Phil Kessel absolutely deserves to still be in the NHL. In fact, I’m surprised he wasn’t signed by an NHL club in the offseason. Kessel now appears close to signing with the Vancouver Canucks. The ironman has been skating with the Canuck’s AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, in what appears to be a tryout / conditioning stint. I’m thinking the same thing; Phil Kessel doesn’t need a conditioning stint, right?
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Here’s the thing though…I don’t think Kessel makes sense for the Vancouver Canucks. I just don’t see how he would fit in on their roster. To be successful Kessel should be a top 6 forward. He still has the tools to do it as well. Although he has clearly lost a step, Kessel can still skate & he is still a great playmaker and passer. I don’t see him surpassing any current Canucks forwards in the top 6. Barring a trade, Kessel would likely slot in on the bottom two forward lines for the Canucks. In my opinion, that is setting him up for failure. He doesn’t have the size and he does not play a physical game at all; a skillset most bottom 6 forwards have.
If I’m Kessel, I’m looking elsewhere. A team that has playoff aspirations that needs scoring help on the wing. I’m talking about you Boston! A Kessel reunion with the Bruins would be fun but it also makes a ton of sense. The Bruins are up against the salary cap and do not have the financial capabilities of improving their wing scoring. Enter Phil Kessel!
What do you think? Does Phil Kessel make sense on the Vancouver Canucks, or should another team sign him? Comment below!
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