Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Crosby on Kessel: ‘He seems like he’s excited’

150710_CrosbyKessel (2)

Sidney Crosby knows his team struggled to score goals last season.

Newly acquired Phil Kessel is coming off a down campaign too for that matter, but the 27-year-old forward’s goal scoring prowess is well documented, especially after he averaged 30 goals per season during his six campaigns in Toronto without the benefit of playing with a top-tier center.

Combining him with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin has the potential to bolster both sides.

As Crosby put it, there’s “a lot of anticipation.”

“It’s a nice addition to our team,” Crosby told TSN on Thursday. “Obviously he’s a great scorer, brings a lot, and offensively he’s going to help any team so we’re happy to have him.

“From talking to him, he seems like he’s excited. I think it’ll be something everybody is looking forward to this season.”

Kessel was dealt by the Leafs to the Penguins on July 1 and is looking forward to the fresh start.

“For it to be Pittsburgh … with everything that franchise has meant and two of the best players in the world there … I never would have thought I’d have the chance to play with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, to play on a team like the Penguins,” he said. “It’s just amazing. I’m so pumped.”

Kessel is so “pumped” about the change of scenery that he’s reportedly turned to fitness guru, and former Penguin, Gary Roberts to help him get into shape for the upcoming season.

The Madison, WI native is coming off his worst goals-for total in an 82 game season since his second year in the league.

Related: ‘It’s hard to find players like Phil Kessel’

Follow @dcmahiban