Defenseman Michael Kesselring’s wild ride last week ended in Southern Arizona, and he’s now finding his way as part of the Tucson Roadrunners.
After starting the week as a Bakersfield Condor — his team for much of the past three seasons — the Manchester, New Hampshire, native went east.
On Mar. 2 the Arizona Coyotes traded longtime Tucson defenseman Cam Dineen and NHL forward Nick Bjugstad to the Edmonton Oilers (the Condors’ NHL affiliate) for Kesselring and a 2023 third-round pick.
Then, on March 3, Kesselring made his NHL debut when the Coyotes hosted the Carolina Hurricanes in Tempe.
Finally, on March 4, Kesselring played for the Roadrunners.
“Honestly I wasn’t expecting a trade at all, so when I got the call it was pretty crazy,” Kesselring said. “And then about an hour later (Coyotes general manager) Bill Armstrong called me and told me about my first (NHL) game.
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“It’s honestly a very exciting time for me and my family.”
Michael Kesselring, recently acquired by the NHL's Arizona Coyotes and assigned to the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners, scores the first of his two goals for the Bakersfield Condors on Jan. 31 against the Roadrunners. The Condors won the game, 7-3. Kesselring joined the Roadrunners on March 4 with a career-high 13 goals already this season. Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners.
The Roadrunners play at the Milwaukee Admirals in a two-game series starting Friday.
Kesselring joined the Condors during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign after the college schedule ended. He played at Northeastern for two seasons.
“So far he’s been fitting in really well,” Roadrunners coach Steve Potvin said. “He’s one of those kids that you can tell really wants to learn, really wants to get better.
“I think he’s appreciative of the opportunity he’s already had in the NHL, which I think also allowed him to feel the standard for what it is.”
Dineen provided offense from the blue line, accumulating 35 points in 50 games. Meanwhile, Kesselring has 22 points this season, including 13 goals — tied for the second-highest goal-scoring output by any defenseman in the AHL. His previous career highs for both goals and points came last season, with two and 13.
This year Kesselring has a pair of two-goal games. On Jan. 31, he did it against the Roadrunners in a 7-3 Condors win in Bakersfield.
“Cam’s obviously a very good player, he’s done well as an offensive defenseman,” Kesselring said. “I think I’m more two-way, play physical on D, and I got the big shot so I can score goals from the back end. So maybe not quite as dynamic with the puck, but I’m definitely gonna chip in as much as I can offensively.”
Potvin said he thought Kesselring did well in his Tucson debut.
“What I liked was that he was able to catch a player ahead of him that was heading into a possible breakaway situation,” Potvin said. “It looked like he was very comfortable on the power play. I know that he didn’t get many shots, but I know he’s a guy that (can) really unleash it.”
Michael Kesselring, recently acquired by the NHL's Arizona Coyotes and assigned to the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners, scores the second of his two goals for the Bakersfield Condors on Jan. 31 against the Roadrunners. The Condors won the game, 7-3. Kesselring joined the Roadrunners on March 4 with a career-high 13 goals already this season. Video courtesy Tucson Roadrunners.
As Kesselring found out last Friday and Saturday, the Coyotes and Roadrunners are geographically much closer to each other than the Condors are to their NHL team.
“It’s something I’m excited for,” Kesselring said, “just ‘cause it makes callups easier. I can kinda get settled in one state, get a car and everything and not have to worry about getting it shipped to Edmonton or where it’s gonna be, and makes bringing my stuff back and forth a little bit easier.”
The trade reunites the 6-5, 220-pound defenseman with Tucson captain Adam Cracknell, whom he played with last season and in 2021.
“When I heard it was Arizona, and I knew Cracks was in Tucson, it made it really easy for me because he’s an awesome guy and we were pretty close in Bakersfield too,” Kesselring said.
Cracknell said sometimes a change is good for a player, and he expects Kesselring to play “really big role” for the Roadrunners.
“His size and his strength are some of his big assets,” Cracknell said. “Obviously he’s got a great shot, but he’s a very smart, intelligent player. His game has grown the last couple of years since I met him. There’s some lessons that need to be learned, just adapting to the game, and he’s adapted very well.”
Kesselring has worn three numbers this season, and four over the last two seasons. He wore No. 7 for Bakersfield, No. 5 for Arizona and is donning No. 4 for Tucson after wearing 23 last season.
He said he went with No. 7 for the Condors to get a fresh start, and his new teammates “gave a little notice” that Dineen wore No. 4 in Tucson.
“Four I actually wore in high school, so it’s always kinda my number,” Kesselring said.
There’s still a No. 4 still on the blueline for the Tucson Roadrunners, but now it’s defenseman Michael Kesselring. Kesselring was acquired in a multiplayer trade last week that sent longtime Roadrunner Cam Dineen, the player who previously wore No. 4, out of Arizona. Kesselring made his NHL debut with the Arizona Coyotes last Friday before a quick trek down Interstate 10 for his first game in Southern Arizona — a 2-1 Roadrunners overtime loss to the San Diego Gulls.
Slap shots
Ontario Reign center T.J. Tynan passed Tucson forward Michael Carcone for most points in the AHL. Tynan, who has played in seven more games than Carcone, has 68, while Carcone has 66. Tynan is the reigning two-time defending league MVP, finishing second in points a year ago with 98 in 62 games.
UA hockey will host a team made up of Arizona Coyotes alumni on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Wildcats announced that Shane Doan and Michael Grabner will attend.
