Fansided

Best hockey player from each state

By Dave Stevenson

Jan 26, 2014; New York City, NY, USA; NHL former player Jeremy Roenick skates with youngsters on a miniature rink before the Stadium Series hockey game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2014; New York City, NY, USA; NHL former player Jeremy Roenick skates with youngsters on a miniature rink before the Stadium Series hockey game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images /

Wisconsin – Phil Kessel

Wisconsin isn’t just for cheeseheads and Packers fans. 33 NHL players have come from Wisconsin, including a good number of active players. However, its best player of all-time is Pittsburgh Penguins forward Phil Kessel. Kessel got drafted by the Boston Bruins with the fifth overall pick of the 2006 NHL Draft after a very successful career with the US developmental team. He spent just one season (his pre-draft year) in college, playing for the University of Minnesota. In his lone year, he had 51 points in 39 games.

Kessel fought back from a cancer diagnosis to become a regular NHL player for the Bruins. However, he would get traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for several first round picks. The Leafs expected him to be a star, which is something he wasn’t prepared to be. His time in Toronto is generally viewed in a negative light, perhaps because of the incredible price paid for him.

It wasn’t until he got traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins that he started to be happy again. With the Pens, he helped them win the 2015-16 Stanley Cup. Kessel is one of the top players in the league and a guy who is a ton of fun to root for.

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