Hall of Fame Class of 2026 saluted by friends, teammates at induction ceremony

TORONTO -- Some challenging travel logistics were not going to stop Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi and Juuse Saros from missing Pekka Rinne going into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

"It was a no-brainer for us," Saros, the Nashville Predators goalie, told NHL.com on the red carpet that led to the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony. "A once-in-a-lifetime situation, so we wanted to show up for this."

The Predators play in Los Angeles on Tuesday, but Forsberg, Josi and Saros, three of Rinne's longest-tenured teammates and some of his closest friends in the game, were part of the Nashville contingent that was here to honor Rinne and his induction as part of the Class of 2026.

They arrived Monday, got to the Hall of Fame in time for the ceremony, and Forsberg said they were planning to leave right when it ended or even before. They'll arrive in Los Angeles after midnight and be in the lineup against the Kings on Tuesday.

"We were asked if we wanted to come and it was a very easy answer," Forsberg said. "The logistics were handled very well and we'll be there (Tuesday). They did a great job putting all this together and making it reasonable without losing any focus."

Added Josi, "It's a very special night for what he meant to us, what he meant to the organization. We wanted to make sure we could be here. He's a special person. We'll do anything for 'Pekks.' "

Here are some other highlights from the red carpet:

* David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy were the two current Boston Bruins players who were in attendance with many of their former teammates to honor Patrice Bergeron and his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

"Obviously, amazing experience just like every other experience 'Bergy' gave to me," Pastrnak told NHL.com on the red carpet. "I couldn't be more proud and happy for him. Amazing player with an amazing career, but for me the best thing is the human being he is and the friend he became. He's so well respected around the League, every player could dream of that. I'm blessed to be here."

Joining McAvoy and Pastrnak were many members of the Bruins' 2011 Stanley Cup championship team, including Brad Marchand, Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask, Shawn Thornton, Andrew Ference, Mark Recchi, Gregory Campbell, Adam McQuaid and Chris Kelly.

Bruins coach Marco Sturm, another former Boston teammate of Bergeron's, was also in attendance along with president Cam Neely and general manager Don Sweeney.

"I'm just very happy that the schedule actually worked out to be that way and most of us can come and show the support," Chara told NHL.com. "Credit to Patrice, he invited most of his teammates, people he really cares about. I think for younger generations like David and Charlie it means so much because first of all it's inspiring, motivating, but also it shows the class that Patrice has. I think it's amazing for all of us to experience."

* Rinne joined Jari Kurri and Teemu Selanne as the only Finland-born NHL players in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Kurri and Selanne were both in attendance to watch it happen.

"I think all the Finns are happy to get another Finn in the Hall of Fame," Kurri said. "Well deserving. He had an unbelievable career, kind of unique. He kind of came out of nowhere and at a later age they recognized him. But steady, played so many years of great hockey, non-stop. Great guy and very happy for him."

Said Selanne, "Obviously, we're very proud of the Finnish hockey, and now Pekka's going to get inducted, so it's a big thing always. So happy for him. He had a great career, and it's nice to be a part of tonight."

Kurri said since Rinne retired in 2021 he has been regularly inviting the goalie to play in charity events in Finland.

Not surprisingly, Rinne, who looks like he's in the same shape as he was during his playing days, is a star in those games.

"The way he plays our games, guys don't know how to score on him," Kurri said.

Except for one former player and now fellow Hall of Famer.

"I can, of course," Kurri said.

* Ron Hextall was here to honor his former boss, Brian Burke.

Hextall and Burke worked together with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2021-23; Hextall as the general manager and Burke as the president of hockey operations.

On the red carpet, Hextall told the story of how he found out he'd be working for Burke in Pittsburgh.

"Pittsburgh called me and offered me the job and they said we're considering bringing on a president of hockey operations, and asked, 'Have you ever worked under one?' " Hextall told NHL.com. "I said not really but I always worked for somebody above me so I don't have a problem with that. I said, 'Can you tell me who,' and they said, 'No, we can't tell you who, but we'll tell you tomorrow.' So we talked the next day and then they told me it was 'Burkie.' I didn't know Burkie real well with the big persona and all that so I was like, 'Ooh, I wonder how he'd be.' So of course I got on the phone and called a couple guys I've worked with and they were all like, 'Oh, no, he's great. You'll hear the same story over and over, but he's great and he's great to work with. He's a good guy and he's a foxhole guy.' That was all I needed to hear."

For two years they worked side by side. The Penguins didn't have the success they were hoping for, but Hextall said Burke was everything he was told he would be.

"He is a foxhole guy," he said. "He'll go to battle for coaches, players, players when they're in trouble. He's one of those guys that when you're with him, he's a warrior."

* At the Fan Forum on Sunday, the inductees were asked to name an opponent who got under their skin. Bergeron said Chris Pronger.

What was Bergeron like to play against?

"He was a consistent professional," Pronger said. "You knew what you were going to get every night. Hard day's work. Both ends of the ice. Highly competitive."

He paused, setting up his last line.

"So," he said with a big laugh, "you need to make those guys pay."

* David Poile was general manager of the Predators when they selected Rinne in the eighth round (No. 258) of the 2004 NHL Draft.

"A round that no longer exists in the draft," Poile said. "Three-plus years in Milwaukee (of the American Hockey League) in development. Didn't really become a regular until (2008-09). Just unbelievable persistence, dedication. Constant improvement to become a Hall of Famer."

Poile pointed out that Rinne took a much different path to the Hall than Price, whom the Montreal Canadiens selected with the No. 5 pick of the 2005 NHL Draft.

"But he got there," Poile said, "and he was just fantastic for us."

* Neely, as the Bruins president, attended the ceremony to support Bergeron.

"We jokingly call him 'Mr. Perfect,' because his 200-foot game speaks for itself and just the way he commits himself to his teammates and the city, really," Neely said. "He's still in Boston, so that says a lot."

But there was another angle involving Neely. Keith Tkachuk grew up in Boston idolizing Neely when he played for the Bruins, and he patterned himself after him as a power forward.

"It’s not an easy way to play, and obviously it's certainly much deserved the way he played the game, not just the physical part, but he was offensive," Neely said. "Yeah, it's kind of cool to see a local kid (enter the Hall) who said, ‘I liked watching him play.' "

* Tuukka Rask knew Bergeron would make the Hall of Fame.

"It was just a matter of time," the former Bruins goalie said. "I think everybody can say that it just bound to happen, the way he carried himself. He led our team. Overall, great leader, one of the ultimate leaders."

Rask also enjoyed seeing two goalies enter the Hall -- Rinne, a fellow Finn, and Price, a former rival.

"Oh, it's unbelievable," Rask said. "It's well deserved. And to have somebody like him and Carey, who I played against all the time, it’s fun. It’s just great. Great competitors.

"Carey was always obviously known as the calm guy, very technical. Pekka came a long way to become who he was. Just great teammates, competitors, and if you ask anybody around here, just all-around great guys."

* Eddie Olczyk remembered nicknaming Tkachuk “Walt,” a play on former NHL center Walt Tkaczuk, when he broke into the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets in 1991-92.

"When he came in, I said, ‘Man, this guy’s a big dude,’” Olczyk said. “And I remembered seeing pictures of Walt Tkaczuk, saw him play at the old Chicago Stadium. And I thought, ‘Tkaczuk. Tkachuk. This guy’s gotta be a Walt.’

"So as soon as he walked in the first day, he introduced himself, and I said, ‘Nice to meet you, Walt.’ And he goes, ‘Walt?’ And I go, ‘Yeah. I’m calling you Walt.’ I don’t think he had any idea, but then I think quickly he figured out why.’”

* Apparently, Bergeron wasn't sure he would make the Hall himself.

Andrew Ference said when their former Bruins teammate Zdeno Chara was preparing for his Hall of Fame induction last year, Ference told Bergeron to take notes and start to envision what he’d want. He brushed it off.

"He legitimately doesn’t see himself as, like, some superstar Hall of Famer,” Ference said. “And it’s not, like, fake humbleness. He legitimately does not see himself that way, and he conducts himself like that, interacting with fans and people. …

“I just have so much respect for the guy, and he’s awesome. Good dude. Good friend.”

* Bill Guerin looked beyond Tkachuk’s points and penalty minutes.

“To me, it’s him as a person and his generosity as a person, how many people he’s taken care of and cared for,” said Guerin, who played with Tkachuk when the United States won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. “That was him. He’s a larger-than-life personality, but he’s got a larger-than-life heart too. There are not many people outside the game that would know how he’s impacted other people’s lives.”

* Tom Fitzgerald came to watch the induction of Tkachuk, his cousin.

“I’m so happy for him, what he’s done in this league,” said Fitzgerald, who is four years older. “He’s my little cousin! It’s like, ‘Wow!’

“I remember my dad called me and said, ‘Keith made the Olympic team.’ I was like, ‘The U.S. Olympic team?’ And then you realize he was a pretty good player. And then when you play against him, it’s unbelievable.”

Fitzgerald played 1,097 NHL games himself from 1988-2006. He remembered when he played for the Florida Panthers, and Tkachuk was playing for the Phoenix Coyotes.

“We were out in Phoenix prepping for the game, and we were watching (video),” he said. “And (coach Bryan Murray) stopped, and he looked around the room, and he looked at me and said, ‘You guys are from the same bloodline?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah.’”

He laughed.

“He’s a tough kid,” Fitzgerald said.  “He grew up in a blue-collar family that we’re proud of, and I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

* One of Burke’s signature moments came at the 1999 NHL Draft, when the Vancouver Canucks general manager maneuvered to select the Sedin twins back-to-back -- Daniel at No. 2, Henrik at No. 3.

The Sedins entered the Hall together in 2022. Henrik was happy to see Burke follow.

“He believed in us,” Henrik said. “I know we had a tough start, but he was there for us and helped us, so really appreciate it.”