Phil Kessel spent six of the first nine years of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. During that time, the now-member of the Vegas Golden Knights faced criticism left and right due to his inability to take the Leafs over the hump. Never mind the fact that hockey is a team sport; Kessel became the scapegoat for a Leafs team that failed in the playoffs over and over again.

But Kessel certainly is having the last laugh.

Following the Golden Knights' 9-3 win over the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, Phil Kessel has officially won his third championship, adding further to what has already been a great career for the veteran winger. And surely enough, Kessel let his army of doubters in the early 2010s hear it, saying that nothing his detractors say could take away from anything he has achieved.

“Takes me back to my Toronto days. You guys said I couldn’t win, and now I’m a three-time champ. Remember that,” Kessel said, per Mike Stephens of Sports Illustrated.

It's certainly a marvel that Phil Kessel became the vessel through which Leafs fans' and some pundits' frustrations came out. Kessel was always productive on the wing for the Leafs — the blame certainly doesn't fall on his shoulders alone that they kept on falling short during that period.

Nevertheless, Kessel is far removed from those days, thanks to the huge role he played during the Pittsburgh Penguins' championship runs in 2015 and 2016. Sure, playing alongside the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin helped a lot, but Kessel also did his part. During those two championship wins, Kessel tallied a total of 45 points in 49 playoff games, which is no mean feat.

Still, some critics will still find a way to put a damper on Kessel's achievements. He only played in four games during the Golden Knights' 2023 NHL playoff run, so some would say that he didn't really do much on his way to winning a third Stanley Cup. But he did play in 82 regular season games and helped the Golden Knights get to where they are right now, so he could flex his achievements all he wants.