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Nearly the entire 2026 US Hockey Hall of Fame class has Minnesota connections
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- Nearly the entire 2026 US Hockey Hall of Fame class has Minnesota connections
The 2026 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2026 has a lot of connections to Minnesota : one former Wild star, one Minnesotan, and two former Gophers.
Former Gophers Amanda and Phil Kessel , along with Warroad native T.J. Oshie , and former Wild defenseman Ryan Suter , make up five of the six hockey legends named to this year's class. The sixth is former Capitals and United States athletic trainer Stan Wong, who has no connection to Minnesota.
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Amanda Kessel starred for the Gophers in two stints from 2010 to 2016, recording 248 points (108 goals, 140 assists), which ranks third in program history. She helped lead Minnesota to three national championships (2012, 2013, 2016).
Kessel's most impactful season came in 2012-13, when she recorded 101 points (46 goals, 55 assists) in 37 games. She became just the fifth player ever to log over 100 points in a single NCAA season. For her efforts, Kessel became the second Gopher ever to win the Patty Kazmaier Award, recognizing her as the most outstanding player in the nation.
Phil Kessel played for the Gophers for just one season (2005-06) before signing with the Boston Bruins , who selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft. During his lone season with the Gophers, he tallied 51 points (18 goals, 33 assists) in 39 games. He was named the 2005-06 WCHA Rookie of the Year.
Kessel went on to play 17 seasons in the NHL, recording 992 career points (413 goals, 572 assists) in over 1,200 games. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs , Pittsburgh Penguins , Boston Bruins, Arizona Coyotes, and Vegas Golden Knights .
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Oshie starred for the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals during his 16-year NHL career. In high school, Oshie registered 241 points (104 goals, 137 assists) over three seasons for the Warroad Warriors, helping them win state titles in 2003 and 2005.
During his professional career, Oshie racked up 695 points (302 goals, 393 assists). He was part of the Washington team that won the Stanley Cup in 2018. His most iconic moment might've been during the 2014 Sochi Olympics, when he scored on four of six shootout attempts in an all-time thriller between Team USA and Russia.
Suter played for the Wild from 2012 to 2021, logging 369 points (55 goals, 314 assists) during his nine seasons with the organization. Suter's 314 assists rank second in franchise history by a defenseman, only behind Jared Spurgeon (315). Only Quinn Hughes ' 48 assists in the 2025-26 season are more by a Wild defenseman in a single season, as Suter owns the next four-best single seasons.
The 2026 class will be inducted on Monday, Nov. 30, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
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The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Eveleth, Minnesota.
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This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Sep 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Gophers section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
