Kessel is reportedly willing to make significant sacrifice play in 2023-24 season

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Cooper Godin
August 31, 2023 (9:08 PM)

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Three-time Stanley Cup Champion Phil Kessel has been available to teams across the NHL since becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, but so far, no one has inked him to a contract.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Kessel says he's willing to end his ironman streak, which is currently at 1,065 games, to play in the National Hockey League during the 2023-24 season.

"The three-time Stanley Cup champion wants to play again in 2023-24. But, the most significant detail is that he's let teams know it won't be a problem if he's not an every-day player." Friedman said.

Despite playing every regular season game with the Golden Knights last season, Kessel fell out of the lineup during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, only appearing in four games during their run, all of which came during their first round series against the Winnipeg Jets.

There probably aren't many options out there right now for Phil Kessel, but it's certainly possible that he could sign a professional try-out contract with a team before the start of training camp next month and could earn his way to a contract on an NHL roster for the regular season.

Kessel, 35, had 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists), 30 penalty minutes and was a minus-seven in 82 games last season.