Phil Kessel is very close to hitting two major NHL milestones, and an insider suggests he's looking for one more run in hockey's top league. Adam Proteau hopes he gets one.
Whether you like the teams veteran NHL star Phil Kessel played on or not, you have to admire his passion throughout his 17 NHL seasons.
Even though Kessel didn’t play for any NHL team last season, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman suggests the 36-year-old is still trying to play this coming season and has reached out to teams to get a shot.
Kessel became a major fan favorite in his NHL career. It's easy to see why: three Stanley Cup championship wins, the NHL’s ironman record and numerous appearances representing the United States internationally.
He is also so close to hitting two more impressive milestones.
Kessel has 1,286 NHL regular-season games under his belt, and he’s generated 579 assists and 992 points in that span. He needs just 14 games to reach 1,300, which only five active players have reached, and eight points to hit 1,000, which only nine active players have done.
Kessel also has 49 assists and 83 points in 100 career playoff games. Fans and teammates recognize how devoted you have to be to get those numbers as high as they are, and that’s why Kessel is so beloved.
Now, that doesn’t mean an NHL team will give Kessel a contract just to be charitable.
As we saw last season, Kessel couldn’t find a match with any NHL team. But absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder, and if Kessel is still in decent physical shape, he may be a fit as a depth performer looked to for his championship pedigree and his wealth of experience.
So yes, Kessel shouldn’t be handed another NHL opportunity, but he should get to try out. Let him push through another training camp and show what he’s got left in the competitive tank. Give him a few shifts here and there in pre-season games to convince an NHL coach and GM he’s worth the gamble. If he can’t make it after that, it’s time for him to hang up his skates.
Wouldn’t it be nice on a particularly emotional level for a de facto farewell tour for Kessel? One more time around the circuit for a highly respected competitor. One more potential long playoff run for someone who’s dedicated his life to the sport. One more kick at the can for a veteran who probably appreciates the opportunity to play NHL games more than he ever did before.
In that sense, we all should be hoping for the best for Kessel. If he doesn’t play another game, he will still considered for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. And certainly, in the markets where he has played – Boston, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Arizona and Las Vegas – he will be remembered fondly, to say the least.
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