Phil Kessel has brought the Stanley Cup to Toronto for the second time

Vegas Golden Knights forward and Stanley Cup champion Phil Kessel chose to bring the Cup with him to Toronto for the second time.

Kessel, who spent six seasons with the Maple Leafs from 2009 to 2015, has had plenty of success since being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins after the 2014-15 campaign. The 35-year-old won back-to-back Cups in his first two seasons with the Pens and picked up his third earlier this year with the Golden Knights.

Tuesday was Kessel’s day to celebrate with the Cup and have a party, and he chose to do that in Toronto. It marks the second time he has had his Cup party in the city he called home for six years, with the other coming in 2016, when he brought it to SickKids, The Hospital for Sick Children.

Kessel and his girlfriend, Sandra, hosted a first birthday party for their daughter, Kapri, with the Cup, calling the celebration “Kapri’s Cupchella.”

During his two Cup wins with the Penguins, Kessel was a dominant force, racking up a combined 18 goals and 45 points in 49 games. His game has begun to slow down with age, resulting in him suiting up for just four playoff games with the Golden Knights, where he registered two assists. Despite the limited role, many of his teammates were quick to mention how big of an impact he had in the locker room in terms of keeping things light.

While his 181 goals and 394 points in his 446 games with the Leafs are impressive, Kessel was often a lightning rod for criticism during his time in Toronto. The team struggled for most of his tenure, leading to many placing blame on his shoulders. Since leaving, he has continued to produce offence while being a part of many great rosters.

Kessel’s career is at somewhat of a crossroads right now, as he remains without a contract for the upcoming season. With that said, he patiently waited until late August last year to sign a one-year deal with the Golden Knights, and may be doing the same right now. Assuming he does find a new home, he will look to continue his NHL-leading Ironman streak, which sits at 1,064 games.

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