USA Hockey announced its 2026 United States Hockey Hall of Fame induction class today, which included a former Toronto Maple Leafs star player. Phil Kessel was among the list of nominees that includes his sister Amanda Kessel, T.J Oshie , Ryan Suter and Stan Wong. The five nominees will be officially inducted into the hall in Washington D.C. on November 30th.
Kessel made his mark as a fan favorite throughout his 17 year NHL playing career. In addition to Toronto, he suited up for the Boston Bruins , Pittsburgh Penguins , Arizona Coyotes and Vegas Golden Knights . He won three Stanley Cups during his tenure in the league: back to back championships with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017 and his final season with Vegas in 2023.
He was drafted by Boston fifth overall in the 2006 entry draft. He spent three years with the Bruins until he was traded to the Maple Leafs ahead of the 2009-2010 season. Kessel spent more time with Toronto than any other team, playing six years with the franchise. Kessel was a member of the infamous 2013 Maple Leafs squad that choked a 4-1 lead in Game seven versus his former Bruins team in round one of the postseason. His time with the Maple Leafs was a mixed bag. On one hand, Kessel was consistently the team's top performer. However, the on-ice results were not there for the team as a whole. Toronto opted to go in another direction and enact a rebuild in 2015 as Kessel was dealt to the Penguins.
Pittsburgh is the team where Kessel had his peak playing years. He immediately fit in like a glove with the team, forming dynamic chemistry with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin . Kessel played a key role as an integral member of the Penguins championship core. He spent four years with the team until he was traded to Arizona in 2019. The results were not as strong for Kessel in Arizona. At this point, he was past his prime performance on a Coyotes team that was not very competitive. He spent three years with the now-defunct team until he was signed by Vegas in 2022, where he was able to end his career with a Cup win.
One of Kessel's most admired attributes is his commitment to the sport of hockey. Remarkably, he holds the record for the longest stretch played without missing a single game at 1,064 tilts. He also won the Bill Masterton trophy in 2007 for his perseverance and dedication to the game.
Over the course of his 1,286 game regular season tenure, Kessel amassed 413 goals and 579 goals for 992 points. Disappointingly, he finished just shy of the vaunted 1,000 point marker. In 100 playoff games, Kessel recorded 34 goals and 49 assists for 83 points.
After his induction into the U.S Hockey Hall of Fame, one wonders if a future inclusion in the main hall is up next. It would not be a surprise to see Kessel get the nod. While he lacks the individual accolades, his overall impact and legacy on the game cannot be denied.
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