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On Monday night, Phil Kessel officially tied Keith Yandle for the longest “Ironman” streak in NHL history when he took to the ice for his 989th consecutive game in the league, and barring some wildly improbable twist, he’ll set a new record when the Golden Knights take to the ice on Tuesday to extend a stretch that began all the way back in 2009.
That streak is especially impressive when you consider Kessel looks like the kind of guy who has more business playing on the second line in a beer league as opposed to someone who’s spent 17 seasons in the NHL; there are plenty of reasons he’s managed to stick around for as long as he has, but it’s pretty hard to ignore the fact that his physique flies in the face of the typical Hockey Player archetype.
If you’ve kept tabs on Kessel’s career, you likely know his work ethic, strength, and Deceptive Athleticism have frequently drawn praise from virtually everyone who’s gotten the chance to play alongside him.
You’re also probably very familiar with the debunked anecdote concerning his love of a certain hot dog vendor in Toronto (which inspired an amazing cake he received for his 35th birthday). While that particular story may not have any merit, the winger isn’t exactly known for having the healthiest diet in the world—a reality that’s reflected in a fairly wild revelation that was recently shared by one of his longtime teammates.
Blake Wheeler says he never saw Phil Kessel drink water while playing together
SportsNet chatted with a number of players who’ve gotten to know Kessel over the years—including Jets forward Blake Wheeler, who was teammates with him at the University of Minnesota before they joined forces for a few seasons with the Bruins (the two men also represented Team USA at the 2014 Winter Olympics).
Wheeler praised Kessel as “one of the strongest guys” he’s played alongside. However, he admitted his diet has always left a bit to be desired while sharing a pretty shocking example to highlight some of his unorthodox eating and drinking habits, saying:
“I don’t know if this still holds true, but for the longest time, he never drank water. He would only drink blue Powerade. He didn’t like the taste of water.”
That really paints the iconic video of Kessel trying (and failing) to drink from a water bottle on the bench in a whole new light.