REPORT: Phil Kessel apparently close to a deal with a Canadian contending team

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Ryan
July 24, 2022 (9:26 PM)

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Long gone are the days where you're going to trade Phil Kessel for multiple first round picks, like what happened back on September 18 2009 with the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. The 34 year old winger is most likely not going to be producing 92 points like he did back in 2017-18 for the Pittsburgh Penguins either, but the current ironman streak holding forward can definitely still bring a lot of value to a team.

After spending the last few seasons in Arizona after being traded from the Penguins, Kessel has now hit free agency for the first time in his career. Kessel had 8 goals and 52 points in 82 games last season for the low-scoring Coyotes. If he was on a better team, you could easily argue that he could have produced atleast another 15 points or so.

According to Insider Kurt Leavins, the Edmoton Oilers and Kessel have mutual interests and are nearing a deal. Kessel thrived playing along elite centers in Pittsburgh like Crosby and Malkin, and if he signs in Edmonton he will have two of the best players in the league to play beside in Draisaitl and McDavid.

Kessel is currently sitting 1 goal short of 400 in his NHL career and is sitting 7 games back from Keith Yandles all time consecutive game steak record. Look for him to definitely pass Yandle next season and also put up stats that make him look like he is 25 again and show teams that he is better than what we saw from him in Arizona.