New potential suitor emerges in the Phil Kessel sweepstakes

With the dog days of free agency among us, signings and trades have slowed to a crawl. Rumours, however, always seem to be coming out and bring hockey fans glimpses of hope that we may yet witness to something exciting.

The latest rumour has former Leaf Phil Kessel's name enteting the conversation. As one of the top remaining forward free agents, it will be interesting to see where the 2006 fifth overall draft pick will end up. One insider has a hunch and it could be in somewhat familiar territory; the Atlantic Division.

According to Mike Rupp of the NHL Network, the Florida Panthers could be a landing spot for the 2006 Masterton Trophy winner. This wouldn't be a bad fit at all for Kessel, as it would certainly give him a chance at winning another Stanley Cup. From the Panthers' standpoint, adding a depth forward with some finishing ability and two Stanley Cup rings couldn't hurt.




Kessel, 34, is coming off a season that saw him post 8 goals and 44 assists for a total of 52 points in 82 games. Playing in mostly a top six role for the rebuilding Arizona Coyotes, Kessel showed this past season that he can still very much produce at a more than respectful level, even in his mid-30's.

Coming off an 8-year $64 million dollar contract signed in 2014-2015 during his time with the Leafs, Phil can definitely expect to see a decrease in pay. Fortunately for the two-time Stanley Cup winner, his veteran presence and killer playoff instinct is something Florida could use considering the lack of playoff experience on their team. Kessel would likely slot into a bottom six role with the Panthers and may not see as many minutes as he's used to, but he definitely has the ability to make his presence felt.