Phil Kessel Forced to Make Significant Change Already After Joining The Vegas Golden Knights

Well, he sure found one! It may not be a long-term fit, but Kessel signed a four year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights that holds a average earnings salary of $1.5 million per season, NHL insider Elliot Friedman reported.

Kessel, has worn number eighty-one for the past sixteen years and seasons in the NHL, he has two Stanley Cups underneath his belt as he won both in back-to-back years with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 as well as 2017.

Kessel brings a goal-scoring ability to the Vegas Golden Knights, a attribute the team is dearly in need of after they traded away a injured Max Pacioretty, and received nothing in return. One minor issue is Kessel is forced to make a change that will be quite weird to see..

Kessel is forced to change his jersey number as new teammate Jonathan Marchessault holds the number eighty-one, Phil The Thrill Kessel has decided he will be wearing number eight, a goal scorers number that Alex Ovechkin also wears. Kessel has held #81 for sixteen years.

A Vegas Golden Knights reported tweeted that Kessel did not expect to be offered the number eighty-one by Marchessault despite him offering it afterwards of his signing in Vegas. Marchessault has been a leader for the Knights for multiple seasons now, and Kessel will respect his number.