Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2026 inducted in Toronto; Tkachuk, Curley and Burke highlight careers in official speeches

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

TORONTO — The six members of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s 2026 Class were inducted Monday in Toronto, with five Player-category inductees and one Builder-category inductee recognized by the Hall. Patrice Bergeron, Cindy Curley, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne and Keith Tkachuk were inducted as Players, and Brian Burke was inducted as a Builder, according to the Hockey Hall of Fame coverage published by NHL.com.

The speech highlights provided in the published account centered in depth on Keith Tkachuk, Cindy Curley and Brian Burke, while Pekka Rinne’s message focused on his unconventional route to the Hall and encouragement for young athletes. The same published material also notes that Carey Price, fellow inductee in the Player category, stepped up during Burke’s acceptance remarks when Burke joked about not having water on stage.

In his opening remarks, Keith Tkachuk referenced Toronto and a “warm welcome,” remarking that it was “the first time a Tkachuk has ever received a warm welcome in Toronto,” before describing how he returned to the stage at the end of a roughly 10-minute speech that included acknowledgements of former teammates, coaches and executives who he said were involved in acquiring him, trading him and acquiring him again. Tkachuk discussed his time at Boston University and singled out Jack Parker as someone now joining the Hall alongside him, with BU teammates Tony Amonte, Scott Lachance and Shawn McEachern also mentioned in the speech.

Tkachuk said he grew up loving the Boston Bruins, and he also spoke about his cousin, former NHLer Tom Fitzgerald, describing how Fitzgerald, in his words, “showed me and many others what it took to be a longtime NHL leader and champion.” He said he never imagined that being selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the 19th overall pick of the 1990 NHL Draft would lead to the moment of induction. He connected that draft selection to key personal milestones, including meeting his wife, Chantel, in Winnipeg, alongside family references to his in-laws Don and Pat, and Craig Oster.

The speech highlights also attributed specific thanks to the Jets’ Boston-based scout Joe Yannetti, who Tkachuk said “never wavering” despite Tkachuk breaking his ankle in his draft year and missing significant time. Tkachuk named Winnipeg teammates Troy Murray, described as his first roommate and captain, and Eddie Olczyk, who he said nicknamed him Walt. He also credited playing with Craig Janney across Winnipeg and the Phoenix Coyotes, calling Janney “one of the most unselfish players” he had known and saying Janney helped him score 50 goals twice.

In addition to his acknowledgements in the major junior and NHL stops described in the published highlights, Tkachuk discussed his move to the St. Louis Blues, which he said was “where our lives changed forever.” The speech notes that the Tkachuks made St. Louis their permanent home and raised their family there, including Florida Panthers forwards Matthew and Brady and their daughter Taryn. He also referenced former Blues executive Larry Pleau, describing a chain of transactions that included trading for him in St. Louis, trading him to the Atlanta Thrashers and later acquiring him back.

Tkachuk’s remarks in the provided highlights extended beyond the NHL into USA Hockey, with the account stating he talked about winning gold at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey alongside teammates Doug Weight, Bill Guerin and Chris Chelios. The published speech highlights record Tkachuk’s framing of the experience as among the most enjoyable of his life and his description of those teammates as best friends decades later.

The public speech highlights further detail a second phase of Tkachuk’s remarks focused on family. He mentioned Mary Kay and Beth, whom the highlights describe as his “most loyal and protective sisters,” and also referenced his brother Kevin as his “best friend.” He honored his parents, dad John and mom Gerry, saying, “This night is truly yours,” and he added remarks about his mother’s reaction and his family’s sacrifices, including gratitude directed to Chantel, described as “the biggest win in my life” in the highlighted account.

Cindy Curley’s acceptance remarks were presented in the published material as beginning with congratulations to fellow inductees, especially Patrice Bergeron, and with remarks about how she described herself as a lifelong Bruins fan. Curley said she “never expected to receive this honor,” and that she was “overwhelmed with gratitude,” as quoted in the highlights. The account tied her early playing experience to Lake Boon in Stow, Massachusetts, where she began at age five after her father Geno put a stick in her hand, and it said she began with expectations she described as the same as those given to her brothers.

Curley’s path described in the source included a connection to women’s hockey development and opportunities. She described being called “a pioneer” but said she preferred framing it as growing up with women’s hockey and later seeing new opportunities open through programs that supported the women’s game. The highlights also record her acknowledgement of Lou Lamoriello, who she said was a “terrific supporter of women’s hockey,” and her account of scholarship access to play hockey in college and winning the first of Providence College’s national championships during her time there.

The published highlights state that Curley represented the United States at the first IIHF Women’s World Championship in 1990, and she connected that international experience to pride in playing with USA Hockey and representing Team USA. She also referenced the Olympic women’s hockey landscape and the Professional Women’s Hockey League. Near the close of her remarks as summarized in the source, Curley returned to her father as the person who put a hockey stick in her hand and described his continued connection to the sport into his later years, linking it to plans to play pond hockey with “Stick Chick hockey friends,” as well as thanking others for what she described as what hockey gave her.

Brian Burke, the Class of 2026 Builder inductee, spoke in the provided highlights about reaching the Hall of Fame despite not playing an NHL game. The published account lists Burke’s executive history, including serving as general manager of the Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs, and winning the Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007. It also notes his roles as president of hockey operations for Toronto, the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins, along with his work for the NHL as director of hockey operations.

Burke’s remarks in the highlights included a description of how his hockey dreams evolved over time and how he eventually reached pro hockey through collegiate and American Hockey League routes after playing four years at Providence College and two AHL seasons with Springfield and Maine, where he won the Calder Cup in 1978. He reflected on the unexpected turn from never playing in an NHL game to eventually being enshrined, crediting “hard work,” belief in himself and support from others, and he thanked Lou Lamoriello, Pat Quinn and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman for their help over his career.

In the published speech highlights, Burke also addressed his time working with Bettman and emphasized that Bettman “built the modern NHL,” while Burke recognized NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly with a wordplay reference. The account records that Burke told the audience about being helped by a goalie when Carey Price stepped up to provide water after Burke joked about forgetting to bring it on stage. The highlights also say Burke referenced a major executive achievement involving the drafting of Henrik and Daniel Sedin and bringing the twin brothers to Vancouver.

Finally, the published highlights include Pekka Rinne’s speech advice-focused message, shaped by a description of his less conventional pathway to the Hall. Rinne was described as having been selected in the 2004 NHL Draft in the eighth round with the 258th pick, after coming from Kempele in northern Finland. He told the audience that young athletes do not need to be the “most highly touted” and that paths may differ, pointing to setbacks and self-doubt as part of the journey, while emphasizing the importance of loving the sport, working for it, learning from others and not giving up.

Rinne’s account in the provided highlights credits key figures and moments including his junior coach Harri Hautamaki, a professional opportunity with Karpat, and an eventual signing with the Nashville Predators in August 2005 after being drafted. The source also attributes to Rinne thanks for the Predators organization, including general manager David Poile, along with coaches Barry Trotz, Peter Laviolette and John Hynes, and goalie coaches Mitch Korn and Ben Vanderklok. The highlights further position Rinne as the fourth Finnish-born player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and note his reference to Team Finland moments as among the proudest of his career.

This report is based only on the NHL.com-provided highlights text. The source excerpt does not include speech highlights for Patrice Bergeron or Carey Price beyond the mention that Price assisted Burke with water during the presentation, so the specific contents of their acceptance speeches could not be confirmed from the supplied material.