Ex-Bruin Phil Kessel Reportedly Would Give Up ‘Ironman’ Streak To Play

Phil Kessel remains an NHL free agent heading into September, and he reportedly is willing to make a concession to sign with a team.

The former Boston Bruins forward helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup last season, but he did not re-sign with Vegas. Kessel will turn 36 years old Oct. 2, but the three-time Stanley Cup champion still feels he can contribute.

Kessel has let teams know it won’t be a problem if he’s not an everyday player, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Thursday. His current streak is 1,064 straight games played, and he’s the only player in NHL history to play 1,000 straight games. Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns has the second-longest streak at 761 games.

Friedman pointed out it’s important to let teams know about these kinds of details because breaking such a streak without notice could create backlash.

Kessel scored 16 goals and tallied 22 assists last season, and his veteran leadership would be an asset. The Bruins appear to be locked up at forward, especially with multiple young players who could compete for a spot on the bottom six.

But if Kessel does not have an issue being a part-time player, the Bruins could consider a reunion with the team that drafted him fifth overall in the 2006 NHL Draft.