A bounce or two of the puck is all that stood between Michael and Casey Kesselring having a storybook ending to their fatherson, coach-player relationship at New Hampton.
As a senior, Michael Kesselring was the top player for the Huskies and was one of the best defensemen in all of New England. Casey had helped elevate New Hampton’s program to new heights, and the team was in overtime of the Piatelli/Simmons small-school championship game against Lawrence Academy.
Unfortunately for the Kesselring duo and New Hampton, it wasn’t meant to be. The Spartans skated off the ice as victors, but it was still a terrific ride that father and son can look back on fondly.
"There were ups and downs of coaching your son. It was tricky, especially when he first got here as a freshman. This year was a lot of fun, but it was definitely emotional for us at the end," explained Casey, a former standout forward at Merrimack.
"It was a special year for me playing for my dad for the last time," Michael said. "The growth of the program over the past four years has been fun to see. It was disappointing at the end, but we had a strong year."
Michael chose to follow a slightly different path than his father. He traded the opportunity to score a lot of goals for the chance to defend against them at the other end.
A right-shot defenseman, Kesselring is ranked 75th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final list prior to the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. At 6-foot-3, Kesselring is able to combine his skating, length and reach with his size to attract attention from NHL organizations.
"He’s a two-way defenseman who gives you a little bit of everything. He’s a puck-moving machine. He’s not overly physical He can skate for a big kid. He has good instincts," said Casey when asked to describe Michael’s style of play.
"I’m a two-way defenseman who likes to jump up into the play," Michael said. "I try to make plays with the puck on my stick. I have a long stick defensively and use my reach. I just try to get the puck back, make a good first pass and move the puck up ice."
Michael finished the season with 11 goals and 23 assists in 38 games with New Hampton before joining the Des Moines Buccaneers for the final 12 games of the USHL regular season. While those numbers might seem gaudy for a defenseman, going forward, Kesselring projects as more of a solid defensive defenseman who can retrieve pucks and make a good first pass.
"His best attribute is his stick. He’s long and he’s got that reach," Casey added. "He does a good job containing guys. All of a sudden he has the puck and he makes a tape-to-tape pass and we’re out of the zone."
Kesselring has added weight since he came to prep school as a 135-pound freshman, but he still has plenty of filling out to do before reaching his full physical potential. With his style of play, he’s able to be effective without throwing his weight around, but that’s a part of his game that he’s hoping to improve on once be bulks up.
"He can defend, but he wants to be more physical as he grows and adds strength," Casey said.
Michael tries to model his game after Dallas Stars defenseman John Klinberg due to the similarities in their physical make-up and style of play.
"I really like John Klinberg. We’re similar in he’s a tall, lanky guy who likes to jump into the play. I also watch Charlie McAvoy a lot because you see him on TV a lot in New England," Michael said.
"From my era, he’s like Tom Poti. He’s a big guy who can skate and play the power play," added Casey, who played at Merrimack from 1994-98.
With some USHL experience under his belt, Michael understands the challenge of not resting on your laurels and continuing the developmental climb.
"I’m just trying to work on my skating," Michael said. "Pivoting and edge work — for a big guy, it’s important to hammer those things. You need to keep getting faster if you want to advance to the next level,"
Having a father and a coach who played the game at a high level and knows what it takes to be an impact player at the collegiate level is something that was beneficial to Michael as he learned the game.
"He always reminded me to be evenkeeled and to work hard all the time. He’s always made sure I do the right things around the house, around the rink and in the gym," Michael said.
"Consistency," said Casey when asked what the most important piece of advice he’s given Michael. "That’s the biggest thing if you want to be a really good player. You have to be good all the time, getting better and working to get better all the time."
Michael got a taste of what it’s like to play at a higher level than prep hockey over the past two months in the USHL.
"It went well. I’m learning a lot and think I got better each weekend," said Michael, who will be moving on to the NCAA level in the fall. "The speed of all the guys is a big difference. The game comes at you fast. You don’t have that extra second to think about making a play."
Michael committed to following in his father’s footsteps at Merrimack while Mark Dennehy was the head coach of the Warriors. As is the case in most coaching changes, the new staff will have to rerecruit players from the previous regime.
"Mark was a special guy, growing up a Merrimack fan. He recruited me early on in my junior year," Michael said.
In the meantime, Kesselring has his sights set on next month’s NHL draft in Dallas. All of this attention from scouts has caught Kesselring somewhat off-guard.
"It’s been kind of a whirlwind. I wouldn’t have expected all this headed into my senior year, but I had a good national camp and played well throughout the year," Michael said. "I just tried to go to the rink and not worry about the scouts. I just love to play hockey, but it’s amazing to see the scouts out watching you."
Kesselring has had several interviews with NHL organizations. Carolina and Edmonton are two teams who are reportedly the most intrigued in his pro potential.
"I’ve had interviews with four to five teams and talked to a few more. They’ve just given me some pointers and told me what they like. I’m excited for the draft. Whatever happens, happens," he said.
Kesselring has been able to lean on three people who are familiar with the process, due to connections he and his father have had with them through hockey.
"Mr. (Jim) Vesey (Charlestown, Mass.) is a scout for Toronto and he coached me in Beantown," Michael said. "He’s a Merrimack alum and he’s been good to me throughout process. He’s just told me stay focused on right things. I saw Zach Sanford (Auburn, N.H.) go through it with Pinkerton when my dad was there, and Reilly Walsh (Andover, N.H.) last year at Proctor. It’s cool to be going through it myself now."
