing, pioneering and building teams.
Mini Q&A
Who is in the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2026?
The class consists of Builder Brian Burke and players Patrice Bergeron, Cindy Curley, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne and Keith Tkachuk.
Why was Patrice Bergeron moved by the ceremony?
Bergeron saw his plaque displayed in the Great Hall near those of Bruins legends Johnny Bucyk and Bobby Orr, calling the experience surreal and humbling.
What does Pekka Rinne’s induction mean for Finland?
Rinne becomes the fourth player born in Finland inducted, after Jari Kurri, Teemu Selanne and Riikka Sallinen.
When is the formal induction ceremony?
The induction ceremony is scheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
Coach Mark Comment
The most touching detail is Bergeron looking past his own plaque towards Johnny Bucyk and Bobby Orr. A player can spend years being measured against the history of one franchise, then suddenly be asked to see himself inside it.
That is a different kind of recognition from any game-night reception. In the Great Hall, the old heroes are no longer distant names or pictures from a childhood; they are the company Bergeron keeps now. His reaction sounded exactly as it should: grateful, a little stunned and fully aware of the distance travelled.
What Comes Next
The Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
IHM Final View
The Class of 2026 began its Hall of Fame weekend with an occasion built around perspective. Bergeron, Price, Rinne, Tkachuk, Curley and Burke all arrived with careers substantial enough to earn their place, yet each spoke as someone still conscious of the figures who inspired them. The rings mark the honour; the plaques make its permanence impossible to miss.