As the Hockey Hall of Fame gets set to welcome Patrice Bergeron, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne, and Keith Tkachuk in the men’s player’s category for the Class of 2026 in November, speculation turns to 2027 and who will be next to be honoured.
Joe Pavelski and the late Johnny Gaudreau headline the list of men’s players who are first-time eligible to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2027.
Newly eligible players
Johnny Gaudreau
Gaudreau was well into the prime of his hockey career before his life was tragically cut short in the summer of 2024 at the age of 31.
The hockey world was shocked when Gaudreau, and his brother, Matthew, were struck by an alleged drunk driver during the off-season while on a bike ride ahead of their sister’s wedding.
Nicknamed “Johnny Hockey,” Gaudreau showed signs of brilliance throughout his 11-season career, recording 243 goals and 743 points in 763 career games split between the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 5-foot-9 winger played the majority of his career in Calgary and is all over the Flames’ record book heading into the 2026-27 campaign, sitting fifth in points (609), fifth in assists (399), 10th in goals (210), and is tied with Sean Monahan for the most overtime goals with 11.
Gaudreau won the Lady Byng Trophy in 2017 after only recording four penalty minutes, but his biggest feats came during the 2021-22 campaign where he recorded a career-high 40 goals and 115 points. He was named a first-team all-star and finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting in what was his final season in Calgary.
He then joined the Blue Jackets as an unrestricted free agent where he led the team in scoring in both of his seasons there.
Gaudreau took part in the NHL All-Star Game seven times, representing the Flames six times and the Blue Jackets once.
Prior to his NHL career, Gaudreau was a college standout, helping Boston College to a national championship in 2012 and won the Hobey Baker Award in 2014 as the NCAA’s top men’s hockey player after recording 36 goals and 80 points in 40 games.
The Salem, N.J., native represented the United States five times at the World Hockey Championship, winning bronze in 2018. He also led his country to a gold medal at the 2013 World Juniors.
Joe Pavelski
Pavelski was one of the greatest American-born players to play in the NHL.
The 6-foot-1 centre was drafted 205th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2003 and had 476 goals and 1,068 points in 1,332 career games split between the Sharks and Dallas Stars.
His point total ranks him fifth all-time among American-born players and sixth in goals.
Pavelski was named a second-team all-star and finished seventh in Hart Trophy voting in 2013-14 after recording a career-high 41 goals to go along with 79 points as a member of the Sharks.
He later set a career high in points in the latter stages of his career, registering 81 points in 2021-22 as a member of the Stars.
Pavelski reached the Stanley Cup Final twice in his career. He helped the Sharks reach the championship series in 2016 for the franchise’s first-ever appearance and later helped the Stars reach the final in 2020 while inside the COVID bubble.
Pavelski took part in the NHL All-Star Game four times in his career, three times with the Sharks and once with the Stars.
Prior to his NHL career, Pavelski led the University of Wisconsin to a national championship in 2006.
The Plover, Wis., native helped the United States to a silver medal at The Winter Olympics in 2010 and to a fourth-place finish in 2014.
He also represented his country at the World Hockey Championship in 2009 in a fourth-place finish and the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 in a seventh-place finish.
Pavelski was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2025.
Jeff Carter
Carter was a key piece of a Los Angeles Kings team that dominated the NHL during a large portion of the 2010s.
Carter was drafted 11th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2003 and had 442 goals and 851 points in 1,321 career games split between the Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
After being acquired prior to the trade deadline during the 2011-12 campaign, Carter was a missing piece as he helped lead the Kings to their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history. Two years later he registered 10 goals and 25 points in the playoffs to help the Kings win their second championship in three seasons.
Carter’s best offensive season came during the 2008-09 campaign where he recorded 46 goals and 84 points in 82 games as a member of the Flyers, receiving votes for the Hart Trophy.
On the international stage, Carter helped Canada to Olympic Gold in 2014. The London, Ont., native also represented his country at the 2006 World Hockey Championship in a fourth-place finish and helped Canada win World Juniors gold in 2005 and silver in 2004.
Recently Eligible Players
Patrick Marleau
Marleau will be in his fourth year of eligibility and is the NHL’s all-time leader in regular-season games played with 1,779. He surpassed the legendary Gordie Howe in April of 2021.
Drafted second overall by the San Jose Sharks in 1997, he is all over the team’s record book as the all-time leader in games (1,607), goals (522), and points (1,111).
His No. 12 was the first jersey to be retired in Sharks’ franchise history.
The Aneroid, Sask., native had 566 goals and 1,197 points in his 1,779-game career split between the Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Marleau was a key contributor for Canada on the Olympic stage, helping his country to two gold medals, in 2010 and 2014. He also helped his country to a gold medal at the World Hockey Championship in 2003 and at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
Rod Brind’Amour
Brind’Amour has been the face of the Carolina Hurricanes – both on the ice and behind the bench – and is fresh off of winning the Stanley Cup in 2026.
The 6-foot-1 centre was drafted ninth overall by the St. Louis Blues in 1988 and had 452 goals and 1,184 points in 1,484 games split between the Blues, Philadelphia Flyers, and Hurricanes in his playing career.
Brind’Amour played 10 seasons with the Hurricanes, captaining the team to the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup win in 2006.
He was known as one of the best defensive forwards in hockey during his career, winning the Selke Trophy in 2006 and 2007.
The Ottawa native represented Canada at the Winter Olympics in 1998 in a fourth-place finish and won gold at the World Hockey Championship in 1994.
Brind’Amour’s number was retired by the Hurricanes in 2011 and after his playing career was over, he returned to the team and eventually took over as head coach.
As a coach, Brind’Amour has led the team to eight consecutive playoff appearances, including reaching the Eastern Conference Final three times before breaking through this season to win a championship.
Brind’Amour won the Jack Adams Award in 2021 after leading his team to a 36-12-8 record in a shortened 56-game season.
Phil Kessel
Kessel was selected fifth overall by the Boston Bruins in the 2006 draft and went on to score 413 goals and 992 points in 1,286 career games split between the Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona Coyotes, and Vegas Golden Knights.
The 5-foot-11 winger was a key scorer on the Maple Leafs during his six seasons with the team, registering 30 or more goals four times and led the team in goal scoring in five of his six years.
Kessell was a missing piece of the puzzle for the Penguins after they acquired him prior to the 2015-16 season. He helped the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017.
After a three-season stint with the Coyotes, Kessel joined the Golden Knights for his final season in 2022-23, going out on top with his third Stanley Cup.
The Madison, Wis., native holds the NHL’s ironman record, appearing in 1,064 consecutive games during his career.
Kessel was a two-time Olympian and won a silver medal in 2010. He also registered five goals and eight points during The Winter Olympic Games in 2014, where he was named the tournament’s top forward in a fourth-place finish for the United States.
Eric Staal
Staal was drafted second overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2003, where he played 12 of his 18 seasons.
The Thunder Bay, Ont., native found early team success in his career, helping the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history in 2006.
He served as the Hurricanes’ captain for seven seasons from 2009 to 2016 and retired as the franchise’s leader in games (909), goals (322), assists (453), and points (775). He became the sixth member of the Hurricanes Hall of Fame and had his number retired on Jan. 12, 2025.
Staal finished his career with 455 goals and 1,063 points in 1,356 career games split between the Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Florida Panthers.
On the international stage, Staal helped Canada to Olympic gold in 2010 and captained his country at the Winter Olympic Games in 2022 without NHL player involvement. He is also a member of the Triple Gold Club, winning a World Hockey Championship with Canada in 2007.
Other players with eligibility
LW - Zach Parise (NJ, MIN, NYI, COL)
C - Ryan Getzlaf (ANA)
D - Sergei Gonchar (WSH, BOS, PIT, OTT, DAL, MTL)
C - Jason Spezza (OTT, DAL, TOR)
C - Patrik Elias (NJ)
LW - John LeClair (MTL, PHI, PIT)
G - Curtis Joseph (STL, TOR, DET, PHO, CGY)
G - Ryan Miller (BUF, STL, VAN, ANA)
G - Tim Thomas (BOS, FLA, DAL)
