The team, and its fans, aren’t sure which version of Phil Kessel will show up in the playoffs. Having difficulty this season finding a steady forward line has only made the questions much more poignant. Will the playoff performer Phil Kessel show up or are we more likely to see a rehash of last year’s disappointing performance?
Past Playoffs Provide Little Insight:
Prior to last year, Phil Kessel had never dipped below a shooting percentage of 10.2 in the playoffs. Last year, it was 5.6. During the two cup runs, it was 10.2% and 11.8% respectively. In the two Stanley Cup runs, Kessel averaged roughly a point per game pace (22 points in 24 games in 2016 and 23 points in 25 games in 2017).