Is Phil Kessel an anomaly?

[FrozenJagrt]

Kessel doesn't need to engage physically. He's one of the best in the league at being invisible. Players typically forget he's on the ice until the puck is in the back of their net.

I've said it throughout his career. He's not paid to be a banger. He's paid to bring offense and that's exactly what he does.

 

[bring back the jets]

He's a husky guy but he's still fit. Definitely more explosive than you'd first expect though.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Kessel's just a super freak (he's super freak-eh!!!). In seriousness, dude naturally has wicked speed. Beyond that, anyone ever give pause to consider maybe the breaks he takes are actually beneficial? It doesn't take much to over train. Your body needs to recover. I'm not in the NHL and am older but still work out pretty hard 4 - 5 times per week (which is probably too much). These past few weeks I have done very little aside from rowing and the few bigger weight based workouts I have done, I felt tremendous. My body needed that. If memory serves, the year Tampa won the Cup, the had the fewest practices of any team. Also the least injuries. Their belief was that would be a benefit. Apart from God given talent, maybe Phil is doing what works for his body?

 

[ESH]

Did people actually watch him play in Toronto?

Where did this idea he was unfit come from? He's an above average NHL skater, with a spectacular wrist shot, and on top of that, he's really smart with the puck on his stick.

I was happy to see him leave Toronto, and not come to the central.

I think that’s a bit of an understatement really

 

[Khomutov]

Whens the last time he missed a game? Playoffs included..

Last time in 2009-2010.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Well he does look more like a school custodian in line at an all you can eat buffet than an athlete, but as someone said above, he's a freak. And that's not meant in a derogatory fashion. No way he looks like an athlete, but he is. Not only that, but he is an elite athlete.

So I would say yes, Phil is an anomaly.

He kind of reminds me of Superman from the old TV series. The guy wasn't in that great of shape and his belt held his stomach in, but he's Superman ferchrissakes!

 

[Matty Sundin]

While he's not super ripped his body is quite average and wouldn't exactly call him fat. Kyle Wellwood was guy that was out of shape,was not physical at all, just very lazy but skilled player and still played almost 500 games in the nhl

 

[seafoam]

How many of us here have seen Phil Kessel's offseason training program? Please raise your hand..

 

[TheAngryHank]

Brett Hull 2.0?

I seen Hull in vail when the stars were doing training camp,dude was yoked.

 

[cjm502]

The shape of Kessels face =/= out of shape

 

[LeafFever]

His lack of mileage on his body will offset the constant talk of his lack of conditioning.

 

[LeafFever]

Whens the last time he missed a game? Playoffs included..

October, 2009. That was from an injury sustained when he was a Bruin.

 

[Eddy Punch Clock]

Brett Hull 2.0?

The Babe Ruth of Hockey.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I'd say he's also elite at avoiding contact (not in an insulting way) which definitely helps for longevity.

That's not an insult. It's a talent. As for this thread you aren't going to be able to make it in this league much less be a star if you are out of shape-period.

 

[LeafFever]

Remember all the knocks Kessel got about being one-dimensional and he's not good to have on a team? The jokes on those people. He has not missed a game in over 8 years, has 2 cups and fantastic playoff stats.
And the "Streaky" crap is funny. The guy is incredibly consistent.

 

[JayKing]

That's not an insult. It's a talent. As for this thread you aren't going to be able to make it in this league much less be a star if you are out of shape-period.

Just didn't want people mistaking my post as an opportunity to call him soft or anything. I respect players that can avoid contact and make the most of their offensive ability. This is exactly what Kessel does

 

[LeafFever]

We all like our boys big and tough. But those guys don't play every game for 8 years or look fresh as a daisy once the playoffs start.
Kessel is very smart.

 

[SirSamofHouseBennett]

Phil is an assassin! I have really grown to respect his killer instinct and DGAF demeanour.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

I guess so. He's a stanley cup champion.

 

[Pestilence]

If you don’t think he is fit just because he has a round face I don’t know what people can do to explain it to you.

Like the f***

 

[maacoshark]

Phil Kessel is an old school player. Had he played hockey in the 1970-80, he'd be a HOFer by now.

He couldn't have played at that time. The game was way more physical. The NHL is now the No Hitting League. Hockey in the 70s was nasty.

 

[Raym11]

Well he hasn't watched Kessel play and made a random assessment i guess

 

[Hasbro]

No one will ever have the physical form versus performance incongruity of Wayne Gretzky.

 

[end]

You can hear people say that Sidney Crosby didn't deserve his 2016 Smythe and that Phil Kessel sucks because he didn't win the Smythe.

 

[authentic]

He couldn't have played at that time. The game was way more physical. The NHL is now the No Hitting League. Hockey in the 70s was nasty.

Lol yeah right. Did you miss the 2005-2011 period of hockey?