Siblings Amanda and Phil Kessel, both affiliated with the Penguins during their hockey careers, were named to the 2026 class Thursday.
It was was an exciting day for a set of siblings who mean a whole lot to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
On Thursday, Phil and Amanda Kessel were both named to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Amanda is currently the Penguins' Director of Minor League Operations and the Assistant General Manager for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins and won three Olympic medals during her prolific women's hockey career, while Phil played for the Penguins from 2015-19, registered 110 goals and 303 points in 328 games during that time, and won back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships with the team in 2016 and 2017.
The other three 2026 inductees were forward T.J. Oshie, defenseman Ryan Suter, and athletic trainer Stan Wong, who has been working with the NHL and USA hockey for more than 40 years.
"This is a great honor," Phil said to reporters during the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame call Thursday, "You know me, I loved playing for USA Hockey over the years. Enjoyed my time, enjoyed all the friends I made. It was always a great honor to play for the team. I'm just happy to be included.
"This is a great class. Obviously, I'm excited to go in with my sister. She was a great player."
And a great player she was. Aside from her dominant play for the University of Minnesota - she recorded 46 goals and 101 points in 46 games for the the team in 2012-13 and led them to three National Championship titles in 2012, 2013, and 2016 - she brought home seven gold medals for USA Hockey on the international stage and had 26 goals and 74 points in 60 combined games for Team USA internationally, which doesn't even include her 10 goals and 30 points in 10 World Junior Championship (WJC) appearances.
In her four seasons with the Penguins' hockey operations staff, the 35-year-old has helped rebuild the prospect pipeline along with the front office under General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas, with the Wheeling Nailers - former ECHL affiliate of the Penguins - and WBS Penguins each going to the Eastern Conference Final in 2026.
Phil was drafted fifth overall by the Boston Bruins in 2006 and played in 17 NHL seasons between the Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Penguins, Arizona Coyotes, and Vegas Golden Knights. In addition to three Stanley Cups - he won with Vegas in 2023 - Kessel had 413 goals and 992 points in 1,286 career games and owns the NHL's all-time iron man streak for consecutive games played at 1,064.
He represented Team USA at the WJC twice, at the World Championship three times, and the Olympic games twice, winning a silver medal for Team USA in 2010.
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