The NHL season is quickly approaching, and coaching camps are lastly underway. With the 2024-25 hockey season inching nearer, there are nonetheless some robust gamers sitting in free company who haven’t been granted an expert tryout (PTO) or a contract. A type of is veteran ahead Phil Kessel, who didn’t play in any respect in the course of the 2023-24 season however is on the lookout for one other alternative to play.
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Kessel, who’s 36 years previous, final performed with the Vegas Golden Knights within the 2022-23 season. He was drafted by the Boston Bruins within the first spherical of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft at fifth total after a powerful season within the NCAA with the College of Minnesota. In his draft season within the NCAA, he scored 18 targets and added 33 assists for 51 factors by way of 39 video games, and likewise put up a formidable 11 factors in seven video games representing the USA within the U20 World Junior Championship.
All through his profession within the NHL for the Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona Coyotes, and Golden Knights, Kessel has performed 1286 video games scoring 413 targets and including 579 assists for 992 factors which comes out to a 0.77 points-per-game common. On this article, let’s have a look at three groups who might grant Kessel a PTO or signal him to a contract earlier than the season will get underway.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets underwent a horrible tragedy this summer time when famous person Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew had been killed by a drunk driver once they had been biking. Whereas they are going to battle to maneuver previous a horrible incident with out Johnny Hockey, they’ve made it clear they plan to attempt to contend as a lot as potential with the group they’ve. They’ve additionally made it clear they’re keen on bolstering their ahead group which started with a one-year contract to James Van Riemsdyk.
With the Blue Jackets nonetheless attempting to bolster their roster, bringing in Kessel makes excellent sense. They should add veterans throughout their rebuild, so bringing in a three-time Stanley Cup champion appears to be match for a younger lineup. Whereas he will not be the top-six ahead he as soon as was, he might present strong depth as an offensive bottom-six presence. His expertise could possibly be precisely what the Blue Jackets want and if he doesn’t work out, there’s no actual threat related to a one-year deal.
Washington Capitals
The second group it could make sense for so as to add Kessel on a PTO is the Washington Capitals. After a troublesome 2023-24 marketing campaign the place they had been swept within the first spherical of the playoffs, the Caps are hoping they will bounce again in a giant approach and make one other deep playoff run earlier than their getting older core chooses to retire. With an enormous commerce this offseason that despatched Darcy Kuemper to the Los Angeles Kings in trade for Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Capitals made it clear they wish to contend and attempt to win their second Stanley Cup in franchise historical past.
For a group trying to win one other championship once they aren’t thought of a favourite, bringing in somebody of Kessel’s championship pedigree makes excellent sense. The Capitals have some cash to work with and don’t have the strongest ahead depth by any means, so including Kessel on an affordable, low-risk, high-reward kind of contract appears logical. The Caps introduced in Zdeno Chara close to the tip of his profession and he helped present a powerful veteran presence, so bringing in Kessel would obtain the identical objective.
Ottawa Senators
The third group that would use Kessel is the Ottawa Senators. The Sens made a horrible alternative hiring Travis Inexperienced as their new head coach and have set themselves up for failure in doing so. To counter that transfer, they may add Kessel for a similar purpose the Blue Jackets would wish him, which is to assist the group keep dedicated whereas they endure an extended rebuild. They don’t have a group to contend for a Stanley Cup simply but, however including somebody with expertise to assist information Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk and put them on the suitable path appears to be a sensible concept, and Kessel might have an elevated function contemplating their weak ahead depth.
All three of those groups may gain advantage from including Kessel, and there’s no threat hooked up to signing him on a one-year deal on the league-minimum $775,000. The common season is true across the nook, and Kessel’s enjoying profession could possibly be pressured to finish if he can’t discover a new group before later.
