Phil Kessel is set to make his 990th consecutive NHL appearance on Tuesday night, in an incredible example of endurance as the 35-year-old hasn't missed a game since 2009.
A grand total of 4,738 days have passed since Kessel made his first appearance for the Toronto Maple Leafs in November 2009, and you may assume that extreme conditioning and a strict diet is to thank for keeping fit ever since. But according to American team-mate and fellow NHL star Blake Wheeler, Kessel's lifestyle isn't exactly how you'd picture it.
Kessel will break Keith Yandle's NHL record on Tuesday night when he takes to the ice for the Vegas Golden Knights against the San Jose Sharks. But Wheeler has revealed that despite being a top athlete, Kessel has a huge sweet tooth and doesn't even drink water.
Wheeler has been with the Winnipeg Jets ever since 2011, but has known Kessel since 2005 as the pair were freshmen at the University of Minnesota. They have since crossed paths when playing for the Boston Bruins, and have roomed together when representing the United States in the World Cup and Olympic Games.
Therefore, Wheeler knows the veteran winger very well, and has even exposed Kessel's untypical diet choices. "I remember walking into his room in the Olympic village [in 2014], and the amount of candy wrappers stacked up next to his bed, I think that was what he brought from home to Sochi," Wheeler said while laughing.
The Jets star revealed that most of the side packed protein bars and power snacks, but added: "For Phil it was, you know, his favourite candies." Popular American candy Sour Patch Kids are said to have been Kessel's favourite, and he feasted on them during the Olympics.
But it wasn't just his snack choices that were far from ordinary for an athlete, as Wheeler also claimed that Kessel didn't like drinking water. "I don’t know if this still holds true, but for the longest time, he never drank water," Wheeler added.
"He would only drink blue Powerade. He didn’t like the taste of water." However, despite the differences, Wheeler paid massive respect to Kessel's attitude to training, saying he was always one of the 'strongest guys' in the camp.
"A lot of jokes get made about his body or the things he does off the ice, those types of things, but I think it’s a front, a good story," Wheeler said. "You ask anyone who’s trained with him or seen him in the gym, he’s typically one of the strongest guys.
"He’s incredibly athletic. He’s the type of guy that, he’s good at everything he does. I just think he likes to put out this persona that he kind of doesn’t care, and just goes out there and whatever.
"But he cares a lot and I think he invests a lot more into himself than he would let people know." Whatever Kessel is doing has worked for him, and he's set to become the all-time record holder as a result.
