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The Boston Bruins 5th overall pick in the 2006 entry draft, Phil Kessel, decided to leave the University of Minnesota and sign a multi-year deal with his NHL club.
During the 2005-2006 season, Kessel played for the Minnesota Gophers tallying 18 goals, 33 assists for 51 points in 34 games. There's no question he is a hot young prospect. In recent years, he's been called everything from "The Next One" by Inside College Hockey to the king of hockey prospects by USA Today. The big question on people's minds right now is how well this 18-year-old potential superstar will fare in the NHL. I believe he should have developed one more year before turning pro. At 6 feet tall and 190 pounds, he'll need to beef up. Despite the buzz over Kessel, I'm not expecting too much from him this year. Actually, probably not for a few years. The Bruins did the same thing with Joe Thornton. During the 1996-97 season, Thornton played 59 games with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. During those 59 games, Joe scored 41 goals, 81 assists for 122 points. The following season, Joe signed with the Bruins. There, Thornton played 55 games and rang up 3 goals, 4 assists for a whopping total of 7 points. Not exactly impressive, and a lesson in patience for young hockey prospects. Kessel is a talented kid and he will make his mark in the NHL, but to go in with the big boys early like this is a mistake. This is a risky move, even if it will yield an NHL paycheck. What do you think? Are young players like Kessel rushing into the NHL? Join the discussion.
The copyright of the article Phil Kessel Moving Up to NHL in Ice Hockey is owned by Mike Carr. Permission to republish Phil Kessel Moving Up to NHL in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Comments
Aug 22, 2006 2:56 PM
Mike Carr
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Aug 22, 2006 5:36 PM
Brent Sedo
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2 Comments
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