Phil Kessel Trolls Toronto Media After Winning Third Cup Since Leaving Maple Leafs
Phil Kessel got the last laugh when he hoisted the Stanley Cup for the third time since leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Let's see, that means 3 Cups for Phil The Thrill, and — *checks notes* — zero for the Leafs since 1967.
Kessel played in Toronto between 2009 and 2015. That's the pre-Auston Matthews/Kyle Dubas/over-spending era, and he was often criticized by Toronto media.
Many said Kessel would never win a Stanley Cup and criticized his work ethic.
However, upon moving on to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Kessel won back-to-back Cups in 2016 and 2017. Now, after winning a third Cup, this time with the Vegas Golden Knights, Kessel had a message for Toronto media.
“Takes me back to my Toronto days," he said, per The Hockey News. "You guys said I couldn’t win, and now I’m a three-time champ. Remember that.”
Even crazier than Kessel's three Cups is that still — despite his legendary disdain for working out and even drinking water — he is the only man in NHL history to have played more than 1,000 consecutive games.
While Kessel was scratched for most of the playoffs and appeared in just 4 games, his iron man streak is still intact, seeing as only regular-season games count.
As if you needed anything else to tell you what a beauty Phil Kessel is, take this other interview he did with TNT's Jackie Redmond Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
Damn. What a guy.
Congrats, Phil.
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