“I checked into it and I can tell you right now, the Vancouver Canucks still talk and discuss Phil Kessel,” said Dhaliwal. “They keep in regular contact with his agent, they like his experience, what he’s done in the past, he’s got a relationship with Tocchet, Allvin, and Rutherford. Tocchet coached him in Arizona, Rutherford acquired him in Pittsburgh. Tocchet said last weekend said this of Kessel: ‘there is value in Phil, I think he can still play 100%.’

“Now, the big issue: conditioning. He has not played in eight months, he only played four games for Vegas last year when they won the Stanley Cup. That will be Kessel’s biggest issue, ‘are you in shape?’ The number one thing Tocchet did when he got to Vancouver got everybody in shape. Kessel doesn’t cost you anything, it’s a gamble, yes, but there are no assets to be given up, it’ll be a cheap price. The Kessel decision I’ve been told is not far away, some say soon. Not sure where this goes, but the Vancouver Canucks are poking around Phil Kessel.”