One of the most popular former Pittsburgh Penguins could be the first target of a new hockey league.
PITTSBURGH – Ever since leaving the Pittsburgh Penguins, veteran forward Phil Kessel has played in 290 consecutive games and won the Stanley Cup again in 2023 but hasn’t played a game since. While his Iron Man streak of 1,064 consecutive games is still alive, Kessel’s future in the NHL is unclear.
Despite the questionable future in the NHL, Kessel still wants to keep playing hockey. The formation of a whole new hockey league could help.
Major League Hockey (MLH) is determined to be the next big thing in the sport. Looking to launch in the fall of 2024, MLH is looking for early star power to give their league some buzz and legitimacy.
On the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman notes that someone told him Kessel would be one of the first guys to gauge the interest if they were running the league.
“They said, you who they would go after if they were this league?” Friedman said. “Phil Kessel… I am under the impression that he does not want to retire. He still wants to play. Marketable name.”
This kind of league sounds right up Kessel’s alley, too. All 3-on-3 means not much defense, the league plans on just weekend games, and possibly a much easier travel schedule.
According to MLH’s website, each team will have three “marquee players,” who are players with previous professional hockey experience anywhere in the world. MLH has targeted 16 cities across the United States and Canada to host teams, but no Pennsylvania cities have been targeted.
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