Phil Kessel's First Practice In Vancouver Raising Questions About His Ability to Play in the NHL
Some questions are being asked about Phil Kessel's ability to play in the NHL after his first practice with Vancouver didn't go as he'd likely hoped it would.
Kessel's Conditioning Falls Flat In First Practice With Vancouver
Phil Kessel was seemingly just gifted an insane opportunity to make his comeback to the NHL with one of the frontrunners for the Stanley Cup. However, questions are being raised about his current state of conditioning, and if he is fit enough to play in the NHL.
He was seen gassed during practice with Abbotsford, raising questions about whether he would need a conditioning stint before joining an NHL roster.
@CTVVancouver
Is Kessel a Good Fit In Vancouver and Can They Make it Work?
The Vancouver Canucks are having a breakout season this year, and it begs the question as to whether Kessel brings anything to the table that they really need. One aspect of Kessel's game that the Canucks could use is his Stanley Cup experience. While the Canucks likely already have the leadership they want at the helm for the post-season, Kessel brings a veteran, glue-guy presence to a locker room that can go beyond the hard-nosed leadership that is required to get it done in the post-season.
The Canucks will have to decide if this is worth the risk of adding him to the roster, as that means roster shuffles would be in store for the team who has everything going for them right now. We will see what they decide to do.
| POLL | ||
FÉVRIER 15 | 137 ANSWERS Phil Kessel's First Practice In Vancouver Raising Questions About His Ability to Play in the NHL Do you think Kessel is a good fit for the Canucks? | ||
| Yes | 46 | 33.6 % |
| No | 91 | 66.4 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Brandon Hagel | - | 5 | 5 | |
| Sebastian Aho | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Nico Hischier | 3 | - | 3 | |
| Macklin Celebrini | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Jakob Chychrun | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Seth Jarvis | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Nikita Kucherov | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Zachary Bolduc | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Will Cuylle | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Lars Eller | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Jake Guentzel | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Alex Iafallo | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Ivan Ivan | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Drake Batherson | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Simon Edvinsson | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jack Eichel | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Morgan Frost | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Miro Heiskanen | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 22 | 18 | 4 | - | 36 | |
Devils | 24 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 32 | |
Hurricanes | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 31 | |
Wild | 21 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 30 | |
Golden Knights | 22 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 30 | |
Capitals | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 29 | |
Maple Leafs | 21 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 28 | |
Flames | 22 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 27 | |
Stars | 20 | 13 | 7 | - | 26 | |
Rangers | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 25 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||