The Vegas Golden Knights made waves this offseason for some questionable decisions they have made in recent years. The team also made a controversial move, trading Max Pacioretty to the Carolina Hurricanes for effectively nothing.
However, the Golden Knights are looking to go for it. They hired Bruce Cassidy as head coach following his departure from the Boston Bruins. And they have added Stanley Cup championship experience in the form of Phil Kessel.
Kessel and the Golden Knights agreed to a one-year contract, the team announced on Wednesday night. Vegas revealed the 34-year-old will earn $1.5 million this upcoming season.
The move is low-risk, high-reward for the Golden Knights. Kessel is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and has played over 1200 games in the NHL. That experience can help any team looking to contend for a Stanley Cup.
For Kessel, the move allows him to take a shot at winning another Cup. He is in the latter stages of his career, and winning is likely a really important thing for him.
Kessel has accomplished a lot in his career. The 34-year-old Golden Knights forward has 956 points in 1204 games. He has appeared in 982 consecutive games, which is seven games shy of Keith Yandle’s all-time record for consecutive games played.
A first-round pick of the Bruins in 2006, Kessel has played 16 NHL seasons. He is one goal shy of 400 career goals. Kessel has spent time with the Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Arizona Coyotes.
It was with the Penguins that Kessel won his two-Stanley Cups. He and the Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. They became the first team to win back-to-back Cups since the late 90s Detroit Red Wings.