When Michael Kesselring got called up to the Arizona Coyotes from the AHL Tucson Roadrunners just six games into his season, he didn’t know if he would even play.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” he said. “Valï [Juuso Valïmakï] unfortunately got hurt and I got an opportunity. I’m just kind of running with it. It’s been day-to-day just trying to survive the best I can and keep going."
Kesselring has done more than "survive." The 23-year-old totaled four assists in his last five games, earning praise from Arizona head coach Andre Tourigny.
“He has length. He has good size. He has a long stick. He competes defensively,” said Tourigny. “He has poise with the puck, as well. I’ve said that before. He needs to keep improving in the quickness of execution, quickness of his read. He is really competitive. He is a smart guy. He is a smart player.”
Kesselring’s four-game assist streak is proving him a reliable defenseman for the Coyotes. He hopes he can continue to stay hot before making his Boston homecoming on Saturday against the Bruins.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a few weeks now. I am pretty excited, so hopefully I can play well tonight, stay in the lineup,” Kesserling said at Coyotes’ optional morning skate ahead of their 4-1 loss against the Philadelphia Flyers.
TD Garden is nearly 3,000 miles away from Mullett Arena, but for Kesserling, a New Hampshire native, Saturday’s matinee may feel more like a home game. He mentioned that he has had a lot of people asking him for tickets ahead of the team’s 3-game east coast road trip.
“I have a lot of special memories there. Some of my best friends are from there,” he said.
While Kesserling is eager to reunite with family and friends, he is also excited about the competition with his home team.
“Boston is obviously a great city, so it will be great to be back,” said Kesserling. “Watching the Bruins growing up, [Patrice] Bergeron and all those guys, it was a privilege to be a fan of the Boston Bruins growing up. It will just be exciting.”
When the puck drops, however, Kesserling will put his lifelong loyalty on the shelf.
“It’s always weird now. Now, I’m a Coyote so I can’t really be a fan of anybody else, right? It will be good and I am sure it will be cool to start but it will just be another hockey game once you get into it.”
The defenseman has experienced many firsts in his second NHL stint, but playing at TD Garden won’t be one of them. A college hockey player at Northeastern in 2020, he won the Beanpot at the Garden — an annual tournament featuring Boston’s four hockey powers. Kesserling and the Coyotes will look to make more lasting memories when the team takes on the Boston Bruins.
