The Hockey Hall of Fame is set to induct a notable class in 2025, featuring first-ballot honorees Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, and Duncan Keith, along with Alexander Mogilny, whose induction comes after a long wait, and prominent women`s players Jennifer Botterill (Canada) and Brianna Decker (United States).
Who are the leading candidates to join the Hall in the Class of 2026?
Here, we examine the players, both men and women, most likely to be inducted next year, presented in order of their perceived chances. Our focus starts with former NHL players becoming eligible for the first time:
Men`s Candidates
1. Patrice Bergeron, Center (First Year)
An extremely straightforward decision for the selection committee. Bergeron holds the NHL record for Selke Trophy wins as the best defensive forward, earning the award six times. He was a finalist for this award in 12 consecutive seasons, marking the longest streak for any player being nominated for an NHL award in league history.
Throughout his 19-year career with the Boston Bruins, he was a dominant defensive presence, excelling by both traditional statistics and advanced analytics. However, he was far from a one-dimensional player, recording 1,040 points (including 427 goals) in 1,294 games, the third-highest point total for any Bruins player.
Team success also highlights his career; he won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011 and was instrumental in their returns to the Final in 2013 (playing through significant injuries against Chicago) and 2019. He is a member of the Triple Gold Club, having won Olympic gold (2010, 2014), World Championship gold (2004), World Junior gold (2005), and the World Cup of Hockey (2016), all with Canada.
2. Carey Price, Goalie (Second Year)
Price follows in the storied tradition of great Montreal Canadiens goaltenders, including Hall of Famers like Jacques Plante, Ken Dryden, and Patrick Roy.
He spent his entire 15-season career (2007-2022) with the Canadiens, becoming the franchise`s all-time leader in wins (361) over 712 games. He backstopped Montreal to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final during the NHL`s unique COVID-impacted season. Price had one remarkable season in 2014-15, becoming only the seventh player in NHL history to capture both the Vezina Trophy (top goaltender) and the Hart Trophy (MVP) in the same year.
Price also won Olympic gold in 2014, leading Canada in Sochi. He added gold medals from the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and the 2007 World Junior Championships. His candidacy presents an interesting dynamic, reflecting the Hall`s historical hesitation to induct goaltenders versus its tendency to honor Team Canada heroes. However, the trend might be shifting, with six goalies inducted since 2018.
3. Patrick Marleau, Center (Third Year)
It`s understandable to wonder if Marleau might have joined his longtime teammate, Joe Thornton, in the same induction class. The Hall often has a knack for such coincidences.
However, unlike Thornton, Marleau`s path to the Hall isn`t considered a certainty. The central question revolves around his record for most career games played: does this mark make him a true hockey legend or primarily a player who accumulated stats over an extended career?
Marleau concluded his career with 1,779 games played, surpassing Gordie Howe`s previous record of 1,767. He ranks 25th in NHL history with 566 goals and 53rd with 1,197 career points. He reached the 30-goal mark seven times, peaking with 44 goals in 2009-10. Internationally, he earned Olympic gold in Vancouver and Sochi, IIHF World Championship gold in 2003, and the World Cup in 2004, all with Canada. Despite these achievements, Marleau was a finalist for only one NHL award: the Lady Byng Trophy (gentlemanly play), just once. He never won a Stanley Cup.
If viewed as a `compiler,` he wouldn`t be the first such player inducted. His statistics are strong, and his remarkable longevity is likely too significant to overlook, especially considering the many former players on the selection committee.
4. Keith Tkachuk, Center (14th Year)
With Alexander Mogilny now inducted, Keith Tkachuk might become the next highly-regarded offensive player championed by fans and media for Hall inclusion.
He accumulated 538 goals and 1,065 points over 1,201 games during his 18-season career, with his prime occurring largely during the `dead puck era.` While he led the league in goals only once (1996-97), he consistently produced offense. He ranks 35th all time in goals, and every eligible player ahead of him is already in the Hall of Fame.
He won World Cup gold in 1996 and Olympic silver in 2002 but never lifted the Stanley Cup. He never received significant consideration for an NHL award, perhaps partly due to participating in only 89 playoff games across a career spent in Winnipeg, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Atlanta. This isn`t exactly the resume of a postseason award winner.
His career could be described as solid but not flashy, yet his numbers are difficult to ignore. There seems to be growing momentum for his induction. It likely doesn`t hurt that he has gained recent public visibility as the father of successful NHL players Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, appearing on camera during playoff games and even reality television.
5. Ryan Getzlaf, Center (Second Year)
The large center spent 17 seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, leading them to a Stanley Cup championship in 2007. He is the Ducks` all-time leader in regular-season games played (1,157), assists (737), and points (1,019). He also holds these same records for the franchise in the playoffs.
Over the duration of his career, he ranked fifth among centers in total points. Three of the players ranked ahead of him (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Anze Kopitar) are considered likely future Hall of Famers, while the fourth, Joe Thornton, was just inducted. Overall, he tallied the seventh-most points among all players during his career span.
Getzlaf won Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014, World Cup of Hockey gold in 2016, and World Junior gold in 2005. He finished second to Sidney Crosby for the Hart Trophy in 2013, which was his primary individual award recognition. However, given his significant impact and offensive production compared to his peers during his era, Getzlaf merits strong consideration for the Hall.
6. Henrik Zetterberg, Center (Fifth Year)
When Pavel Datsyuk was inducted into the Hall in 2024, attention naturally shifted to his long-time Detroit Red Wings teammate, Zetterberg. Ironically, Datsyuk is also one reason Zetterberg`s Hall case is debated, as Datsyuk won several Selke trophies that Zetterberg might have contended for during his prime years.
Zetterberg concluded his career with 960 points in 1,082 games, scoring 337 goals. His most significant individual achievement was winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during the Red Wings` 2008 Stanley Cup victory. This championship completed his Triple Gold Club status, adding to gold medals won at the 2006 Olympics and the 2006 IIHF World Championship with Sweden. He recorded 120 points in 137 playoff games, including 27 points in 22 games during his Conn Smythe-winning run.
He is widely regarded as one of the most respected players of the last two decades and is considered a legend in both Detroit and Sweden. While his case isn`t definitive, his accomplishments and reputation provide a solid argument for induction.
7. Patrik Elias, Center/Left Wing (Seventh Year)
Patrik Elias has been a popular `hipster` pick for the Hall of Fame among analytical fans ever since previous such candidate Sergei Zubov was inducted in 2019.
His statistics are impressive, holding the New Jersey Devils` franchise records for goals (408), assists (617), and points (1,025) in both the regular season (1,240 games) and playoffs (162 games). He won the Stanley Cup twice with the Devils in 2000 and 2003 and reached the Final on two other occasions. He was a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award in 1998. Internationally, he helped the Czech Republic secure Olympic bronze in 2006 and bronze twice at the IIHF World Championships.
The argument supporting Elias emphasizes that this exceptionally skilled player produced impressive offensive numbers despite playing in a defense-focused era and on a defense-oriented team. Some analyses suggest his point totals would be significantly higher if adjusted for a neutral era. Elias has several vocal advocates. The question is whether the Hall selection committee will be swayed by these arguments.
8. Sergei Gonchar, Defenseman (Eighth Year)
Sergei Gonchar ranks 19th all-time in career points among defensemen, accumulating 811 points over 1,301 NHL games. Every Hall of Fame-eligible defenseman ahead of him in points, except for Gary Suter, has been inducted. Gonchar also had the challenge of playing in the same era as Nicklas Lidstrom.
Lidstrom, the Detroit Red Wings Hall of Famer and arguably one of the greatest defensemen ever, is the only blueliner who amassed more goals (236) and points (985) than Gonchar (220 goals, 811 points) during their overlapping careers from 1994-95 to 2014-15. Gonchar demonstrated significant offensive capability, particularly during the `dead puck era.`
While Lidstrom won the Norris Trophy seven times, Gonchar finished in the top five for the award four times, which is more often than Hall of Famer Sergei Zubov, by comparison. Gonchar won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009. He also won Olympic silver in Nagano (1998), bronze in Salt Lake City (2002), and World Championship silver in 2010.
9. Rod Brind`Amour, Center (13th Year)
The candidacy of the current Carolina Hurricanes coach has been an interesting topic over the years. Brind`Amour tallied 1,184 points in 1,484 games, including 452 goals. However, his primary Hall of Fame case is built on his reputation as an elite defensive center. He particularly excelled in this role with the Hurricanes during their run to the Stanley Cup in 2006, which coincided with the first of his back-to-back Selke Trophy wins.
However, some analyses suggest his defensive reputation, while strong, might have been somewhat magnified retrospectively. While he won two Selkes late in his career, he wasn`t a perennial top candidate for the award throughout his entire career. Nevertheless, his intense playing style, leadership, and Stanley Cup success have garnered significant support for “Rod The Bod” to be inducted into the Hall.
T-10. Tim Thomas (Ninth Year) and Ryan Miller (Third Year)
An argument can be made for the Hall of Fame based on peak performance years, and this applies to these two prominent goaltenders from the same era.
From 2008-09 to 2011-12, Ryan Miller ranked third in wins (182) and fourth in save percentage (.919) while playing for a Buffalo Sabres team that was 21st in the league in points percentage (.520). The pinnacle of his career was 2009-10, when he won the Vezina Trophy, finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting, and became a national star backstopping Team USA to an Olympic silver medal in Vancouver, losing the gold to Canada in overtime.
But if we`re talking about truly dominant stretches, Tim Thomas`s run for the Boston Bruins from 2007 to 2012 stands out: 151-78-31 record in 270 games with a .926 save percentage, 2.28 goals-against average, and 27 shutouts. He won the Vezina Trophy twice and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2011, leading the Bruins to the Stanley Cup with a remarkable .940 save percentage, 1.98 goals-against average, and four shutouts in the playoffs. However, he played only nine NHL seasons, debuting at age 28. His journey to NHL stardom is part of his story, but his relatively short tenure might work against his Hall candidacy compared to goalies with longer careers.
Other goaltenders like Curtis Joseph, Chris Osgood, Tuukka Rask, and Pekka Rinne also have interesting cases for the Hall. However, Thomas and Miller present particularly compelling `peak performance` arguments.
The Field
Among the other notable players awaiting Hall of Fame consideration are first-year eligible players Eric Staal and Phil Kessel, both prolific scorers with Stanley Cup victories; Jason Spezza, in his second year of eligibility; veteran offensive stars such as Peter Bondra, Vincent Damphousse, Theo Fleury, Steve Larmer, John LeClair, Rick Nash, Bernie Nicholls, and Pat Verbeek; and defensemen Gary Suter and P.K. Subban.
Women`s Candidates
1. Meghan Duggan, Forward (Seventh Year)
Meghan Duggan earned seven IIHF World Championship gold medals and captained the U.S. women`s Olympic hockey team to gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. She was awarded the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Award as the top women`s player in NCAA hockey while playing for Wisconsin. Duggan holds the distinction of being the first American player, male or female, to win seven consecutive World Championship gold medals. Off the ice, she played a crucial role in the national team`s efforts to achieve equitable support and conditions compared to the men`s team in negotiations with USA Hockey. She currently serves as the director of player development for the New Jersey Devils.
While Brianna Decker, inducted in the Class of 2025, is a deserving Hall of Famer, some found it slightly surprising that Duggan`s induction hadn`t occurred earlier.
2. Shannon Szabados, Goalie (Seventh Year)
Former Team Canada goaltender Kim St-Pierre became the first woman goaltender inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2022. Shannon Szabados presents a strong case to be the next.
She won Olympic gold twice, recording a shutout in the 2010 final and earning the win in overtime against the United States in 2014 for Canada. When Canada won silver in 2018, she was recognized as the tournament`s top goaltender.
Szabados was also a pioneer in men`s professional hockey: in 2014, she signed a professional contract with the Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) to finish the 2013-14 season, becoming the first woman to compete in a regular season game in that minor league. She ultimately played four seasons in the SPHL.
3. Julie Chu, Forward (Seventh Year)
A significant figure in the history of American women`s hockey, Julie Chu won three Olympic silver medals and one bronze, and captured gold five times at the IIHF World Championships. She finished her collegiate career at Harvard as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women`s hockey and was awarded the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2007.
Chu also played professionally in the CWHL, earning playoff MVP honors while helping Minnesota win the Clarkson Cup in 2010. She is an iconic American player who amassed an impressive 23 medals throughout her distinguished international career.
4. Meghan Agosta, Forward (Fifth Year)
While sometimes overshadowed by other Canadian legends like Hayley Wickenheiser and Marie-Philip Poulin, Meghan Agosta was a vital member of the national team that won Olympic gold in 2006, 2010, and 2014, and silver in 2018.
At the time of her official retirement in 2024, Agosta ranked sixth all time in goals (85) and points (176), and seventh in assists (91) in 178 career games for Team Canada.
5. Florence Schelling, Goalie (Fifth Year)
The selection committee has heavily favored Canadian and American players in the women`s category. If they seek to include international representation, Florence Schelling, a star goaltender for Switzerland, presents a strong case.
She posted stellar international statistics, leading the Swiss to a bronze medal in Sochi in 2014 and earning MVP honors for that tournament. She was also a dominant player during her four seasons at Northeastern University.
Final Prediction for the Class of 2026
For the men`s category, the prediction is Bergeron, Price, and Getzlaf, which would mark the second time in three years that only three male players are inducted. For the women`s category, Duggan and Szabados are predicted, continuing the trend of multiple women`s players entering the Hall for the third consecutive year.
Duncan Priestley 
Gareth Tenby