Phil Kessel was constantly criticized during his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs for his conditioning. Despite the fact he was consistently one of the best scorers in the NHL, Maple Leafs fans thought Kessel could afford to drop a few pounds.
All of this scrutiny eventually led to Kessel parting ways with the Leafs and now he’s starting a new chapter with the Pittsburgh Penguins. That new start has also resulted in Kessel shedding some weight.
Penguins are happy with Phil Kessel. Worked with @GaryRobertsHPT this summer. Lost 13 lbs.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) September 4, 2015
Dropping that much weight is pretty significant for a player like Kessel. He’s officially listed at 202 pounds on NHL.com and his recent weight loss should put him right around 190. At that weight, Kessel should still have his strength, but he might be a bit more agile on his skates.