ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Five hockey legends are heading to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame — and Minnesota ties run deep in this year's class.
U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame 2026 class
What we know:
USA Hockey has announced the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2026, naming Amanda Kessel, Phil Kessel, T.J. Oshie, Ryan Suter and Stan Wong as the newest inductees. The formal enshrinement will take place Nov. 30 in Washington, D.C., alongside the presentation of the NHL's Lester Patrick Trophy.
"You don't have to look far in our sport to find someone whose life was touched by one of these five," said Mike Trimboli, president of USA Hockey. "Their extraordinary contributions will be felt for generations to come, and it is with great pride that we welcome them among the all-time greats of the sport in our country."
The Class of 2026 will be the 54th installed to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, bringing the total number of inductees to 220. Inductees are chosen based on extraordinary contributions to the sport of hockey in the United States. The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum is located in Eveleth, Minn.
Minnesota connections to the class
Why you should care:
Amanda Kessel is a three-time Olympian and one of the most gifted offensive players in women's hockey history. She was a key member of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team that won the country's first gold medal in women's hockey since 1998, scoring a pivotal shootout goal in the gold-medal game against Canada. She also brought home silver medals at the 2014 and 2022 Olympics. Across seven IIHF Women's World Championships, she recorded 59 points in 43 games, earning four gold medals and three silver medals.
At the University of Minnesota, she put together one of the most impressive collegiate careers of all time, winning three NCAA Division I national championships in 2012, 2013 and 2016. In her 2012-13 season, she recorded 101 points in just 37 games, becoming just the fifth player ever to reach the century mark in a single season in NCAA Division I women's hockey. She finished her collegiate career with 248 points, ranking third all-time in Minnesota women's hockey history. She was named USA Hockey's Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year in 2013. She currently serves as manager of minor league operations for the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins and assistant general manager for the club's AHL affiliate.
Minnesota's own: Oshie and Suter
Local perspective:
T.J. Oshie, a Warroad, Minn., native, is remembered as much for his Olympic heroics as for his 16-year NHL career. At the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, he converted four of six shootout attempts — including the deciding goal — in a 3-2 preliminary-round win over host Russia, earning him the nickname "T.J. Sochi." He finished that tournament with four points in six games as the U.S. advanced to a fourth-place finish.
Before turning pro, Oshie played for the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede and then spent three seasons at the University of North Dakota, tallying 142 points and helping the Fighting Sioux to three straight NCAA Men's Frozen Four appearances. He was selected 24th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut Oct. 10, 2008. Over his career with the Blues and Washington Capitals, he played in 1,010 regular-season games, recording 695 points, including 302 goals and 393 assists. He helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2017-18 — the first championship in franchise history — posting 21 points in 24 playoff games during that run. He also represented Team USA at three IIHF Men's World Championships, the 2006 IIHF World Junior Championship and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Ryan Suter, one of the most dominant two-way defensemen of his generation, played in 1,526 regular-season NHL games over 20 seasons — second all-time among American-born players. The Madison, Wis., native spent eight seasons with the Minnesota Wild, earning NHL First Team All-Star honors in his first year with the team and serving as alternate captain throughout his tenure. He led the Wild to the playoffs six times during his time in Minnesota. Suter is the NHL's all-time career leader in regular-season time-on-ice since the league began tracking it in 2005-06, and he helped his teams reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 16 of his 20 NHL seasons. He finished his career with 696 regular-season points, including 107 goals and 589 assists. Internationally, Suter helped the U.S. earn a silver medal at the 2010 Olympics and a gold medal at the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship — the country's first-ever gold at that event. He also played in five IIHF Men's World Championships and was a member of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey team.
What we don't know:
Additional details about the Nov. 30 induction ceremony in Washington, D.C., have not yet been released, according to USA Hockey, but are expected to be provided later in September.
The Source: This story is based on a press release from USA Hockey, issued Sept. 10.