Let’s just take a moment to appreciate Phil Kessel, who could be a two-time Stanley Cup champion just two seasons removed from a trade that sent him to Pittsburgh.
Kessel is quite the fun-loving character, and is everything kids should aspire to be when they think about being a professional athlete. He is true to himself, he has fun playing the sport he loves, and he's an elite level talent.
Of course, Kessel seemed to be misunderstood early on in his career, which came to a peak while playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The trade that sent him to Pittsburgh was a fresh start for Kessel, and he now finds himself in his second Stanley Cup in two seasons. Fresh starts don't get much better than that.
Someone in a similar situation to Kessel's experience in Toronto was P.K. Subban's time in Montreal. While the fans loved him, Subban was clearly misunderstood by people within the Canadiens' organization. Subban was traded to the Nashville Predators, and is in the exact spot Kessel was last season. Playing for a new franchise, in a town that puts less pressure on hockey players, with an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup.
During Penguins media availability on Sunday, Kessel took some time to tell Michael Traikos of Postmedia News exactly what he thought of Subban's situation.
After the negative comments we heard from John Scott earlier today, it's refreshing to hear such positive comments coming from Kessel, a player who will soon be going head-to-head against Subban on the biggest stage in hockey.
These two players have very different personalities, but both make the NHL a more entertaining and fun league to watch in their own way. And we love it!
(H/T @Michael_Traikos)
