After winning his third Stanley Cup, former Coyotes forward Phil Kessel takes a shot at at the Toronto media.
Former Arizona Coyotes forward Phil Kessel is a three-time Stanley Cup champion.
Kessel won his third Stanley Cup on Monday night with the Vegas Golden Knights and couldn’t help but take a jab at the Toronto media.
“Takes me back to my Toronto days," Kessel told Mike Stephens of The Hockey News. "You guys said I couldn’t win, and now I’m a three-time champ. Remember that.”
Kessel's tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs lasted six seasons from 2009-2015 where he had 181 goals, 213 assists and 394 points. Despite his individual success in Toronto, his time with the Maple Leafs was mainly headlined by disappointing regular seasons as the team only made the playoffs once in six years.
While Kessel only played four games through the Golden Knights playoff run, the 35-year-old still cherishes this Stanley Cup victory.
“I wanted to win again and look, another one and it's pretty special,” Kessel said. “It's awesome. You don't get many chances to win, so whenever you get an opportunity, it's unbelievable.”
Prior to his stint with Vegas, Kessel played in Arizona for three seasons from 2019-2022. The veteran forward tallied 42 goals, 91 assists and 133 points in 208 games for the Coyotes.
Kessel’s other two Stanley Cup victories came with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015 and 2016.