'Mythical figure,' one-of-a-kind gamer: Stories from Phil Kessel's former teammates

Phil Kessel is acceptable to play successful his 990th consecutive crippled Tuesday nighttime (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), meaning the Vegas Golden Knights winger volition walk retired defenseman Keith Yandle to go the NHL's all-time robust man.

It's the latest, and possibly greatest, infinitesimal successful a vocation that's been adjacent parts eclectic and electric, historical and hysterical, with capable surreal milestones to marque the 35-year-old hockey's reply to Forrest Gump.

He was the subordinate picked last successful a 2011 NHL All-Star Game phantasy draft, and the 1 called retired by President Barack Obama arsenic "a Stanley Cup champion" astatine a White House celebration.

He was the subordinate who overcame testicular crab arsenic a rookie, played connected 2 U.S. Olympic teams and utilized his wicked changeable to people adjacent to 400 goals successful the NHL.

He's besides the subordinate whose cognition was questioned, whose conditioning was maligned and who erstwhile was accused by a Toronto columnist of visiting a blistery canine vendor each day -- a communicative debunked by fans who person passionately defended Kessel against specified critics.

He's Phil Kessel: an enigma to immoderate and a fable to others.

In an effort to amended recognize "Phil the Thrill" and however helium became the NHL's robust man, we spoke with individuals connected to each 5 of his stops connected the NHL: with the Boston Bruins (2006-09), Toronto Maple Leafs (2009-2015), Pittsburgh Penguins (2015-19, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups), Arizona Coyotes (2019-22) and the Golden Knights this season.

Kessel successful Boston: 'He's ever been a fashionable teammate'

Shane Hnidy was a defenseman for the Boston Bruins for a play and half, during Kessel's 2nd and 3rd NHL seasons. Hnidy is present a tv expert with the Vegas Golden Knights, wherever helium reunited with Kessel this season.

If you had told maine erstwhile I archetypal met Phil that helium would acceptable the NHL's robust antheral record, I would person called you perfectly crazy. I would person said you are retired of your mind. I would person taken immoderate likelihood were connected it astatine the time.

You inactive benignant of shingle your head. To play that galore games successful a enactment is adjacent impossible. So each the respect successful the satellite for what he's been capable to do.

As a young subordinate successful Boston, Phil was talented. Extremely talented. You could spot astatine that young property that helium had that ability. I deliberation he's a super-intelligent subordinate that gets underrated for his hockey IQ. That speaks to his crippled streak: You can't play that long, beryllium that palmy and not enactment yourself successful susceptible situations if you don't person a precocious hockey IQ.

No, he's not the feline diving successful beforehand of shots. No 1 is going to assertion he's a antiaircraft specialist, but determination are a batch of elite players that autumn into that category. But he's besides a feline who's not acrophobic to spell into the corners. You don't enactment up the points that helium does without going to definite areas of the crystal wherever determination are battles.

What guys similar him and Keith Yandle person been capable to bash is staggering to me. Even if you purposely tried to enactment distant from injuries, there's a bully accidental that implicit 500 games you'd get one. You person to play done immoderate stuff. I astir mislaid an oculus erstwhile -- successful practice. Freaky things hap each the time.

It was breathtaking to person him successful Boston astatine that moment. The metropolis embraced us. The squad was starting to crook the corner, with guys similar Phil and Marc Savard and Patrice Bergeron and Milan Lucic. The 2008-09 squad conscionable missed the Presidents' Trophy and past mislaid successful the 2nd circular to Carolina. Phil and I person talked astir that being 1 of those teams wherever it felt similar we could triumph the Stanley Cup but didn't.

In his rookie year, helium had testicular crab and kept it quiet. When it got into the media, helium was upset astir it due to the fact that he's conscionable a backstage guy. He was ever that quiescent guy. That was hard connected him. I wasn't determination for it, but the guys said helium handled it with his humor. He hardly missed immoderate time.

I'm going to effort to operation this the close way: But astatine times, aboriginal on, helium frustrated america veterans. Myself, Zdeno Chara, Glen Murray ... we'd speech astir trying to get a emergence retired of him. I retrieve successful the 2008 playoffs, we needed him to come. We tried to get him rah-rah'd up, and helium wouldn't. We tried to find antithetic ways to get a absorption retired of him, and we couldn't. It's not his personality.

But helium inactive scored immoderate large goals. Then helium scored 36 of them the adjacent season. We yet figured, "OK, he's got his ain motivation." You effort to find ways. You effort to acceptable examples. But aboriginal successful my vocation I realized that for definite guys, if it works for you, it works for you.

We had a mates of them similar that. Tim Thomas was another. Now, helium was a antithetic dude. And helium surely didn't abide by today's standards of nutrition. But helium stopped the puck and worked hard, and that's each you wanted. Because Phil was capable to perform, to bash what was needed of him, it was like, "Well, OK, whatever." But I volition accidental that present successful Vegas, he's successful immoderate of the champion signifier I've ever seen him in. He's motivated. He felt mislaid successful Arizona.

I deliberation sometimes he's misunderstood arsenic aloof, but helium does care. He wants to win. You've seen that successful his career. He hasn't changed. There's this enigma astir him, arsenic this laid-back guy. And helium is one. But it's each astir successful the room. He's ever been a fashionable teammate. There are guys successful today's crippled that wage excessively overmuch attraction to the noise, and helium doesn't. He conscionable wants to people goals and get points. You could spot that arsenic a young guy.

I was amazed erstwhile Boston traded him. He was a talented feline for them.

Kessel successful Toronto: 'He's unapologetically himself'

James van Riemsdyk, a Philadelphia Flyers winger, followed successful Kessel's footsteps with the U.S. nationalist squad improvement programme and was his teammate connected the Toronto Maple Leafs 2012-15.

He was ever a mythical figure. When I was with the U.S. nationalist improvement program, I came successful the twelvemonth aft helium left. He was with that 1987 [birth year] radical that was legendary, not lone with however galore talented players they had but however galore characters they had. My archetypal satellite juniors I ever saw was successful North Dakota. Phil was 16 oregon 17 years old, and helium was conscionable flying around, scoring goals.

The archetypal clip I met Phil was erstwhile his brother, Blake, brought a clump of america to a Bruins day game. After the game, we went to a Qdoba and Phil showed up yet to articulation us. I conjecture helium was connected his entry-level declaration and times were tough, but helium picked up the tab.

He was successful Toronto earlier I got there. He was conscionable a implicit character. He loves to disturbance the pot, making adust comments. It's bully to person idiosyncratic that volition talk his caput successful the country successful definite scenarios. Those dialogues are truly steadfast and good.

Phil's the unintentionally comic guy. He's not trying to beryllium funny, but helium ends up being hilarious. It got to the constituent wherever my adjacent friends would substance maine erstwhile successful a while, and alternatively of asking however I was doing, they'd say, "Give maine the latest Phil story."

He's a super-competitive guy. We played poker connected the level each the time. I retrieve him being mediate of the road. Athletes successful wide thin to beryllium atrocious paper players due to the fact that of that competitiveness, alternatively of utilizing your encephalon and math. But we had immoderate amusive times.

Ultimately with Phil -- and I respect this astir him -- he's unapologetically himself. He conscionable did his happening and didn't get excessively wrapped up successful the extracurricular sound that you get playing successful Toronto. It wasn't the fans. I deliberation immoderate of the worldly [about him] got covered [in the media] a small unfairly. Phil didn't fto it fuss him capable to spell backmost against definite people. I'm definite helium was alert of the perceptions of him, but helium was a super-productive subordinate erstwhile helium was determination and his numbers spoke for themselves.

He loved playing successful Toronto. Loved that white-hot spotlight.

My favourite Phil Kessel communicative is erstwhile helium was playing successful Pittsburgh. It was the archetypal crippled aft helium was traded from Toronto. My line's lining up against him connected the opening draw. So conscionable to f--- with him a small bit, I chop him connected apical of the laces. Not excessively hard. Maybe similar 50%. And helium looks implicit astatine me, doesn't smile, and helium says, "James ... don't hide who made you a subordinate successful this league."

No 1 calls maine James, either. He's the lone feline that calls maine James. It was priceless.

With this record, the biggest happening is that he's a gamer. I person this punctuation from Phil burned successful my caput that I've been reasoning astir a batch arsenic he's travel adjacent to the record:

"I conscionable emotion playin' the games, eh?"

[Editor's note: James van Riemsdyk does an impeccable Phil Kessel impression.]

I consciousness similar that sums it up perfectly. He loves playing the game. He wouldn't person played this long, oregon wouldn't person been arsenic successful, without that love.

Kessel successful Pittsburgh: Cards successful the Cup

Nick Bonino won 2 Stanley Cups with Kessel connected the Pittsburgh Penguins, successful 2015-16 and 2016-17, lining up adjacent to him connected the fabled HBK Line on with Carl Hagelin. He's present a halfway for the San Jose Sharks.

We some were traded to Pittsburgh successful summertime 2015. His was the bigger trade, I think.

I was excited to conscionable him. You'd conscionable perceive things astir the league astir what benignant of quality helium was. They had that [HBO 24/7] documentary erstwhile helium was successful Toronto, and determination was worldly from that everyone was talking about. Like him going, "Good one, Randy" to [Toronto manager Randy] Carlyle.

There's a crushed everyone lights up erstwhile they speech astir Phil Kessel. When he's successful the room, guys rip connected him and helium rips connected them, which I deliberation is important successful a bully teammate. He wasn't closed disconnected similar helium tin beryllium successful interviews.

Unique. One of a kind. Great feline and a bully friend.

My favourite communicative is astir apt the 1 with Pierre McGuire and the breath.

[Editor's note: In 2016 during the Eastern Conference finals, NBC Sports announcer Pierre McGuire had a postgame interrogation successful which helium asked Kessel "how's your breath?" McGuire meant to inquire astir Kessel's conditioning aft the guardant played implicit 19 minutes against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Instead, Kessel thought it was a question astir his hygiene and responded "it's not good, eh?"]

Phil came backmost into the country aft that. He looked astatine america and conscionable shook his head. He said, "Boys ... you're gonna get a footwear retired of this erstwhile it comes out." Like, helium knew what was going to happen. So the adjacent day, helium had a clump of Tic Tacs and gum piled precocious successful his stall.

The enactment with him, maine and [Hagelin] ... that was fun. The accidental came astir due to the fact that Geno [Malkin] got hurt. It was 1 of those times successful my vocation wherever it felt similar everything we did was close and everything we changeable went in, from Game 60 each the mode done erstwhile we lifted the Cup.

Haggy was truthful accelerated and truthful astute and knew precisely wherever helium needed to be. I conscionable tried to get pucks to them and beryllium responsible. I was truthful fortunate to play with Phil. He tin sprout the puck similar fewer tin successful this league. He's conscionable got specified a flex connected his instrumentality that helium tin drawback it off, and helium tin bash it successful motion, too. I hadn't seen anyone travel down the helping and sprout it successful stride similar helium does. He's fast. When helium gets a measurement connected you, that's each helium needs. And past he's shooting earlier the goalie is set.

The popularity of our enactment was a whirlwind. Something I hadn't experienced before. I ideate that's what it's similar for Sid everyplace helium goes, oregon these apical guys. When you're producing and doing well, the fanfare comes with it. Especially successful a metropolis similar Pittsburgh, which is truthful sports-crazed.

I played cards with him. I wouldn't play poker due to the fact that helium was truthful bully astatine it. But we'd play a clump of games connected the plane. One happening I'll ne'er forget: playing cards with Phil retired of the Stanley Cup connected the mode backmost from San Jose. We acceptable it up successful the mediate of the aisle betwixt us. That was our paper table. We were throwing our cards wrong the Stanley Cup.

It's funny: I played with Andrew Cogliano, too, who had specified a agelong consecutive games streak himself. I deliberation each feline is different, but they some person a durability to them. Regardless of what was going connected with Phil, you knew helium was going to play. He wasn't taking a attraction day. He was playing. OK, possibly not truthful overmuch successful practice, but you cognize that successful the games, helium was going to beryllium there.

He's a gamer. He wanted to win, immoderate helium did. Whether it was cards oregon shooting hoops oregon playing hockey. You gotta person that thrust if you privation to play that galore games successful a row.

Kessel successful Arizona: The seasoned mentor

Arizona Coyotes guardant Clayton Keller was Kessel's teammate during Phil's 3 seasons with the Coyotes from 2019-20 to 2021-22 -- including a crippled connected March 8, 2022, erstwhile Kessel played 1 30-second displacement against the Detroit Red Wings to support his streak live earlier hopping connected a charter formation arranged by the squad for the commencement of his daughter, Kapri Mary Kessel.

Phil was an unbelievable teammate, connected and disconnected the ice. Someone that I loved playing with. Probably 1 of the champion guys that I've ever played with. I decidedly miss him.

When I archetypal met him, helium was conscionable a mean guy. Loved to play golf, truthful 1 of the archetypal days that we were together, we went retired and played. That's erstwhile you tin truly get to cognize someone, connected the play course. And helium was super-fun to play with. It's bully due to the fact that it's distant from hockey and you're conscionable talking astir beingness and things of that nature.

He besides loves to chirp, and helium tin backmost it up. He'll archer you he's a atrocious golfer. But he's precise good. Really bully putter. Good abbreviated crippled successful general. His drives are bully too, but if I was going to accidental 1 happening [is his best], I'd accidental putting. He's got brushed hands.

He's a competitory guy, nary substance if it's hockey oregon play oregon cards connected the plane, helium wants to win. And if helium does, he'll fto everyone cognize astir it.

It was awesome to person him connected the Coyotes. He's a feline that's played successful large games and played successful Stanley Cup Finals and won Stanley Cups. So helium knows what it's like. It was bully to prime his encephalon connected immoderate of the teams he's been on, wherefore they won and things of that nature.

We each knew the concern [with his daughter's birth]. It was beauteous brainsick and awesome for the squad to bash that. Everyone benignant of had an idea, but nary 1 knew precisely what was going to happen. You didn't cognize erstwhile the babe was going to arrive. So helium played 1 shift, got connected a level and helium was backmost with america the adjacent game. We each got him thing for the kid.

Like with his streak, helium wants to beryllium a portion of each game. He's decidedly had injuries passim his vocation that he's played done to get to that level. I anticipation helium gets each the mode determination and holds that grounds for a agelong time.

It's a agelong season. There are pugnacious days. But each clip you travel to the rink and spot Phil, helium puts a grin connected your face. Every time was thing new. I miss the laughs and the jokes. I miss playing with him. He cheers you up.

Kessel successful Vegas: How hockey is (and isn't) similar poker

Daniel Negreanu is simply a nonrecreational poker subordinate who has won six World Series of Poker bracelets. He has played cards with Phil Kessel and present watches him arsenic a instrumentality of the Vegas Golden Knights.

The archetypal clip I met Phil was successful Toronto astatine a communal friend's house. A mates of guys connected the Leafs loved playing poker, and I met him astatine a crippled wrong that friend's house. Phil wanted to "test his skills." Me being a large hockey fan, I thought that was cool.

I knew astir him earlier that night. Toronto media is precise successful your business. They spell supra and beyond trying to get the wrong scoop, and sometimes they wholly marque s--- up -- similar the blistery canine thing, which wasn't adjacent real. But I ne'er experienced him arsenic a idiosyncratic until then. And arsenic I got to cognize him implicit the years, he's astir apt my astir celebrated friend.

He's an easy-going guy. When you spot him connected camera doing interviews, he's benignant of uncomfortable. He doesn't similar it. That's wherefore during the World Series of Poker, whenever helium was there, I would bring my vlog camera retired and enactment him connected it and thrust him crazy. He'd effort to hide.

Once you get to cognize him, it makes consciousness that he's benignant of streaky arsenic a player. Mindset for him is incredibly important. When things are going badly, helium benignant of has a woe-is-me attitude. "Aw, man, puck isn't going in, eh? Puck's conscionable not droppin', eh?" But successful hockey, conscionable similar successful poker, he's a competitor. He mightiness not look similar it, but he's a competitor.

He was astatine the World Series of Poker with maine erstwhile Toronto traded him. I asked him wherever helium was headed, and helium said "Pittsburgh." I told him that you could deliberation of worse places than playing with Crosby and Malkin. He said, "Yeah, not excessively bad, eh?"

I'm truly hoping this works retired for him successful Vegas. It's a bully opportunity. But helium wanted radical to cognize that helium didn't travel to Vegas to play poker. He's present to play hockey and to instrumentality it precise seriously.

He was successful a horrible concern successful Arizona. At the commercialized deadline, helium and everybody successful the satellite thought helium was going somewhere, but they didn't person anyplace to determination him. Vegas was ever successful his sights, but they were up against the cap. But they needed a feline for the powerfulness play, and who other is simply a amended acceptable than Phil Kessel, 1 of the champion power-play guys successful the NHL? So I was super-excited erstwhile helium signed with the Knights. It was clip to get different jersey with "Phil The Thrill" connected the back.

When I archetypal met him, I would person been amazed by him mounting this record. But not arsenic amazed arsenic the mean NHL fan.

When you play successful Toronto, the media creates the communicative for you. So what's the communicative connected Phil Kessel? He's fat. He likes to devour blistery dogs. He doesn't care. He doesn't try. He doesn't play defense. And helium doesn't adjacent similar blistery dogs. The defence happening ... possibly successful the regular season, he's not hitting. He's possibly coasting successful a 4-1 game.

But ticker him successful the playoffs. Watch him successful those Pittsburgh runs and archer maine who was backchecking and playing truly hard. And if you inquire guys astir him, erstwhile he's successful the gym and nether a squat rack, he's beardown arsenic f---. He's got a precise beardown little body.

In poker, helium likes to play a crippled called Pot Limit Omaha. That's his favorite. And that crippled has a batch of luck involved, truthful you tin spell connected these truly large swings were you tin triumph oregon suffer a batch successful 1 session.

With poker, you person to beryllium a small even-keeled. But he's precise emotionally attached to swings. He'd accidental things like, "Bro, I had aces 7 times successful a enactment and the feline cracked, eh?" And I'm like, "We should absorption connected your game. Focus connected the things you tin control." He gets caught up successful that worldly occasionally.

One year, helium was sitting down successful a tourney for Pot Limit Omaha astatine the World Series of Poker. I happened to rotation up and I was seated astatine his table, playing for a satellite championship. I cognize however helium plays. He's not a large bluffer. He's not going to outplay maine oregon thing similar that ... but connected this 1 hand, erstwhile helium went perfectly nuts connected maine and I didn't spot it coming. He wholly outplayed maine and bluffed me, and everyone started laughing.

I was like, "What the hell, Phil? Where did you get that from?"

It was a high-level play. I didn't deliberation helium was susceptible of it. The gag was connected me.