Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour learned Monday he won't be part of the Hockey Hall of Fame's 2026 class, despite guiding his team to a Stanley Cup championship just days earlier. The 55-year-old missed the cut as a player, marking a surprising omission given his recent playoff success.

Brind'Amour capped his playing career with 452 goals and 1,184 points, winning the Selke Trophy as the league's top defensive forward in 2006 and 2007. He captained the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup in 2006 and just completed a dominant 16-3 playoff run, including two sweeps, to capture the championship as coach.

The six-person class features Keith Tkachuk, Patrice Bergeron, Carey Price, Pekka Rinne, Cindy Curley, and Brian Burke. Tkachuk praised Brind'Amour on Monday's conference call, saying opponents always knew they'd face a battle. 'He'll be here, there's no doubt in my mind,' Tkachuk added.

The snub raises questions about Hall of Fame voting criteria, especially given Brind'Amour's dual role in delivering championships to a single franchise. His resume as both player and coach makes him a likely future inductee, even without inclusion this year.