Phil Kessel takes shot at Toronto following third Stanley Cup win

Phil Kessel is now a 3-time Stanley Cup champion and wants Toronto to know he hasn’t forgotten about the sometimes rocky relationship he had with the city when he was a Maple Leaf.

“Takes me back to my Toronto days,” the Vegas Golden Knights right winger told Mike Stephens of The Hockey News Tuesday night after winning his third Cup following a 9-3 blowout over the Florida Panthers.

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“You guys said I couldn’t win, and now I’m a three-time champ. Remember that.”

Kessel, who played six seasons with the Leafs between 2009 and 2015 with only one post-season appearance to show for it, was heavily criticized for not being able to lift the team into the playoffs during his tenure.

Despite being the leading goal scorer for the team in all six years, his work ethic, leadership, and dedication to defensive play was often up for debate when he was wearing blue and white.

He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015, where he went on to win his first two Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.

Next, the 35-year-old from Madison, Wisconsin spent three seasons with the Arizona Coyotes before being signed to the Knights in 2022.

Kessel, who holds the record for most consecutive games played in the NHL at 1,064, was a healthy scratch for Game 5, but got dressed for the on-ice celebrations Tuesday night. 

Members of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrate after they defeated the Florida Panthers 9-3 to win the Stanley Cup in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)