Hockey season is underway and if you’re wondering if Phil Kessel is still in the NHL, we have an answer for you.
Kessel is an American, but Canadian hockey fans will remember his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2009 to 2015, before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins and went on to win some Stanley Cups there.
News stories last month during NHL training camps reported that Kessel, who holds the NHL’s Ironman streak for most consecutive games played, hasn’t officially retired, despite a lack of interest from NHL teams to sign him. Whether he ever ends up on the ice again is a big question.
These days, you’ll find Kessel at the poker table. Now, WPT Global have signed Kessel as new brand ambassador, spearheading a new “Team Canada” engagement initiative for Canadian players, hosting a poker tournament and being the centerpiece in VIP experiences.
Kessel and WPT Global are hosting a poker event during the Oct. 14-30 WPT Playground Festival in Montreal. Media, hockey fans, and poker players are invited to come out, with a chance to meet Kessel in person. The objective overall is to build Canadian participation in online poker.
Kessel is a seasoned poker player, a regular member of the Canadian poker community. WPT Global is the online home of the World Poker Tour.
“Phil has not only excelled as a world-class ice hockey player, but is also a huge poker enthusiast who embodies the values we hold dear,” said Alex Scott, President of WPT Global. “He’s engaging, passionate, and always striving to improve — qualities that make him a perfect fit for the WPT Global poker community. His unique connection to both sports and poker gives him the ability to bridge those worlds, and we’re excited to deliver unforgettable experiences for our players, especially in Canada, both on and off the felt.”
Kessel’s Ironman Tournament, scheduled for Nov. 27, is an exclusive invite-only event also coming up on WPT Global. First-place package in that tournament incudes travel to Las Vegas, hotel accommodations, golf with Kessel, and entry into the $10,400 WPT World Championship Main Event. Players can register on WPT Global to lock up a tournament seat.