Just before Christmas, reports emerged that Kessel was potentially looking at options in Europe, most likely Switzerland, just to get some game action and remain ready when an NHL team came calling, but nothing ever materialized.
One team that reportedly had interest in Kessel dating back to last summer was the Vancouver Canucks and now, as Patrik Allvin looks to make one or two more minor additions to his roster before a run towards the Stanley Cup, they're still interested in the 36-year-old.
Kessel, a native of Madison, Wisconsin, won his third Stanley Cup last season while with the Vegas Golden Knights. In 82 games during the regular season, Kessel put up 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists), 30 penalty minutes and was a minus-seven. He added two assists in four games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It'll be interesting to see if the Canucks, or any other team, manage to land Phil Kessel before 3 p.m. on Friday, March 8th, which is the deadline for players to be on an NHL roster for playoff eligibility.