Another contender enters the Phil Kessel sweepstakes

The second half of the 2021-22 season could be the moment when Phil Kessel finally gets out of Arizona… Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong reportedly defined the direction that his team is going in and it is believed it will not include Kessel. The veteran forward, who is in the final year of his contract, is looking for a fresh start and is hoping to head to a contender.

While some pundits are thinking the Edmonton Oilers could be the right fit for the veteran, Jimmy Murphy of Boston Hockey Now believes the Bruins could get into the mix.

He suggests that Kessel could become the Bruins’ next target, most importantly if they manage to trade forward Jake DeBrusk. The latter requested a trade out of Boston earlier this season, and if his spot becomes vacant, Kessel could be the missing piece of the puzzle.

After a disappointing debut campaign for the Coyotes in 2019-20, Kessel bounced back in 2020-21 and put up 20 goals and 43 points in just 56 games. So far this season, he’s tallied 5 goals and 17 points in 29 games. Of course, that’s a far cry from the 30+ goals and 90+ points he was putting up during his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but there’s reason to believe that Kessel still has the skill to produce points and could provide the Bruins with middle-six scoring they need.

The issue is that Kessel comes at a high price with his $6.8 million cap hit and that’s why Bruins GM Don Sweeney could only make it work if the Coyotes agree to retain some of his salary. (Kessel’s cap hit is $8 million but the Coyotes carry $6.8 million while the Toronto Maple Leafs retain $1.2 million.)

You also have to wonder if a trade could take place if the Bruins offered the Coyotes DeBrusk in the first place. There is also the question if the Bruins are on Kessel’s eight-team trade list or that he’s willing to add them to that list.

If Kessel is interested in getting traded to Boston, this would be a reunion as the veteran forward would return where it all started as the Bruins selected him fifth overall in the 2006 NHL Draft.