Hockey Hall of Fame inductees trade stories about toughest foes at Inductee Fan Forum

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

TORONTO — Five members of the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2026 took part in Sunday’s Inductee Fan Forum, turning the Hockey Hall of Fame weekend into a direct, fan-led question-and-answer session where they were asked to identify the opponents who bothered them most. Patrice Bergeron, Cindy Curley, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne and Keith Tkachuk sat on stage in the Great Hall after answering audience questions for more than 45 minutes, when a fan introduced himself as “Ben from Buffalo” and asked which player had “really got under your skin.”

The inductees framed their responses around rivalries from their playing days. Tkachuk, a power forward whose NHL career ran from 1991-2010 with the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Thrashers, said the list of opponents was “pretty long” and singled out Chicago-born defenseman Chris Chelios. Tkachuk described Chelios as a dear friend and one of his favorite players “at times” when Chelios was not on the ice, emphasizing the difficulty of facing him even while expressing respect for his commitment.

Tkachuk’s remarks extended into his characterization of Chelios as relentless at both ends of play. He said Chelios “played the game so hard,” and added that Tkachuk knew it would be a tough night “every single night.” In the same exchange, Tkachuk also addressed the intensity of his rivalry with Chelios by saying Chelios would “do the same to me,” prompting additional laughter from the fans in attendance.

Rinne, who was typically reserved and polite during the forum, shifted gears when asked about the opponent who annoyed him most. As a goaltender for the Nashville Predators from 2005-21, Rinne often faced Columbus Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash while Nash played in the Central division, and Rinne’s comments reflected that specific history. The forum moderator cited Nash’s NHL stops before and after that period, noting Nash’s time with the New York Rangers (2012-18) and the Boston Bruins (2017-18), as Rinne recalled Nash’s scoring results against him.

Rinne said Nash was one of the players who “always seemed to score against me,” calling it something that “ticked” him off. According to the information shared during the session, Nash produced 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in 24 games against Rinne, including two game-winning goals. Rinne explained that those results lingered as preparation advice during game week, saying the message in his head was essentially “just don’t let him score,” and pointing to Nash’s size, speed and tendency to “crash the net” as reasons he needed to keep his focus throughout games.

Price’s response drew a direct connection between his “pesky” opponent and a familiar name. Looking toward Bergeron, Price said, “I think everybody knows that little rat in Boston,” with the room reacting loudly as fans understood he was referring to Bruins forward Brad Marchand. The forum then positioned Marchand within the rivalry timeline, noting that Marchand played for Boston from 2009-25 before joining the Florida Panthers, while Marchand faced Price during Price’s era with the Montreal Canadiens from 2007-22.

Price described Marchand as a player he wanted on his side and also as someone who made games uncomfortable when they were on opposite teams. He said Marchand was “a guy that you’ll go through a wall for you,” while adding that if he was on the other side of the puck, Marchand would “bring it every night.” Price also cited the way Marchand “chirp[ed]” and “stick[ed] it to guys,” and he suggested that Marchand eventually learned to leave him alone, even though Price said early in his career Marchand was “always” in his ear throughout games.

The forum also included a discussion from Cindy Curley, a women’s hockey pioneer from the United States. When asked about the toughest opponents she faced, Curley referenced practicing against Cammi Granato and then playing against “Angela James and Canada,” which she described as “nothing fun.” She said that if she managed to get by James, James would chase her down, and Curley characterized James as “one of the toughest hockey players I faced in my career.”

Bergeron’s selection came from the NHL’s defensive ranks. Speaking as a Bruins center whose NHL career ran from 2003-23, Bergeron singled out Chris Pronger, calling him a “towering, tough defenseman” who played in the NHL from 1993-2012. Bergeron tied his difficulty facing Pronger to the physical demands of board play, saying that every time he headed for the boards, if he came out “in one piece,” he was “pretty lucky.”

Bergeron added that Pronger’s impact wasn’t limited to strength, explaining that Pronger would “chop you,” make sure cross-checks landed, and keep his elbows up, describing the experience as “really hard to play against.” While Bergeron noted Pronger’s status as an “amazing player” and a Hall of Famer, he emphasized that it was “never easy and fun” to face him, reinforcing the broader theme of the session: even celebrated careers are remembered through particular matchups that tested players night after night.

Beyond the on-stage storytelling, Hockey Hall of Fame weekend logistics were also addressed. The Class of 2026 received its rings Saturday and will receive its jackets Sunday at the Hockey Hall of Fame Game at Scotiabank Arena, featuring the New Jersey Devils against the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the event scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and broadcast on TSN4, NHLN and MSGSN. The inductees are set to deliver speeches at their induction Monday at 8 p.m. ET on TSN4, TSN5 and NHLN.

The Inductee Fan Forum’s premise—fans asking their own questions directly to the Class of 2026—was reinforced through Sunday’s back-and-forth, including the audience laughter that followed multiple exchanges. For viewers across the league’s history, the session offered a compact snapshot of how five Hall of Fame careers were shaped by repeated, specific opponents and the preparation details that followed those battles. NHL Stats contributed to the report presented during the event.