| Matt Kessel | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | June 23, 2000 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) | ||
| Position | Defense | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NHL team | St. Louis Blues | ||
| National team |  United States | ||
| NHL draft | 150th overall, 2020 St. Louis Blues | ||
| Playing career | 2022–present | ||
Matthew James Kessel [1] (born June 23, 2000) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Kessel was born on June 23, 2000 in Arizona, USA [2] to parents Tom and Leila Kessel. [1] Although he was born in Arizona, Kessel grew up in Detroit, Michigan [3] alongside his three older brothers. [1] His eldest brother played college football at the University of Cincinnati [1] while his other two brothers played college hockey. His second oldest brother played college hockey at Western Michigan University before transitioning to the ECHL. [4] His third oldest brother played college hockey at the College of the Holy Cross from 2017 to 2021. [5]
Kessel first played junior ice hockey for the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League (USHL) in 2017–18, moving to the Chicago Steel later that season. In 2018, he moved to the Sioux Falls Stampede. [2]
Kessel originally committed to play NCAA Division I college hockey at Miami of Ohio but changed to the University of Massachusetts Amherst following the firing of Miami's head coach. [6] Due to a close connection with one of the assistant coaches, Kessel was offered a spot at UMass Amherst without seeing the campus or being recruited through the normal means. [6] [7] Kessel began the 2019–20 season playing on the UMass Minutemen's third defensive pairing alongside fellow freshman Gianfranco Cassaro. [8] He made his collegiate debut on October 11 [1] and scored his first collegiate goal on October 15 against Northeastern. [9] Kessel impressed the UMass coaching staff through the first seven games of the season enough that he was dubbed the "most impressive freshman" by head coach Greg Carvel. [8] Mid-way through November, as the Minutemen maintained a 7–3 record, Kessel was promoted to their top defensive pair with Jake McLaughlin. [10] He then played the majority of the season as one of the team's top defenseman alongside Marc Del Gaizo and finished with seven goals to lead all freshmen defensemen in the nation. [6]
Kessel was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fifth round, 150th overall, in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. After completing his junior season with the Minutemen, Kessel concluded his collegiate career in signing a two-year, entry-level contract with the Blues on March 28, 2022. [11] He was assigned to complete the 2021–22 season with the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. [2]
During the tail end of the 2022–23 season, Kessel was recalled and made his NHL debut with the Blues on April 2, 2023, against the Boston Bruins. [12] He played just one more game, two days later, before being sent down to the AHL. [2]
For the 2023–24 season, Kessel was again assigned to begin the year with the Thunderbirds. On December 30, 2023, he was recalled to the Blues. [13] On February 13, 2024, he recorded his first NHL point, an assist on a goal by Alexey Toropchenko. [14] On March 13, Kessel signed a two-year, one-way contract extension with the Blues. [15] In his 37th game, he scored his first NHL goal on April 7, against Lukáš Dostál of the Anaheim Ducks. [16]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2017–18 | Fargo Force | USHL | 32 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Chicago Steel | USHL | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2018–19 | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | 62 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 38 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 | ||
| 2019–20 | UMass-Amherst | HE | 34 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | UMass-Amherst | HE | 29 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | UMass-Amherst | HE | 37 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Springfield Thunderbirds | AHL | 15 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 2022–23 | Springfield Thunderbirds | AHL | 71 | 5 | 28 | 33 | 66 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Springfield Thunderbirds | AHL | 36 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 39 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 41 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | United States | WC | 5th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Senior totals | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||||
Benjamin N. Lovejoy is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He most recently played for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Anaheim Ducks and the New Jersey Devils.
The UMass Minutemen Ice Hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's college ice hockey program that represents the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The Minutemen are a member of Hockey East. They play at the 8,387-seat William D. Mullins Memorial Center in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Marvin Degon is an American professional ice hockey defenseman, currently playing for HDD Olimpija Ljubljana of the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL).
Matthew Irwin is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenseman. Irwin played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and the Washington Capitals.
Ian James McCoshen is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently under contract with Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). McCoshen was selected by the Florida Panthers in the second round, 31st overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Ryan Thomas Fitzgerald is an American professional ice hockey forward who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played with the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League (AHL). He was selected by the Boston Bruins with the last pick in the 4th round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Joel Hanley is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). Undrafted, Hanley has previously played for the Montreal Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes and Dallas Stars.
Cale Douglas Makar is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected with the fourth overall pick by the Avalanche in the 2017 NHL entry draft.
Tracy J. Belton is a former American football defensive back. He played college football at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and attended Largo High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He has also been a member of the Arkansas Twisters, Green Bay Blizzard, Milwaukee Iron, Georgia Force, Jacksonville Sharks, Orlando Predators, New Orleans VooDoo and the Philadelphia Soul.
Scott Douglas Perunovich is an American professional ice hockey defenceman for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Blues in the second round, 45th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
The 2019–20 UMass Minutemen ice hockey season was the 88th season of play for the program, the 27th season competing at the Division I level, and the 26th season in the Hockey East conference. The Minutemen represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst and were coached by Greg Carvel, in his 4th season.
John Gerard Leonard is an American professional ice hockey player for the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL). Leonard was drafted in the sixth round, 182nd overall, by the San Jose Sharks in the 2018 NHL entry draft.
The 2020–21 UMass Minutemen ice hockey season was the 89th season of play for the program, the 31st season competing at the Division I level, and the 27th season in the Hockey East conference. The Minutemen represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst and were coached by Greg Carvel, in his 5th season. UMass won the first national championship in program history.
Robert Nicholas Trivigno is an American professional ice hockey winger for Brynäs IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He was a collegiate All-American for the UMass Minutemen ice hockey team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and was the Most Outstanding Player in his school's first national championship in 2021.
Zachary Jones is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Jones was drafted by the Rangers in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
Scott Dempsey Morrow is an American professional ice hockey defenceman for the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract as a prospect to the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the second round, 40th overall, by the Hurricanes in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He played college ice hockey at UMass.
The 2022–23 UMass Minutemen ice hockey season was the 91st season of play for the program, the 30th at the Division I level, and 29th in Hockey East. The Minutemen represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season were coached by Greg Carvel in his 7th season, and played their home games at Mullins Center.
The 2023–24 UMass Minutemen ice hockey season was the 92nd season of play for the program, the 31st at the Division I level, and 30th in Hockey East. The Minutemen represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, played their home games at Mullins Center and were coached by Greg Carvel in his 8th season.
Ryan Richard Ufko is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played college ice hockey at UMass. He was drafted 115th overall by the Predators in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Gianfranco "JoJo" Cassaro is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently under contract with Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL). He previously played college hockey for the UMass Minutemen and the RIT Tigers, and was named a Second Team All-American in 2023–24.