The 2026 Hockey Hall of Fame nominations are in, and, for the fifth year in a row, Detroit Red Wings ex-captain Henrik Zetterberg was left without his honors.
The names chosen this year include Carey Price, Pekka Rinne, Patrice Bergeron, Cindy Curley, Brian Burke and Keith Tkachuk. In order for a player or executive to be enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the candidate must have at least 75% of the vote or appear on 14 of 18 ballots. This is Zetterberg's fifth year of eligibility.
Zetterberg's snub questionable at best
A seventh round pick in the 1999 NHL Draft, Zetterberg is widely considered to be one of the biggest draft steals in NHL history. He finished his career with 337 goals and 960 points in 1,082 career games. Zetterberg, who captained the Red Wings for six years, is fifth in Detroit history in goals, assists and points.
Zetterberg comprises one half of Detroit's Eurotwins, a moniker given to him and fellow teammate Pavel Datsyuk for their outstanding two-way play. His efforts in the 2008 NHL Playoffs helped the Red Wings to secure their 11th Stanley Cup. He was rewarded a Conn Smythe trophy for his efforts. Additionally, Zetterberg is one of only 30 players in the Triple Gold Club, an honor given to players that earn a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal and an IIHF World Championship.
One name on the list, Keith Tkachuk, is far less accomplished than Zetterberg.
Tkachuk nominated despite lack of accolades
Tkachuk earned more points than Zetterberg (1,065 vs. 960), but also played nearly 200 more games than Zetterberg (1,201 vs. 1,082). Tkachuk never won a Stanley Cup, nor did he obtain any individual awards like Zetterberg's Conn Smythe. In fact, he never won an IIHF World Championship or an Olympic gold medal.
Why, then, is Tkachuk in the Hockey Hall of Fame over Zetterberg or, say, Patrik Elias? Elias is a two-time Stanley Cup champion who leads the New Jersey Devils in all scoring records. Tkachuk earning a nomination over either of these players is astounding.
Another former Red Wing - Chris Osgood - may not be considered HHoF worthy to some, but, if Keith Tkachuk is eligible, surely Osgood has done enough in his career to warrant this. Osgood earned three Stanley Cups, with two as the starting netminder, two William Jennings trophies and is the 10th goaltender in NHL history to reach 400 career wins.
How in the world a palyer like Tkachuk earned a nomination over a multi-winning Stanley Cup goaltender is beyond this writer.
Fortunately, Zetterberg (and Osgood, by extension) are still eligible for the Hall of Fame. They'll just have to wait another year to make it happen.
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