University of Minnesota Athletics
Kessel Joins Arizona Coyotes Roster
7/1/2019 10:43:00 AM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – Gopher Hockey alum and two-time Stanley Cup champion Phil Kessel is the newest member of the Arizona Coyotes after a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins over the weekend.
A native of Madison, Wis., Kessel skated in his 13th NHL season during the 2018-19 campaign and has developed one of the best professional resumes ever by a Gopher Hockey alum. He ranks second in Pride on Ice program history in regular-season points (823), regular-season goals (357) and regular-season assists (466) while he should join Neal Broten, Mike Ramsey and Thomas Vanek as the only Maroon & Gold players to skate in 1,000 career NHL regular-season games next season (Kessel currently has played in 996 NHL games). The forward has also added 87 career playoff games with 77 points (33 goals, 44 assists) while helping Pittsburgh claim the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017.
All told, the three-time NHL All-Star has not missed a game in the last nine NHL seasons while his streak of 774 consecutive regular-season appearances ranks eighth all-time in NHL history.
Kessel, who will be reunited with his former Gopher Hockey teammate Alex Goligoski on the Coyotes roster, has recorded the best two seasons of his career over the last two years with 92 points (34 goals, 58 assists) in 2017-18 and 82 points (27 goals, 55 assists) in 2018-19.
With the Gophers, Kessel helped the Maroon & Gold capture the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular-season champions in 2005-06. The forward was named the WCHA Rookie of the Year after finishing second on the team with 51 points (18 goals, 33 assists) in 39 games. Following his freshman season, Kessel was selected fifth overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins – one of four Gophers selected in the first round that year. Arizona will be Kessel's fourth NHL team, after the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins.
On the international stage, the forward has competed in three World Championships as well as the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympic Games (Kessel won a silver medal in 2010 and was named the top forward in 2014).
A native of Madison, Wis., Kessel skated in his 13th NHL season during the 2018-19 campaign and has developed one of the best professional resumes ever by a Gopher Hockey alum. He ranks second in Pride on Ice program history in regular-season points (823), regular-season goals (357) and regular-season assists (466) while he should join Neal Broten, Mike Ramsey and Thomas Vanek as the only Maroon & Gold players to skate in 1,000 career NHL regular-season games next season (Kessel currently has played in 996 NHL games). The forward has also added 87 career playoff games with 77 points (33 goals, 44 assists) while helping Pittsburgh claim the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017.
All told, the three-time NHL All-Star has not missed a game in the last nine NHL seasons while his streak of 774 consecutive regular-season appearances ranks eighth all-time in NHL history.
Kessel, who will be reunited with his former Gopher Hockey teammate Alex Goligoski on the Coyotes roster, has recorded the best two seasons of his career over the last two years with 92 points (34 goals, 58 assists) in 2017-18 and 82 points (27 goals, 55 assists) in 2018-19.
With the Gophers, Kessel helped the Maroon & Gold capture the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular-season champions in 2005-06. The forward was named the WCHA Rookie of the Year after finishing second on the team with 51 points (18 goals, 33 assists) in 39 games. Following his freshman season, Kessel was selected fifth overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins – one of four Gophers selected in the first round that year. Arizona will be Kessel's fourth NHL team, after the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins.
On the international stage, the forward has competed in three World Championships as well as the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympic Games (Kessel won a silver medal in 2010 and was named the top forward in 2014).
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