MAJOR: Phil Kessel is Done Playing Hockey in the NHL

Kessel and the Canucks were in talks for a while. The 36-year-old winger even started skating with the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks last month, gearing up for a potential contract.

He's quite the player, with three Stanley Cup wins under his belt and just eight points away from hitting 1,000 in his NHL career. Kessel's been a consistent scorer, hitting the 20-goal mark 12 times with various teams like the Bruins, Maple Leafs, Penguins, and Coyotes.

Drafted by the Bruins in 2006, Kessel spent some solid years with them before moving to Toronto in a trade that involved some first-round picks. He had a good run with the Maple Leafs, even taking them to the playoffs once.

Then came the big move to Pittsburgh in 2015, where he helped the Penguins secure back-to-back Stanley Cups alongside Malkin. Kessel's been around the block, playing with the Coyotes and even a stint and 2023 Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights.

He's known for his durability, holding the NHL's active iron man title with over 1,000 consecutive games played. He has serious playoff chops, with 83 points in 100 postseason games.

Overall, Kessel's had quite the career, racking up over 1,200 regular-season games with impressive stats along the way.