Golden Knights sign Kessel to 1-year, $1.5M deal

The Vegas Golden Knights signed unrestricted free-agent forward Phil Kessel to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million on Wednesday.

The veteran winger scored 52 points over 82 games in his third full season with the Arizona Coyotes in 2021-22 and led the team with 44 helpers.

The Coyotes struggled to produce last campaign and scored a league-worst 206 goals, but Kessel factored in with an assist on 21% of those tallies.

Though Kessel mustered just eight goals in 2021-22, a career-worst 4.6 shooting percentage handcuffed him. However, he'll have a plethora of offensive weapons to work with in Sin City.

Kessel owns the league's longest active ironman streak, playing in 982 consecutive NHL contests. The 34-year-old is eight games away from breaking defenseman Keith Yandle's all-time record.

The Wisconsin native captured back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017. Kessel paced the Penguins with 18 goals in 49 contests during those combined playoff runs and ranked third on the team with 45 points.

Since entering the league in 2006-07, Kessel sits in the top 10 in goals (399), points (956), and games played (1,204). He's eclipsed the 50-point mark in a single season 12 times during his career.

Drafted by the Boston Bruins with the fifth overall pick in 2006, Kessel also spent six seasons as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2009-15. He topped the team in points during each of those campaigns.

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