Phil Kessel has always been praised as the perfect teammate. He is still the current active iron man in the NHL and has won three Stanley Cup championships throughout the years.
But Kessel is more than just a great hockey player; he’s one of the most well-liked figures in hockey, and everyone who’s played with him says exactly the same thing: that he’s probably the most hilarious player they have ever played with.
Kessel is known for not taking his training all that seriously. He’s also known as the guy who never liked water and instead drank Gatorade and soda off the ice.
Of course, Kessel is also famously known for having eaten hot dogs out of the Stanley Cup—more than once.
Kessel is a legend of the game, and when some of his former teammates share a story about him, it’s always a great laugh.
James van Riemsdyk played three seasons with Phil Kessel in Toronto before Kessel was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2016.
When JVR was a guest on the popular Spittin’ Chiclets podcast a few years ago, he shared one classic Kessel story about one of his classic chirps.
When van Riemsdyk played Kessel for the first time after the big move, he decided to give his former teammate a little whack on the leg.
”It’s the first after the trade, and we’re playing them in Pittsburgh. We’re out there lining up for the opening face off, and I’m like smiling at him, and then I give him a little whack on the top of the laces. Just to f—k with him a little bit,” van Riemsdyk said.
But of course, Phil Kessel had the perfect response all ready.
”He looks over at me and he goes, ’James, don’t forget who made you a player in this league.’”
Of course, James van Riemsdyk tried his best to imitate Kessel’s special voice, a voice Paul Bissonnette, co-host of Spittin’ Chiclets, describes as a ’whiny little voice.’
