Kale Kessy
Image: NHL

Kale Kessy

Hometown:

Shaunavon Saskatoon

Currently Playing In:

CHL

Birthday:

1991-01-28

Position:

LW

Eligible for draft:

2009

Shoots:

Left

Drafted:

2011

Height:

6-2

Acquired:

4th round (111th overall), 2011

Weight:

185 lbs.

Probability of Success
  • D

History

2008-09: Kale Kessy saw limited ice time in nine games with the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers; skating in 33 games for Medicine Hat's Midget AAA team. He was scoreless and -1 with 2 PMs in his brief WHL stint. Kessy scored 17 goals with 12 assists and had 42 PMs at the midget level.

2009-10: Kessy led the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers in penalty minutes as a 17-year-old in his first full season. Kessy had 123 PMs in 70 games and scored 11 goals with 18 assists with a +12 plus/minus. Medicine Hat finished third in its division and reached the second round of the playoffs. Kessy scored 1 goal with 3 assists and was +4 with 10 PMs in 12 playoff games.

2010-11: Kessy skated in 65 of 72 games for Medicine Hat in his second season – missing time early in the season due to injury and missing three games for suspensions in two separate incidents. Offensively, his production was inconsistent – he finished with 10 goals and 14 assists – but he provided hard, physical play for the Tigers, using his size to advantage. Kessy was second on the team with 129 PMs and was +5 with three power play goals. Medicine Hat reached the WHL semifinals after finishing second in the Central Division. In 14 playoff games Kessy scored 3 goals with 3 assists and was +5 with 37 PMs. Not among the 210 North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings, Kessy was selected by the Coyotes in the fourth round (111th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft.

2011-12: Kessy played in 49 games for Medicine Hat – drawing three suspensions during the year and leading the Tigers in penalty minutes (151).  On a team with two of the top offensive prospects in the WHL, Emerson Etem  (ANA) and 2013 draft eligible Hunter Shinkaruk, Kessy scored 4 goals with 12 assists and was plus-two. The Tigers reached the second round of the playoffs after finishing third in the Central Division. Kessy played in 2 of 8 playoff games; finishing with 1 assist and 2 penalty minutes.

 

Talent Analysis

A tall, rangy winger, Kessy is a highly aggressive player who will hit and challenge anyone. Doesn’t possess a great deal of offensive ability but is an energetic player who certainly won’t shy away from a fisticuffs.

 

Future

Likely to return for his overage junior season, Kessy projects to purely be a grinder who provides a spark through his physical play and willingness to drop the gloves.

Kessy was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers in March of 2013 in exchange for Tobias Rieder.

 

Defense once again highlights Phoenix Coyotes’ prospect system

by Andrew Sykes
on
Connor Murphy - Team USA

Photo: Defenseman Connor Murphy, who will compete for a spot on Team USA at the 2013 WJC, is one of three first-round picks on the Phoenix Coyotes' blue line depth chart. (courtesy of Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

 
As has been the case over the past few years, the Phoenix Coyotes prospect pool is built around their strong group of defensive prospects. Elite talents like Keith Yandle and Oliver Ekman-Larsson quickly became franchise cornerstones and gave way to a new crop led by the likes of first-round studs Brandon Gormley, David Rundblad, and Connor Murphy.

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