Kessel last played for the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2022-23 season, winning his third Stanley Cup.
Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward and three-time Stanley Cup champion, Phil Kessel, is not ready to hang up his skates just yet. Kessel, who last played for the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2022-23 season, is reportedly seeking opportunities to continue his 17-year professional career.
On Friday’s episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman told co-host Kyle Bukauskas that the 36-year-old has actively been reaching out to NHL teams in hopes of securing a spot for the upcoming season.
“He wants to play,” Friedman confirmed. “Paul Bissonnette had a tweet this week about how come Phil Kessel can’t get a job. I was looking at it, and because I had heard it and was going to check – Kessel was calling teams and really wanted to play.”
Bissonnette’s post on X read, “Phil Kessel can’t even get a PTO. I got a f*****g PTO. You’re telling me half the teams couldn’t use a Phil Kessel at camp?”
The numbers back up Kessel’s durability. In 2023, he set the record (which he currently holds) for most consecutive games played in NHL history, also known as the “Ironman streak,” with 1,064 games – 75 more than second place, Keith Yandle. This has further cemented his reputation as one of the more durable players of his era.
Friedman also revealed that Kessel had been in talks to potentially participate in the 3-on-3 hockey league that was set to launch in 2024 but ultimately never materialized.
“I heard from a couple of people, he’s legit about it,” said Friedman. “That 3-on-3 league that was supposed to start up but didn’t, I heard Kessel was one of the guys they were really talking about playing there. He wants to play, he loves hockey and he wants to play.”
“I don’t know if this is going to happen, but it’s very, very legitimate that he has put it out there that he wants to play.”
During his six seasons with the Leafs (2009-2015), Kessel tallied 394 points (181G, 213A) in 446 regular season games. In his lone playoff run with the Leafs, he scored six points (4G, 2A) in seven games, reaching the 30-goal mark four times in Toronto.
From a career perspective, Kessel is just eight points shy of reaching 1,000 regular-season points in the NHL. In 1,286 games, he has accumulated 413 goals, 579 assists, and 992 points. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, he’s added 83 points (34G, 49A) in 100 games.
While it’s uncertain whether any team will take a chance on the 36-year-old winger, Kessel’s desire to play is evident. Whether it’s the NHL or an alternate route, Kessel isn't ready to call it quits.
