First look at Phil Kessel on the ice with Canucks’ affiliate!
A positive sign for Kessel's return to the NHL!
HockeyFeed
Things are in motion. On Tuesday evening, the Vancouver Canucks announced that veteran free agent forward Phil Kessel will work out with the team’s AHL affiliate club in Abbotsford, British Columbia this week.
On Wednesday, he was on the ice with his new team, skating for the Canucks’ farm club. This is the first look, that was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal:
Kessel hasn’t played since taking part in all 82 games with the Vegas Golden Knights last season, put up 14 goals and 22 assists. He only played four games in the playoffs and the Knights went on to capture their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, making it Kessel’s third championship in his career.
Selected fifth overall by the Boston Bruins in 2006, Kessel has played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona Coyotes and Golden Knights, recording 413 goals and 579 assists over 1,286 games.
By joining the Canucks, Kessel would not only have a chance at a fourth Stanley Cup, but would also reunite with former coach Rick Tocchet. The two men worked together for two seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, after some time spent in Pittsburgh as well.
The Canucks have been quite active in putting together the best lineup possible for a long Stanley Cup run. In two separate trades with the Calgary Flames, Vancouver first acquired defenseman Nikita Zadorov and then made a blockbuster move to get forward Elias Lindholm. The addition of Kessel, and a fit one, would provide the Canucks with another option to a winger core and some experience to make it all the way to the Cup.
I cannot wait to see him put ink to paper, sign a deal in Vancouver and get inserted into the Canucks’ lineup.
Looking good, Phil!
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