The honors are piling up for Patrice Bergeron. After the Boston Bruins announced last week that they would be retiring his No. 37, Bergeron was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday in his first year of eligibility.
The rest of the 2026 Hall of Fame class features players Carey Price, Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk and Cindy Curley, as well as builder Brian Burke. Tkachuk is a Melrose native who played college hockey at Boston University, Curley is a Hudson native who played at Providence College, and Burke is a Providence native who also played for the Friars.
Arguably the greatest defensive forward in NHL history, Bergeron won the Selke Trophy a record six times. He was a finalist for the award each of his final 12 seasons in the NHL, also a record.
Originally drafted in the second round in 2003, Bergeron went on to play his entire 19-year career for the Bruins before retiring in July 2023. He ranks third in franchise history in games played (1,294), third in goals (427), fourth in assists (613) and third in points (1,040).
Bergeron helped lead the Bruins to their first Stanley Cup in 39 years in 2011, including scoring two goals in Game 7 of the Cup Final in Vancouver. He and the Bruins went to two other Finals in 2013 and 2019.
Bergeron is one of 30 members of the "Triple Gold Club," having also won Olympic gold (2010, 2014) and an IIHF World Championship (2004) in addition to the Stanley Cup.
Bergeron follows longtime teammate Zdeno Chara into the Hall of Fame after Chara was one of the headliners of the 2025 class. Bergeron was Chara's alternate captain for 14 years from 2006-20 before taking over as captain for his final three season after Chara departed.
Bergeron becomes the fifth Hall of Famer to spend his entire career with the Bruins, joining Dit Clapper, Bobby Bauer, Woody Dumart and Milt Schmidt. Those other four all played before 1960.
Bergeron ranks 86th all-time in points (1,040), 34th in plus/minus (+289), 41st in game-winning goals (81), 59th in shorthanded goals (22), and third in faceoff wins (15,182). Faceoffs became an officially tracked stat in 1997-98.
In a press release, the Bruins issued the following statements from team ownership and management:
Owner and Governor Jeremy Jacobs:
“The Bruins announced that 37 would be retired because Patrice’s leadership and skill will never be replicated. It’s fitting that his peers selected him for the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.”
CEO Charlie Jacobs:
“For 20 years, Patrice was a pillar of the Boston Bruins; an invaluable two-way player who impacted both ends of the ice and guided his team with integrity and respect. While he is recognized for scoring the game-winning goal in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final and his six Selke Trophies, he will always be remembered in Boston for his character and commitment to giving back to the community. It is no surprise to the Bruins organization that Patrice was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, and today’s announcement reinforces that Patrice is not only one of the best to don the Spoked-B, but one of the greatest players our game has ever seen.”
President Cam Neely:
"We were fortunate in Boston to have a front-row seat to Patrice Bergeron’s remarkable 20-year career, watching him grow from an 18-year-old kid learning a new language into one of the world’s elite players. As he accumulated a stellar list of accolades – which includes a record six Selke Trophies, two Olympic gold medals, and, of course, the 2011 Stanley Cup – Patrice also became one of hockey’s most respected leaders, representing our organization with dignity and class in everything that he did. Patrice’s election to the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026 is a more than worthy honor and I am proud to now call him a fellow Hall of Famer."
General Manager Don Sweeney:
"Patrice Bergeron's career exemplifies what it means to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. From the moment he arrived in Boston as an 18-year-old, he dedicated himself to his craft and never stopped striving to improve throughout his 20-year career. He was an exceptional two-way player, elite in the face-off circle and on the penalty kill, and he continuously evolved his game, becoming a key contributor on the power play as well. Patrice grew into a true leader on and off the ice and served as a tremendous captain, leading with commitment, confidence and humility. He won at every level of the game, achieving Triple Gold with Team Canada and capturing a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins. Today, we congratulate Patrice on this well-deserved honor as he takes his rightful place among the greatest players in NHL history as a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame."
