During the Trade Deadline, fans were buzzing not just about potential trades but also about reports suggesting that veteran forward Phil Kessel was on the verge of signing with the Vancouver Canucks. Fans eagerly awaited news of Kessel's signing, hoping he would get a chance to play in the 2023-24 season and postseason.
However, to the disappointment of many, nothing materialized. Despite practicing with the Canucks AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, Kessel remained unsigned by the deadline. When asked about the situation, Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin explained the following.
«I think Phil is a great person and a well-respected player,» Allvin said later on deadline day. «What he has done in the league, a three-time Cup winner, he wanted to come back to play.»
«With being in LTIR and roster complications and how we want to play, unfortunately, at this point it wasn't a fit for us,» he then added.
Selected fifth overall by the Boston Bruins in 2006, Kessel has had stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona Coyotes, and Vegas Golden Knights, accumulating 413 goals and 579 assists over 1,286 games. He aimed to add more NHL games and possibly a fourth championship before retiring.
Kessel played all 82 games with the Vegas Golden Knights last season, contributing 14 goals and 22 assists. Although he played only four playoff games, the Knights won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. Kessel also holds the NHL's iron man streak with 1,064 consecutive regular-season games played, but there's uncertainty about whether he has played his last NHL game.
