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Philip Joseph Kessel Jr.American professional ice hockey player
Date of Birth: 02.10.1987
Country:  USA |
Content:
- American professional hockey player
- Early Career
- Highlight of Career
- College Years
- Professional Career
- Transition to Toronto Maple Leafs
American professional hockey player
Filip Joseph Kessel Jr. is an American professional hockey player currently playing in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is considered one of the top players in the national team program, excelling in goals and points.
Early Career
Kessel completed his junior career before joining the University of Minnesota team. In the 2006 NHL draft, he was selected fifth overall by the Boston Bruins. In his first season with the Bruins, Kessel won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
Highlight of Career
One of the highlights of Kessel's career was the 2004-2005 season when he gained attention from various agents as a junior player. However, he was unable to participate in the 2005 draft due to age restrictions. The following season did not go as well as expected, with Kessel only scoring one goal in the Ice Hockey World Championship, leading his team to a fourth-place finish.
College Years
Kessel's performance in college did not meet the high expectations placed upon him, but he still managed to score eighteen goals and accumulate fifty-one points by the end of the season, which was considered a solid performance for a rookie. He attended the University of Minnesota alongside future Boston Bruins forward Blake Wheeler. Despite his relatively weak performance, Kessel remained highly regarded and was selected in the first round of the 2006 NHL draft.
Professional Career
Before the draft, Kessel lost his title as North America's best skater, dropping to second and eventually fifth place. On August 17, 2006, it was announced that Kessel had signed a multi-year contract with the Boston Bruins, reportedly receiving the maximum rookie salary of $850,000. On December 11, 2006, Kessel was hospitalized for an undisclosed illness, later rumored to be testicular cancer. However, he returned to play on December 16. In his first season, Kessel ranked second among rookies with four shootout goals, which had a significant impact on the outcome of games. On March 31, 2007, Boston writers nominated Kessel for the Bill Masterton Trophy, which he won on June 14.
Transition to Toronto Maple Leafs
After the Boston Bruins lost in the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs, Kessel took a break from the sport to undergo shoulder surgery. Following a successful surgery and recovery period, he missed the beginning of the 2009-2010 season. On September 18, 2009, Kessel was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, signing a five-year contract worth $27 million. In exchange, the Bruins received the first and second overall picks in the 2010 draft, as well as the first pick in the 2011 draft. On November 3, 2009, Kessel made his debut with the Maple Leafs, although he did not contribute any goals or assists. Despite this, he was still named one of the three stars of the game. On January 1, 2010, it was announced that Kessel would be included in the roster for the US Olympic team for the games in Vancouver.
