Stanley Cup Champ Rod Brind'Amour Is Still OUT of the HOF, And Keith Tkachuk Has the Words That Tell You Everything

Are you kidding me right now? Seriously, what is even happening in the hockey world? Rod Brind'Amour, the dude who just last week hoisted the Stanley freaking Cup as coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, somehow got totally passed over by the Hockey Hall of Fame for their 2026 class. Like, he's fresh off a championship, a legit legend, and the Hall of Fame selection committee said, "Nah, not yet." You gotta be kidding.

A Playing Legacy That Screams Hall of Fame

This isn't some rookie we're talking about here. Brind'Amour, at 55 years old, has been a part of both Stanley Cup titles for Carolina. He was the captain when the Hurricanes won it all back in 2006. As a player, the guy finished his career with a ridiculous 452 goals and 1,184 points. He wasn't just an offensive force, either. He snagged the Selke Trophy, which is for the league's top defensive forward, two years in a row, in 2006 and 2007! After all that, he eventually moved into coaching, but his playing career alone is stacked. Even Keith Tkachuk, who actually *made* it into this year's class, backed him up. Tkachuk said Monday on the Hall of Fame media call, "You knew what you were going to get every single time you played against him: You had to dig in. Hats off to him. He'

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ll be here, there's no doubt in my mind, as a player and as a builder." So, if the guys who *are* getting in are saying he belongs, what's the holdup?

Cup in Hand, But No Call from the Hall

It's just wild to think he led his team to a Stanley Cup win last week, beating the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6, capping off a sick 16-3 run through the entire playoffs, including two sweeps in earlier rounds. That's a coaching masterclass! And yet, no HOF nod. Meanwhile, the 2026 class is set to include Keith Tkachuk, center Patrice Bergeron, who won the Cup with Boston in 2011 and took home the Selke Trophy six times, goalies Carey Price from Montreal and Pekka Rinne from Nashville, U.S. women's hockey pioneer Cindy Curley, and executive Brian Burke. Look, those are all great careers, but to not see Brind'Amour's name there feels like a massive oversight, especially after what he just accomplished. While the hockey world is scratching its head over this HOF snub, our boys in the Emerald City are making moves. Just yesterday, the Kraken confirmed that McMann is staying with the squad on a six-year deal. Plus, we picked up Samoskevich from the Panthers for the No. 25 pick. Our front office is putting in work for our future, and we're looking forward to seeing what our Kraken can do on the ice. But seriously, Rod Brind'Amour, next year, the Hall needs to get it right!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.