Anahim Lake’s Carey Price has been named as one of the 2026 inductees in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The selection committee announced Price as one of the six individuals elected on Monday (June 22). Price was among five in the player category, with one in the builder category.
“Hockey has taught me a lot of life lessons, especially persistence and never giving up,” Price said in the news release. “The game has given me the opportunity to work with dedicated and talented people, and I’m especially grateful to live a dream playing my entire career in Montreal.”
Raised in the Cariboo, Price played in the Williams Lake minor hockey system with both the Quesnel Millionaires and Williams Lake TimberWolves for 18 games each. He then got the call for the Western Hockey League with the Tri-City Americans for four seasons.
Price was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round – fifth overall – in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and made his debut with the team at the beginning of the 2007-08 NHL season.
He played 15 seasons with the Habs.
Price was the Canadiens’ all-time goaltending leader with 712 games and 361 victories. He also backstopped the team to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020-21.
In 2024, he was inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame.
Then in 2025, a chainsaw carving statue of Price was gifted to the City of Williams Lake. It’s on display at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex.
The other 2026 inductees include: Quebec-born Patrice Bergeron, Massachusetts-born Cindy Curley, Finland native Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk and Brian Burke.
Burke was the only person inducted under the builder category.
From Rhode Island, he started his NHL management career in 1987 as vice-president and director of hockey operations for the Vancouver Canucks. He moved to the Hartford Whalers as general manager in 1992.
In 1998, he was back with the Canucks when he was named as president and general manager of the team.
He became the executive vice-president of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and led the team to a Stanley Cup win in 2007. He’s since held president roles with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Calgary Flames and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I am grateful to all of the people who helped me throughout my career,” said Burke. “Especially the Big Three – Lou Lamoriello, Pat Quinn and Gary Bettman,” Burke said.
Bergeron played 19 seasons with the Boston Bruins and with Team Canada winning gold in both the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games.
Curley was part of the United States team in the 1990 IIHF Women’s Hockey Championships that won a silver medal.
Rinne was drafted by the Nashville Predators for the 2005-06 hockey season and played 15 seasons with the team, winning 369 games and recording 60 shutouts.
Tkachuk debuted during the 1991-92 season with the Winnipeg Jets. In the 1996-97, Tkachuk became the first U.S. born player to lead the NHL in goals with 52.