Phil Kessel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Phil Kessel
Kessel with the Arizona Coyotes in November 2019
Born	(1987-10-02) October 2, 1987 (age 37) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	208 lb (94 kg; 14 st 12 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shoots	Right
NHL team Former teams	Free agent Boston Bruins Toronto Maple Leafs Pittsburgh Penguins Arizona Coyotes Vegas Golden Knights
National team	United States
NHL Draft	5th overall, 2006 Boston Bruins
Playing career	2006–present

Philip Joseph Kessel Jr. (born October 2, 1987) is an American professional ice hockey player. He plays as a winger and is currently a free agent. People often call him "Phil the Thrill" because of his exciting play. He has played for several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), including the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona Coyotes, and Vegas Golden Knights.

Phil Kessel is a three-time Stanley Cup champion! He won two championships in a row with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017. He then won a third Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023.

Kessel is known for scoring lots of goals, with over 400 in his career. He also holds an amazing NHL record: the most consecutive games played, known as the "ironman" streak. He has played over 1,000 games in a row! This streak started in the 2009–10 season and is still the NHL record.

Phil Kessel also plays for the United States in international games. He has played in three World Championships and two Winter Olympics. He won a silver medal at the 2010 Olympics and was named the best forward at the 2014 Olympics.

Phil Kessel's Hockey Journey

Early Years and College Hockey

Phil Kessel started playing youth hockey in his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. He was a fantastic scorer from a young age. For example, in one season, he scored 176 goals and had 110 assists in just 86 games! He gives credit to his former coach, Bob Suter, for helping him become the player he is today.

In 2003, Kessel joined the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP). This program helps train the best young hockey players in the United States. He set new records for goals scored by a player under 18. In the 2004–05 season, he scored 52 goals and 98 points. These records were later broken by other talented players like Patrick Kane and Cole Caufield.

After finishing his time with the NTDP, Kessel went to the University of Minnesota. He played for their college hockey team, the Golden Gophers. In his first college game, he scored his first goal on a penalty shot, which was a first for the team! He finished his freshman year with 51 points in 39 games. He was named the Rookie of the Year for his league.

In 2006, the Boston Bruins picked Kessel as the fifth overall player in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. This meant he was one of the top young players chosen to play in the NHL. He decided to turn professional and signed a contract with the Bruins.

Playing in the NHL

Boston Bruins (2006–2009)

Phil Kessel made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins on October 6, 2006. Early in his career, he faced a health challenge but quickly returned to play after missing only 11 games.

Kessel in April 2008. He played with the Boston Bruins from 2006 to 2009.

In January 2007, Kessel was chosen to play in the NHL YoungStars Game. This game features the best young players in the league. He scored three goals, which is called a hat-trick, and had an assist in that game! Later that year, he won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. This award is given to a player who shows great sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

In the 2008–09 season, Kessel had a great year, scoring 36 goals. This was the most goals he had scored in his career at that time. He also had a long scoring streak of 18 games. He played a big part in the Bruins' playoff run that year, scoring six goals.

Toronto Maple Leafs (2009–2015)

In September 2009, Kessel was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He signed a big five-year contract with them. He missed the first month of the season due to a shoulder injury. When he finally played his first game as a Leaf, he had a career-high ten shots on goal.

Kessel in December 2009, shortly after his debut game with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

When Kessel played against his old team, the Bruins, for the first time, the fans in Boston cheered loudly against him. But Kessel said it didn't bother him.

In 2010, Kessel was chosen to play for Team USA at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The U.S. team won a silver medal, losing to Canada in the final game.

Kessel at a Maple Leafs practice held at an outdoor rink in Trinity Bellwoods Park in December 2010.

Kessel continued to be a top scorer for the Maple Leafs. He scored 30 goals or more for three seasons in a row. In the 2011–12 season, he scored his first hat-trick as a Maple Leaf. He was named the NHL's First Star of the Month for October. He also reached 300 career points and set a new career-high with 82 points that season.

In 2013, Kessel and the Maple Leafs made it to the playoffs for the first time in seven years! He continued to lead his team in scoring. In October 2013, he signed an eight-year contract extension, which was the biggest in Maple Leafs history at the time.

Kessel was again chosen to play for Team USA at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He had a fantastic tournament, leading all players in scoring with five goals and three assists. He was named the best forward in the tournament.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2015–2019)

In July 2015, Kessel was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. This was a big trade as the Maple Leafs were rebuilding their team. Kessel quickly made an impact with the Penguins. In December 2015, he played his 500th consecutive game, showing his amazing durability.

Kessel with the Pittsburgh Penguins in June 2017.

On June 12, 2016, Kessel won his first Stanley Cup when the Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks. He was a key player in the playoffs, leading the Penguins in scoring with 10 goals and 22 points. He was very close to winning the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the most valuable player in the playoffs.

Kessel holding the Stanley Cup after winning the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals with the Penguins.

After winning the Stanley Cup, Kessel brought the trophy to his hometown and also to SickKids Hospital to share it with patients. When he won his second Stanley Cup in 2017, he famously took pictures eating hot dogs out of the Cup!

In the 2017–18 season, Kessel had his best year ever, scoring 92 points (34 goals and 58 assists). He also set a new career-high with 58 assists. In October 2018, he scored his sixth career hat-trick. He continued his amazing streak of playing in every game, setting a new Penguins record for consecutive games played.

Arizona Coyotes (2019–2022)

In June 2019, Kessel was traded to the Arizona Coyotes. In October 2019, he played his 1,000th career NHL game, a huge milestone for any player. In May 2021, he reached another big milestone, scoring his 900th point in the NHL.

Kessel kept his "ironman" streak going even during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2022, he played the first shift of a game, then left early to fly back to Arizona to be there for the birth of his first child. He then rejoined his team less than 48 hours later! This showed his dedication to both his family and his team.

Vegas Golden Knights (2022–2023)

In August 2022, Kessel signed with the Vegas Golden Knights. On October 25, 2022, Kessel officially broke the NHL record for most consecutive games played, reaching his 990th game in a row! In that same game, he scored his 400th career goal.

Then, on November 17, 2022, Kessel became the first player in NHL history to play 1,000 consecutive games! This is an incredible achievement that shows his toughness and consistency.

Kessel played in all 82 regular season games for the Golden Knights. Even though he didn't play in many playoff games after the first round, he was still a great teammate. He won his third Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023, making him a three-time champion!

International Play

Kessel with the United States national team at the 2007 World Championship.
Medal record
Representing  United States
Ice hockey
Olympic Games
Silver	2010 Vancouver
IIHF World U18 Championship
Silver	2004 Minsk
Gold	2005 Plzeň

Phil Kessel has proudly represented the United States in many international hockey tournaments.

Junior Hockey Tournaments

He played in the World U17 Hockey Challenge in 2004, where he was one of the top scorers. Later that year, he won a silver medal at the IIHF World U18 Championship. In 2005, he won a gold medal at the World U18 Championship, leading the tournament in goals and points. He was also named the tournament's best forward.

Senior Hockey Tournaments

Kessel first played for the senior U.S. national team in 2006 at the 2006 IIHF World Championship. He also played in the 2007 and 2008 World Championships.

Kessel with the United States men's national hockey team at the 2010 Winter Olympics. The U.S. team won silver in the Olympic tournament.

In 2010, Kessel played for Team USA at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where the team won a silver medal. He returned to the Olympics in 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Even though the U.S. team didn't win a medal, Kessel had an amazing individual performance. He led the entire tournament in points and was named the best forward.

Personal Life

Phil Kessel comes from Verona, Wisconsin. His family is full of successful athletes! His father, Phil Kessel Sr., played college football. His brother, Blake, also played professional hockey as a defenseman. His sister, Amanda, is a professional ice hockey player too and won a gold medal with the U.S. women's team at the 2018 Winter Olympics. His cousin, David Moss, also played in the NHL.

In his free time, Kessel enjoys playing poker. He has even played in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) several times. He is friends with famous professional poker player Daniel Negreanu. Phil Kessel and his girlfriend have one daughter.

Unique Lifestyle

Kessel holding the Stanley Cup after winning the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals with the Penguins.

Phil Kessel is known for his unusual diet, which is different from most professional athletes. He doesn't like the taste of water, so he drinks mostly soft drinks and sports drinks. He has been known to drink Coca-Cola between periods during games! He also enjoys junk food and snacks like Sour Patch Kids.

There's a famous story (though it's debated) that Kessel used to eat a hot dog from a street vendor every afternoon while he played in Toronto. Kessel himself made fun of this story after winning his second Stanley Cup in 2017. He posed with the Cup filled with hot dogs and said, "hot dogs taste better out of the Stanley Cup!" Many other NHL players have commented on his diet, often surprised that he can play at such a high level despite his unique eating habits.

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2004	United States	U17	4th		5	6	4	10	0
2004	United States	WJC18			6	7	3	10	6
2005	United States	WJC	4th		7	4	2	6	2
2005	United States	WJC18			6	9	7	16	2
2006	United States	WJC	4th		7	1	10	11	2
2006	United States	WC	7th		7	1	1	2	2
2007	United States	WC	5th		7	2	5	7	6
2008	United States	WC	6th		7	6	4	10	6
2010	United States	OLY			6	1	1	2	0
2014	United States	OLY	4th		6	5	3	8	2
Junior totals			26		21	22	43	12
Senior totals			33		15	14	29	16

NHL All-Star Games

Awards and Honors

Kessel being interviewed by Billy Jaffe shortly after winning the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Records

NHL Records

• First NHL rookie to win the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
• Holds the record for most consecutive games played: 1,064 games in a row!
• First player in NHL history to play 1,000 consecutive games.
• Most consecutive games played including playoffs: 1,149 (this is an unofficial record).

Pittsburgh Penguins Records

• Most consecutive games played for the Penguins: 328.

NHL Milestones

• October 6, 2006: Played his first NHL game against the Florida Panthers.
• October 7, 2006: Recorded his first point (an assist).
• October 21, 2006: Scored his first NHL goal.
• October 12, 2007: Scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game).
• March 11, 2010: Scored his first overtime goal.
• January 7, 2012: Scored his first goal on a penalty shot.
• March 26, 2016: Had a career-high 4 assists and 5 points in one game.
• October 11, 2018: Scored his first "natural" hat-trick (three goals in a row).
• March 12, 2019: Scored his 100th power play goal.
• May 7, 2021: Reached 900 career points.
• October 25, 2022: Played his 990th consecutive regular-season game (an NHL record) and scored his 400th career goal.
• November 17, 2022: Became the first player in NHL history to play 1,000 consecutive regular-season games.
• April 24, 2023: Played in his 100th playoff game.

Images for kids

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  Kessel holding the Stanley Cup after winning the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals with the Penguins.

See also

• List of NHL players with 500 consecutive games played
• List of NHL players with 1,000 games played