Unsigned Phil Kessel Contract Termination Sighted in Training Sessions
Phil Kessel has been sighted skating with an NHL club this week. According to other sources, a deal is nearing completion. Where is he going to sign?
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There is a lot of interest in where veteran NHL player Phil Kessel will sign this season. Known for his consistent ability to score goals and his impressive Ironman streak, he has yet to sign with an NHL club and appears to be having difficulty securing a deal with someone out of fear of a decline in production at his age and the fact that the signing team would have to be OK with ending his streak, he has yet to find a home, weeks out from the start of the 2023-24 season.
But maybe there was a signal this week about his possible future. “It sounds like there’s some percolating interest from NHL teams in signing Phil Kessel to a contract for this season,” Chris Johnston of TSN says. At this point, the experienced forward is not in PTO territory.”
Kessel was recently sighted working out with an NHL team, the Vegas Golden Knights. While Kessel has yet to sign an NHL contract or a professional tryout offer, his devotion to preparation shows that he intends to play this season. The fact that he’s practicing with the Golden Knights might mean that he’ll be back with the team this season on a PTO, or that the team has been gracious enough to grant him a spot.
This scenario clearly raises the possibility of Kessel returning to the Golden Knights for another season, but it by no means guarantees anything. The Golden Knights’ official training camp has yet to begin, but it is scheduled to begin next week. They also don’t have much salary room for the player, and a PTO is unlikely to result in anything.
Kessel is still capable of assisting an NHL team.
Kessel demonstrated his endurance by participating in all 82 games for the Golden Knights the previous season, earning 14 goals and 22 assists for a total of 36 points. However, his postseason ice time was restricted, which might reduce his value as a free agency. If a team can find place for him and believes him when he claims he doesn’t care about his games-played streak, he may be a fit on a bonus-structured deal.
Kessel now owns the NHL’s Ironman title, having played 1,076 straight games. The fact that he has stated a readiness to accept a more limited role this season indicates that he is serious about continuing his playing career.
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