In what turned out to be a “Do you remember where you were when you heard the news?” moment for Pittsburgh Penguins fans, today marks 10 years since the team acquired winger Phil Kessel in a blockbuster trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on the opening day of NHL free agency.
NHL insider Bob McKenzie was the one who broke the news that sent shockwaves through the league and forever altered the course of the Crosby/Malkin era.
McKenzie dropped the bomb just minutes before 1 PM Eastern, then the Penguins confirmed the deal a little more than two hours later with the full trade details that included former first round pick Kasperi Kapanen going the other way to Toronto.