Phil Kessel is off of the free agent market, signing a one-year deal to play with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Whoa.
After a tough off-season for the Vegas Golden Knights, the team has landed free agent forward Phil Kessel to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million.
Kessel, who is chasing the NHL's all-time iron man record this season, had 51 points in 82 games for a low-scoring Arionza Coyotes team. Kessel has 956 points in 1,204 games and two Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins over his career. Kessel, 34, was drafted by Boston in 2006 and has played with the Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, the Penguins and, most recently, the Coyotes.
Kessel has played in 982 consecutive games since Nov. 11, 2009 when he was a member of the Boston Bruins. Keith Yandle's record ended at 929 games this past season, so Kessel isn't far behind the all-time record.
Kessel isn't the goal-scoring player he once was, but the Vegas Golden Knights should offer him more offensive help than the Coyotes did. With 11 50-plus point seasons to his credit, Kessel is no slouch, and at his price, he's definitely one of the best steals of the summer free agency season.