Because everything lives forever on the internet, that Hockey News cover will never completely go away.
Type Phil Kessel's name into Google Images, and the image still comes up _ a bit further down the page than it used to be _ of Kessel in a Maple Leafs uniform, next to the caption "Is this the face of a coach killer?" with the last two words in big, bold letters.
In the two years since that cover hit newsstands, though, after being traded to the Penguins and winning a Stanley Cup, Kessel has managed to develop a new reputation: big-game player.
"I think a lot of that is overblown," Mike Sullivan said of Kessel's reputation of sometimes being difficult to coach.
"Phil and I have a great relationship. He's an honest guy, he's a straightforward guy. I have so much respect for his honesty."
Sometimes, of course, that honesty has led to Kessel and Sullivan having some difficult talks. But the result, Sullivan said, is almost always positive.
"I'm not going to say that we haven't had our heated conversations over the time that I've been here, we have," Sullivan said. "Part of my responsibility as the coach is to try to help players grow and develop their respective games. All players are going to go through times where they struggle or they're not necessarily playing the game the right way.
"Sometimes those conversations, you're going to tell players what they don't want to hear. Phil's no different in that regard, but he's always very respectful, and I believe we have that mutual respect within our relationship."
The Kessel-Sullivan dynamic has also been plenty fruitful for the Penguins, especially in the postseason. Kessel scored the game-winning goal in their 3-1 Game 1 win against Columbus on Wednesday night in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and seems poised to continue his trend of stepping up when the lights are brightest.
"Obviously you've got to bring a little more," Kessel said. "Your game has to rise to the level. The game, obviously, becomes a little faster and a harder game out there."
"Phil has had an ability to elevate his game and be at his best when the stakes are high," Sullivan said. "That's been my experience coaching him here. He's continuing in that vein, obviously (Wednesday) night with the game he had. ... He's an elite player."
That was a particularly welcome sight this year, as Kessel finished the regular season with just two goals in his last 26 games. It took him less than 24 minutes of playoff action to get his first one in the postseason.
"Goals come and go," Kessel said. "I've kind of been like that for my career. You get cold, you get hot. That's just kind of how it is. I never really worry too much about it."
Sullivan has spoken often about his desire for Kessel to shoot the puck more. He certainly did that Wednesday night, as his seven shots on goal against Columbus were more than he had in all but one regular-season game.
But Sullivan also said that Kessel's skating and speed can be a bellwether for his overall play.
"I think Phil's game is really predicated upon him skating, and being active with his anticipation skills, getting to areas where he demands the puck," Sullivan said. "On nights I think when Phil is at his very best, he has the puck a fair amount."
Sometimes, that concept can lead to some of those difficult player-coach conversations.
"There are nights when he'll say to me, 'Jeez, I just didn't get the puck tonight,' " Sullivan said. "And we always turn it around on him and place the burden of responsibility on him, because he's so talented and he's an elite player."
Because of Kessel's ability, though, Sullivan admitted he and his staff also have to know when to take the reins off, and just let Phil _ the player who can singularly snipe a wrist shot with millimeter precision into the upper corner of the net, as well as the only player who opted out of the Penguins' optional morning skate the day of Game 1 _ be Phil.
"We believe as a coaching staff, that we have to allow those guys some latitude," Sullivan said. "They're going to go off the grid sometimes, but that's what separates them from others. There's always that fine line between structure and inhibiting players' creativity. We talk a lot as a coaching staff about that, and making sure that we don't get in the way. We're constantly trying to make sure that we don't over-coach this group, because we believe we have some difference-makers with the personnel that we have."
Add that one to Phil Kessel's supposed labels, too, then. Difference-maker.
