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The 2023 NHL offseason has had an exciting start with some big trades already taking place. That excitement only ramps up this week, with the NHL Draft on Wednesday and Thursday and free agency beginning on Saturday. This year's free agency class isn't the strongest, with no real stars on the market. However, there are still some intriguing players who could be valuable additions to a new team. One such player is veteran forward Phil Kessel, who spent last season with the Stanley Cup-champion Vegas Golden Knights.
It's not a stretch to say that Kessel is a fan-favorite player across the NHL. The 35-year-old is known for many feats, such as his iron man streak of over 1,000 games and his iconic Stanley Cup celebrations. Oh yeah, he's also now a three-time champion, winning two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017 and his third this year.
Phil Kessel is loading the Stanley Cup with hot dogs again 🌭
(H/T: @BR_OpenIce) pic.twitter.com/p84Gd5zojY
— BarDown (@BarDown) June 19, 2023
Kessel isn't the player he once was, as he scored just 14 goals and 36 goals this season while being a healthy scratch for much of the playoffs. However, he can still be a valuable complementary scorer and brings tons of experience to any team. With a weaker free-agent class this year, Kessel should receive plenty of interest.
With that said, here are three teams who look like great fits for the veteran forward.
3. Dallas Stars
The Stars seem to be on the cusp of contention if they aren't already there. They have exciting young players such as Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Miro Heiskanen, and Jason Robertson, plus good veteran presence with Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, and Tyler Seguin. While they lost to the Golden Knights in the playoffs, a Western Conference Final run is nothing to scoff at.
As Dallas looks to add the final few pieces, it will likely look for cheaper options. The Stars have around $7.4 million in cap space and still have six roster spots to fill, so their options are somewhat limited. Knowing that, it's possible they could pursue Kessel to add some secondary scoring.
The Stars have had some offensive dry spells in recent years, so adding an extra punch wouldn't be a bad idea. Kessel could fit well on the second or third line and bring some cup-winning experience. He may not be as physical as other Stars players, but could still be a valuable addition all the same.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
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Tampa Bay is near the salary cap more often than not, and this offseason is no exception. The Lightning have just $450,000 in cap space without LTIR relief, and even with it, they still don't have much room. With Alex Killorn and Corey Perry hitting unrestricted free agency, and RFA Ross Colton a possible trade candidate, the Lightning will need some help on the wing.
That's where Phil Kessel comes in as a cheap veteran option. He'd fit in very well in the middle six and bring an added jolt to the power, play which already finished third in the league at 25.4 percent this season. Kessel on the second line with Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel sounds particularly effective with a mix of offense and defense.
The Lightning has plenty of Stanley Cup experience as they just won two of them in 2020 to 2021, but adding more never hurts. If they can get Kessel for around $1 million, he could be a great asset in pursuing another championship.
1. Minnesota Wild
Minnesota is also tight on cap space but for a much different reason. The Wild are facing brutal penalties for the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, so they're down almost $15 million in cap space for the next two seasons. That makes trying to build a Stanley Cup-caliber team exceptionally difficult, and they'll need help on the cheap.
Enter Kessel, who, once again, brings plenty of secondary scoring, power play help, and experience. The Wild's offense dried up in their first-round loss to the Stars, and with subpar depth on the right wing, Kessel seems like a natural fit. There are also plenty of connections between Kessel and Minnesota, such as his familiarity with general manager Bill Guerin from his Pittsburgh days and the fact that he played college hockey with the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
It's worth noting that Phil Kessel once vetoed a trade to Minnesota in 2019, with the then-Penguins winger instead going to the Arizona Coyotes. However, his concerns were reportedly due to the roster construction at the time. Now that the Wild are in a much better spot, this may no longer be a concern. If so, then the Wild may be the best fit for the veteran winger.
