The Vancouver Canucks introduced Tuesday that veteran winger Phil Kessel will work out this week in Abbotsford, British Columbia, the place the crew’s AHL affiliate crew is situated.
Kessel has not performed since final season, when he received his third Stanley Cup, as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights. The 36-year-old completed with 14 targets and 36 factors in 82 regular-season video games whereas scoring two factors, each assists, in 4 playoff video games.
Probably including Kessel, who owns the NHL’s iron man streak with 1,064 consecutive regular-season video games performed, can be the most recent personnel transfer for a Canucks crew that has gone from turmoil to a Stanley Cup challenger within the span of 12 months.
The Canucks opened the season with a 20-9-1 mark, they usually have since added extra assist. Vancouver made separate trades with the Calgary Flames to accumulate Nikita Zadorov in November earlier than touchdown one of many greatest names forward of the NHL commerce deadline by buying Elias Lindholm in late January.
Getting Kessel would offer the Canucks with one other choice to a winger core that already options their main goal-scorer in Brock Boeser along with Conor Garland and Nils Hoglander.
Going to Vancouver additionally would see Kessel reunite with Canucks coach Rick Tocchet. Kessel and Tocchet have been collectively for 2 seasons as members of the Arizona Coyotes. Kessel was a part of the Coyotes crew that reached the primary spherical of the playoffs within the Edmonton postseason bubble of 2020. Kessel had 34 targets and 81 factors over 126 video games throughout his time with Tocchet on the helm.
By becoming a member of the Canucks, Kessel wouldn’t solely have an opportunity at a fourth Stanley Cup (he received his first two with the Pittsburgh Penguins, in 2016 and 2017), but it surely may see him attain the 1,000-point mark, as he’s at the moment eight factors shy of that accomplishment.
His return additionally would come within the wake of one other crew with Stanley Cup aspirations within the Colorado Avalanche including a veteran winger in Zach Parise in late January. The 39-year-old Parise has one objective in 4 video games with the Avs whereas averaging 12:19 in ice time.
Coming into Tuesday, the Canucks (35-12-6) have been atop the Pacific Division and held a three-point edge over the Boston Bruins within the race for the Presidents’ Trophy for the NHL’s greatest report.