The Golden Knights didn’t have enough cap space to make the splashy moves of past offseasons, but they still added what could be a vital piece to the forward group in two-time Stanley Cup champion Phil Kessel.

A likely future Hall of Famer, the 35-year-old Kessel comes to Vegas after a forgettable three-year run with Arizona. He put up a respectable 133 points in 208 games for the Coyotes, but apart from one playoff appearance during the COVID-expanded 2020 postseason, the Coyotes were not a competitive group.

“Arizona had great guys,” Kessel says. “But when you don’t want to necessarily win and contend, it becomes difficult as a player, especially when you came from Pittsburgh. I wanted to win.”

Kessel signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Golden Knights in August. He has skated at left wing on the top line—the spot once occupied by the departed Max Pacioretty—alongside Jack Eichel and Reilly Smith.

Kessel is also approaching history. The 17-year NHL veteran has played in 982 consecutive games, just six shy of Keith Yandle’s record for the longest streak in NHL history. If healthy, Kessel will set a new mark on October 25 at San Jose.

Kessel also comes into the season 44 points from 1,000 for his career. He’ll likely become the third active player to reach that mark this year, joining Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos and Boston’s Patrice Bergeron.

“When you get the chance to play on a good team that wants to win, you’re always looking forward to it,” Kessel says.

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