Phil Kessel takes shot at Toronto media after third Stanley Cup win

Drafted by the Boston Bruins, Kessel spent three seasons with the organization until he was traded to the Leafs in 2009 for two first-round picks (which became Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton) and a second-round pick. Kessel was a prime performer in six seasons with Toronto but faced a torrent of criticism for the team's lack of postseason success. Toronto only appeared in the playoffs once in his tenure, losing the seven-game first-round series to the eventual Eastern champion Bruins after the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.

The story changed when Kessel was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, teaming with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. No longer needing to be the headliner, Kessel brought some offensive depth to the Pens, something that lacked during his Toronto years. 

After three seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, Kessel signed a one-year deal with Vegas, playing all 82 games and breaking Keith Yandle's "iron man" streak for most consecutive games played in the process. He was scratched from Game 5 of the first-round series against Winnipeg, ending what was unofficially the longest "iron man" streak (regular season and playoffs) in league history at 1,149 games. Yet just because he didn't play much in the Knights' playoff run, doesn't mean he won't have his name on the Cup.

Meanwhile, the Leafs' title drought continues with hopes that another new general manager will end the misery up north. Kessel may have done some writers a favor on Tuesday night. Bad times, coupled with a former player drinking from the Cup, tends to make for good copy in a lot of sports towns.