Phil Kessel’s name has long lived in hockey lore for durability, scoring touch, and the kind of run with the Pittsburgh Penguins that turned him into a fan favorite. Now he’s headed for another honor, and he’s not going alone.
Kessel and his sister Amanda Kessel were selected for the 2026 class of the USA Hockey Hall of Fame, a group that will be enshrined Monday, Nov. 30, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Ceremony details have not yet been announced. They’ll be joined by T.J Oshie, Ryan Suter, and Stan Wong.
Phil Kessel’s resume is loaded with the kind of numbers that make a Hall of Fame case easy to see. He played 17 NHL seasons, skated in 1,286 games across Boston, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Arizona, and Vegas, and finished with 413 goals and 992 points. He also appeared in three World Championships and the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.
His most productive season came in 2017-18 with the Penguins, when he piled up 92 points and 34 goals. His career high for goals was 37, a mark he reached twice - first in 2011-12 and again in 2013-14 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He also became an NHL-record holder by playing in 1,064 consecutive regular-season games.
Kessel’s trophy case includes three Stanley Cups. He won two with Pittsburgh and added a third in 2023 when the Vegas Golden Knights captured hockey’s biggest prize.
Amanda Kessel carved out her own place in the game, first as one of Team USA’s top offensive players and later as an early figure in women’s professional hockey. She is now the manager of minor league operations for the Penguins organization after moving from the ice to the front office.
Her international record is stacked with medals. A three-time Olympian, Amanda Kessel was a key part of the 2018 Team USA team that won gold for the first time in 20 years. She also won silver with the 2014 and 2022 teams.
She played in seven IIHF Women’s World Championships, helping Team USA win four golds and three silvers, and finished with 59 points - 20 goals and 39 assists - in 43 tournament games.
Oshie’s place in the class fits the setting, too. Washington, D.C., is where former President Barack Obama once wryly noted Kessel was “a Stanley Cup champion,” and it’s also where Oshie spent nine seasons with the Capitals. He won the 2018 Stanley Cup there before injuries ended his career in 2024.
Oshie played in three World Championships for Team USA and the 2014 Winter Olympics, where he went 4-for-6 in a shootout to help beat Russia 3-2 in a preliminary round game. Over 16 NHL seasons with St. Louis and Washington, he played 1,010 games and scored 302 goals.
Suter’s career brought a different kind of consistency. He was a fixture for the Minnesota Wild for nine seasons and represented Team USA at the 2010 Winter Olympics, where he won silver after Sidney Crosby scored the golden goal in Vancouver.
Across 20 seasons with Nashville, Minnesota, Dallas, and St. Louis, Suter played 1,526 games.
Wong rounds out the class after a long career in the sport’s support ranks. He spent 40 years as an athletic trainer beginning in 1986, worked 13 seasons as head trainer for the Washington Capitals and then the Florida Panthers, and later spent a couple of decades caring for Team USA.
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Penguins Fans Will Love How Two Familiar Names Are Being Honored
Phil Kessels Penguins run already made him a familiar and beloved figure in Pittsburgh, from the two Stanley Cups to the durability that helped define his NHL career. Now he and his sister Amanda are set to be honored together, with both slated for induction into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class, a nod that ties one of the franchises favorite former players to someone who is still part of the organization.
Amanda Kessels connection to the Penguins has only deepened her ties to the city, since she currently serves as the teams Manager of Minor League Operations. Her own playing rsum stands on its own, built on Olympic medals and World Championship success, and the Hall of Fame recognition will place the Kessels alongside T.J. Oshie, Ryan Suter and Stan Wong in a class that should resonate strongly with Pittsburgh fans who know both names well. [Read more 🡒]
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