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    Remy Mastey
    Remy Mastey
    Dec 3, 2023, 21:52

    Since being called up by the Coyotes, Michael Kesselring has emerged as a reliable defenceman, taking full advantage of this opportunity.

    Since being called up by the Coyotes, Michael Kesselring has emerged as a reliable defenceman, taking full advantage of this opportunity.

    Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports - The Emergence of Michael Kesselring

    Through all of the Coyotes injuries they have been forced to deal with, one player has emerged as extremely impactful.

    Michael Kesselring was called up from the Tucson Roadrunners after the start of the season and has really taken full advantage of his opportunity in the NHL thus far. 

    The 23-year-old defenceman has played eight games this season tallying a total of four assists while logging in 14:12 minutes pergame.

    Kesselring stands at 6’4’’ which he uses to outmuscle his opponents and play a physical brand of hockey.

    It’s clear that Kesselring’s confidence has also gone up. He is not afraid to start up a rush into the offensive zone which is exactly what he did on Saturday night to set up Matias Maccelli for a goal.

    “I think it’s pretty good,” Kesselring said about his game. “I’m just trying to play physical, move the puck well and chip in offensively when I can. Obviously I’m learning a lot right now. It's a faster game, you gotta be sharp but I think that's what I’m learning. You can never take your foot off the gas and you have to be sharp all the time. It’s a good learning curve and I think I’m adjusting to it pretty well.”

    Coach André Tourigny has been impressed with Kesselring and believes in his potential due to his strong physical attributes.

    “He’s a young guy,” Tourigny said. “I really like his upside. Again, it’s that length, his size, he can make plays with the puck. We want him to make plays…”

    It’s unclear whether or not Kesselring will be on the Coyotes for the remainder of the season but he continues to make a strong case for himself and is proving to be a really reliable defenceman that Arizona may need in the future.