The Vancouver Canucks will not be adding three-time Stanley Cup champion Phil Kessel to their roster.
The club and Kessel did not agree on a contract, per The Athletic’s Thomas Drance. The team needed to come to terms with the forward before the noon PT deadline to keep his eligibility for this year’s postseason.
It’s no secret that the Pacific Division leaders were looking to add a top-six winger through trade over the past few days. The team missed out on rumoured targets Jake Guentzel, Tyler Toffoli, and Jason Zucker, who all found new homes before the deadline.
Kessel was another option that the team had been exploring. The Canucks have been working out the veteran winger in Abbotsford for the past few weeks as they wanted to see how much he had left in the tank.
He did win the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights last season but played in just four games during that playoff run, finishing with two assists.
Kessel has 992 career points across 1286 games played. He’s played for five different NHL franchises in the past.
He’s known as a great character person in the dressing room.
“I love Phil. He’s one of my favourite teammates ever. One of the funniest guys. Obviously a great player, everyone knows what he can do on the ice,” current Canucks centre Teddy Blueger told Daily Hive earlier this year. “He’s a great character to have in the room and I think he was a big part of that camaraderie bringing guys together last year in Vegas. I mean, he’s an awesome guy, awesome player.”
Blueger and Kessel have played together for multiple teams in the past, including the Penguins and the Golden Knights.
The Canucks freed up the cap space needed to sign Kessel earlier in the day by sending Vasily Podkolzin to the AHL. However, no deal was made.
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