And not because he had just noticed a member of the Toronto hockey media standing in front of him on Friday, a sobering reminder of the Maple Leaf days he so desperately wants to leave in the rear view mirror.
No, Kessel’s bout with those ornery butterflies churning in his gut came on Tuesday during the Penguins annual golf tournament, the prelude to the opening of training camp.
In what presumably was a gesture aimed at welcoming the skilled winger to this new chapter of his career, Kessel found himself paired with team owner Mario Lemieux.
You may have heard of Super Mario, one of the greatest players to have ever laced up a pair of blades.