Critics called him lazy, but Phil Kessel's ironman record, recovery from cancer and three Stanley Cup wins make him a candidate for the 2026 Hockey Hall of Fame class.
He’s been called lazy, fat and a coach killer. But with 992 career points, three Stanley Cup rings and an ironman record that stretched on for 1,064 consecutive games, we could have another name for Phil Kessel at this time next year: Hockey Hall of Famer.
Yes, Kessel is just one of the several star players up for debate when the HHOF makes its selections for 2026.
You can bet that six-time Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron and Hart Trophy-winning goalie Carey Price will be automatic locks for next year's induction. But from there, the selection list gets dicey.
Is Ryan Getzlaf, who won a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold and a World Cup, also worthy of Hall of Fame status? How about Patrick Marleau, who owns the NHL record for the most career regular-season games played? Or Curtis Joseph, who is in the top 10 in all-time career wins for goalies (but also in the top five for losses)?
Do Eric Staal, Henrik Zetterberg and Rod Brind'Amour deserve to be in the Hall of Fame or the Hall of Very Good?
And then there’s Kessel, who has battled cancer and critics alike in a controversial career that could also have the Hall's selection divided.
Is Phil Kessel a coach killer or Crosby without a supporting cast?
Is the linchpin of the floundering Toronto Maple Leafs “uncoachable” or just a product of bad luck and a poor team around him? You might be surprised by the answer.
A fifth overall pick in 2005, Kessel won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy as a rookie after returning from testicular cancer. But it was after being traded to Toronto in a deal for a couple of draft picks that turned out to be Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton that 'Phil the Thrill' faced arguably his toughest test.
Kessel led the Leafs in scoring in all six seasons he played for Toronto, but he only made the playoffs once during that span. By the end of his tenure, Kessel became a scapegoat for everything that had gone wrong with the team. Worse, he had also become a punchline for his lack of work ethic and seemingly out-of-shape body, with one reporter accusing Kessel of visiting the hot dog stand outside his apartment more times than he did the weight room.
BarDown (@BarDown) on X
Phil Kessel is loading the Stanley Cup with hot dogs again 🌭
(H/T: @BR_OpenIce)
It wasn’t until he was traded from Toronto to Pittsburgh that Kessel had the last laugh, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Fittingly, Kessel loaded the inside of Stanley Cup's bowl with hot dogs in a now-infamous photo.
Kessel, who led the Penguins in playoff scoring in 2016 with 22 points in 24 games, scored a career-best 92 points in 2017-18. He also scored 413 career goals and won a third Cup (albeit, as a bit player) with Vegas in 2023. But it was his resiliency that really set him apart.
Despite having what some might describe as a "Dad bod," teammates would contend that Kessel was one of the strongest and most physically gifted players in the NHL. He was also the most determined, especially when facing adversity.
As a rookie, Kessel missed only 12 games despite having surgery for testicular cancer. From 2009-10 to 2022-23, Kessel played in 1,064 consecutive games, a streak that remains unbroken.
For some, the record was Kessel's another version of the hot dog photo.
After all, he might not have had what some might consider to be a typical Hall of Fame career, especially after being snubbed by the U.S. at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. But when all was said and done, he did just enough to check all the boxes to get in.
And through it all, Phil the Thrill did it his way.
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