Rick Tocchet’s favorite Phil Kessel story involves a chin-up challenge and $300. Oh, and a must-win NHL playoff game against a hated rival.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins were preparing for a second-round Game 7 against the Washington Capitals on May 10, 2017. Kessel, a right wing who signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Golden Knights on Wednesday, was walking around the Capitals’ visiting locker room two hours before the game with his coffee when he saw a chin-up bar. He saw Tocchet in the hallway and bet the then-Pittsburgh assistant coach $200 that he couldn’t do nine chin-ups. Tocchet raised the avid poker player to $300. Game on.
With players peeking out of the locker room and stopping their pregame soccer warmup to watch, Tocchet did 10 chin-ups in his suit. He received huge cheers, collected his winnings and then watched the Penguins win 2-0 to get one step closer to a second straight Cup.
