Dion Phaneuf said he was too busy Wednesday to spend a little extra time with good buddy Phil Kessel.
That hasn’t stopped the newest Kings defenseman from noticing how good Kessel has been this season.
“Phil’s been a guy who’s put up big numbers throughout his whole career,” Phaneuf said. “This year he seems to have taken it to a different level.”
Phaneuf became a newsworthy subject Thursday following the Kings morning skate at PPG Paints Arena not because of his connection with Kessel — they’re extremely close and have dinner together before every head-to-head matchup — but because of the in-game trade involving Phaneuf that occurred here Tuesday.