World Cup fans cheer 'Let's go Kessel' during Team USA game (Video)
TORONTO – Phil Kessel was not picked to represent Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey, but his presence has been felt the last several days.
After the United States lost to Canada, Kessel sent out a passive aggressive tweet about his not being selected for the team. The next day Team USA players said they didn’t appreciate Kessel’s decision to jump on social media after their loss. Coach John Tortorella called Kessel’s tweet, along with other tweets that went after Team USA, “self-serving.” Kessel told ESPN.com that his tweet was not directed at the players.
[Sign up to play Yahoo Fantasy Hockey for free | Mock Draft | Latest news]
At Team USA’s World Cup game against the Czech Republic – America’s final contest of the tournament – some fans at the Air Canada Centre shouted “Let’s go Kessel!”
Here is the video.
It’s unclear if the Team USA players heard the cheers since they came from high up in the stands, but if they did it they probably weren’t appreciated based on how they’ve responded to a lot of the drama surrounding Kessel the last few days.
“It’s disappointing. It’s almost to say that we were coasting or don’t care, weren’t representing our countries as well as we could have and for other guys that have worn the jersey, it’s disappointing,” Team USA forward David Backes said. “I understand there’s hard feelings if you weren’t picked for the team or if whatever, but the comments are, I think – as a team guy and as a guy that stands by my teammates, win lose or draw, it’s a little distasteful and aggravating but everyone’s got a Twitter account and you can have freedom of speech to say whatever you want and so be it. But those comments don’t get lost in the fray and those comments are there and have been read and I think will be remembered when whatever happens going forward happens going forward.”
The decision to leave Kessel off the roster has led to scrutiny towards the U.S. management. Kessel is one of the top American born goal scorers in the NHL but wasn’t picked for the team as the U.S. brain trust opted for a more physical, defensive-minded group. Through two games of the tournament Team USA was outscored 7-2 and was eliminated from semifinal contention after their loss to Canada.
“The one thing I will say, it was the No. 1 thing I want, give me 22 guys who care,” general manager Dean Lombardi said earlier Thursday. “That is where it starts. From there you build competitiveness, culture and everything else. If you don’t have 22 guys who care, you’re not going get this where to. I know we have the first part. There were guys with tears in their eyes the other night and they were real. I will always remember that. Some of the texts I got from players yesterday, I will treasure them the rest of my life. That is good stuff. Those are things you don’ t forget, even in failure. That part we got down. I told them I wish I had this group for a longer period of time, because I know we could have built that culture. But it didn’t happen.”
– – – – – – –
Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
MORE FROM YAHOO HCOKEY
