Kessel admits to injury-plagued season, talks playoffs

Two-time Stanley Cup Champion Phil Kessel has been one of the league's most consistently healthy players, as is evidenced by his remarkable 844 game iron man streak, the third highest active streak behind only Keith Yandle (866) and Patrick Marleau (854), and 6th highest streak of all-time.

Still, despite playing 70 games in his first season in Arizona, Kessel appeared to struggle mightily in 2019-20, finding the back of the net just 14 times, his lowest single season goal total since his rookie season with the Boston Bruins in 2006-07, when he registered just 11 goals in the same number of games. Many pundits attributed Kessel's struggles to find the score sheet on a more frequent basis to the 32-year-old becoming acclimated to a new environment and a new system, but on Tuesday, Kessel broke the silence and spoke about his somewhat disappointing season during a Zoom call with the media.

“Obviously I had a tough year. I think it's probably my most injuries I've had is this year, but that's no excuse, right? It's one of those years, and obviously I'm not going to look to never have that again. I've never had a year like that. So I'm looking to bounce back.”

It had been documented early into the season that Kessel was experiencing some issues with his groin, though he would not use that fact as an excuse for his lacklustre performance. Now, in the midst of a long layoff due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Kessel and other players from around the league have had the time to recover, and the Madison, Wisconsin native is looking forward to the opportunity that he and the Yotes have before them. To try and win the Stanley Cup.

With Kessel and several of his squad mates having extensive playoff experience, the Coyotes look to lean on that experience and convert it into a successful playoff run, acknowledging that what is about to occur with this 24-team format is quite unorthodox.

“I think it matters. I think guys that have been there in those spots, they know what to expect and what to do. And I think to be honest, it's a different level of hockey, and it's a faster, more crisp game. It's a fun time of year.

“We're going to have to get into it right away. I think it's going to be a different playoff than ever before, obviously. I think without fans and everything, it's going to be strange. But I think guys know what they're playing for. And we all want the chance to win.”

With the July 10th training camp date fast approaching, the anticipation is growing amongst the teams, media and fans alike that we may yet see hockey resume, despite what seemed like an almost insurmountable task when the season was put on pause in March.

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