Why the Hockey Hall of Fame has widened its door this year

It’s hardly a lock to walk the Hockey Hall of Fame carpet this year.

Published Jun 21, 2026  •  Last updated 12 minutes ago  •  4 minute read

A general view outside the Hockey Hall of Fame prior to an inductee press conference on November 08, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Photo by Bruce Bennett /Getty Images

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It’s hardly a lock to walk the Hockey Hall of Fame carpet this year. 

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Unless you’re Patrice Bergeron, the most decorated of first-year eligibles, filling out the class of 2026 will again come down to the Hall’s quirky variable – who on the 18-member selection committee makes the most compelling argument for a player, builder or official they put forward in their annual meeting. 

That minimum 75% approval is to be determined this weekend in Toronto, culminating in a Monday vote and afternoon announcement. Each committee member can forward only one player nomination, having forwarded their pick by April 15. 

Annual inductees, those newly entitled or the many growing old on the vine, can’t exceed four men, two women and, under a new by-law, either a single builder or on-ice official, not both. Builder covers coaches, general managers and team owners as well as those with contributions to the game’s growth.   

It should be noted that no striped shirt has been selected since referee Bill McCreary in 2014, a reflection of the NHL making them more anonymous and expanding to the two-ref system. 

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WHY BERGERON IS FAVOURED AND KESSEL QUESTIONED

After the mandatory three-year wait, Bergeron arrives at the door ticking all the right boxes. He’s put in 1,294 regular season games, won a Stanley Cup with Boston and an impressive six Frank Selke Trophies as the NHL’s best defensive forward, led by his faceoff prowess.  

His Cups runneth over, too: a world championship, two Olympic golds, and the newer World Cup. His contemporary, Eric Staal, has similar numbers and one Cup with Carolina, but none of the personal hardware. 

Then there’s Phil Kessel, a wild card, just like his playing days. The winger’s three Stanley Cups are most of any incoming candidate and after a cancer scare early in his career, he’s the reigning NHL ironman at 1,064 consecutive games. But as an unconventional player/personality, lack of universal appeal could affect his chances.   

Also under consideration in the Hall’s stipulations is a nominee’s “playing ability, sense of fair play, character and contributions to his or her team or teams and to the game of hockey in general”.   

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HOW LONG IS THE LIST OF HOPEFULS

Thus, there’s potential for movement in the Hall’s ever-congested parking lot, good news for Carey Price. The Montreal Canadiens goaltender was the latest to take a number when he didn’t make the 2025 Hall cut in his first try. 

While six stoppers on the wait list have more wins than Price’s 361, including Curtis Joseph’s 454 and Chris Osgood’s 401 (with three Cups), Price and Joseph have one Olympic gold medal each to catch the eye of the international voters on the committee. 

As for defencemen and forwards who’ve been passed over, this time of year re-opens a hot debate and some old wounds. 

From A (Tony Amonte) to Z (Henrik Zetterberg), the Hall now lists 57 with its minimum requirement of either 400 NHL goals, 700 assists, 1,000 points or six Cups. For global consideration, they must have at least two World or Canada Cups, or membership in the Triple Gold Club that includes the European-flavoured world championships. 

A few deserving stand-bys are no longer with us, though their families and former teammates faithfully lobby committee members through the years to submit them at the nomination meeting. Now and then, it pays off with Dick Duff and Rogatien Vachon getting picked years after their prime. But the longer the wait, the less likely to gain admission, as successive eras create new stars while older ones dim. 

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A game changer for the Hall in the 2000s was recognizing female players, with 14 inducted and Kessel’s sister, Amanda, now eligible. But American forward Meghan Duggan, who has been on the sidelines longer, could be the lone entry this year. 

Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the third period in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on May 14, 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Photo by Jared C. Tilton /Getty Images

NOTABLE FIRST YEAR ELIGIBLES 

Patrice Bergeron 

NUMBERS: 1,924 games played, 427 goals, 613 assists, 1,040 points 

NOMINATION STATION: A premier two-way player in the game. Only Rod Brind’Amour had a better faceoff percentage than Bergeron’s 57.95 among those NHLers with 1,000-plus games.  On top of Bergeron’s Stanley Cup with Boston, add an Olympic gold, World Cup, world championship, world junior and Spengler Cup. 

Eric Staal 

NUMBERS: 1,365 GP, 455-608-1,063   

NOMINATION STATION: Another top centre who hoisted Stanley and also won with Canada at the Olympics and worlds. Could he ride his brother Jordan’s wave a week after another Carolina Cup? 

Phil Kessel 

NUMBERS: 1,286 GP, 413-579-992 

NOMINATION STATION: Perhaps too one-dimensional for admission right away, but three Cups and that near-impossible modern-day game streak of 1,064 are noteworthy 

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Craig Anderson 

NUMBERS: 709 GP, 319 wins, .912 save percentage 

NOMINATION STATION: His games played rank in the top 30 all-time, just behind Carey Price. He had 43 shutouts and a Bill Masterton Trophy. 

Meghan Duggan 

NUMBERS: She had 55 points in 56 games during the NWHL/CWHL years that pre-dated the PWHL. 

NOMINATION STATION: Seven gold medals for Team USA at the worlds, one at the Olympics.    

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price (31) makes a stop against the Florida Panthers during 1st period action at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Saturday February 1, 2020. Photo by Dave Sidaway /None

WILL THEIR TIME COME? 

Carey Price 

NUMBERS: 712 GP, 361 W, .917 save % 

NOMINATION STATION: Just missed in a crowded field last year. Has an Olympic gold and World Cup and in his last four years in the playoffs with Montreal, a .920 or better save percentage. 

Curtis Joseph 

NUMBERS: 943 GP, 454 W, .906 save % 

NOMINATION STATION: Most games and wins of any goalie not in the Hall. Has 51 shutouts and Olympic gold with Canada. 

Patrick Marleau 

NUMBERS: 1,779 GP, 566-631-1,197 

NOMINATION STATION: Resilient forward won just about everything in hockey but the Cup. Most games of anyone on Hall call. 

Rod Brind’Amour 

NUMBERS: 1,484 GP, 452-732-1,184 

NOMINATION STATION: He might never have more positive attention on him than now after infusing his Cup champion Hurricanes with the never-quit spirit he espoused as a player. 

Claude Provost, Larry Hillman, Ralph Backstrom 

NOMINATION: What the heck, a total of 21 Stanley Cups between them, mostly in the Original Six era with Montreal and Toronto. 

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