Penguins' Malkin: Kessel can score 50 goals with Crosby

Evgeni Malkin and the Pittsburgh Penguins have high hopes for offseason acquisition Phil Kessel.

How high? Well, Malkin believes Kessel will double last season's goal total now that the 27-year-old forward is projected to play on the first line with captain Sidney Crosby.

"I know him as a sniper," Malkin told the team's website of Kessel, who netted 25 tallies last season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. "He likes to score goals. He's flying every game. I think if he plays with Sid, he can score 50 goals at least. He has everything."

Kessel, who is a five-time 30-goal scorer, netted a career-high 37 tallies in both the 2011-12 and 2013-14 seasons. The fifth overall pick of the 2006 draft, Kessel has collected 247 goals and 273 assists in 668 career games with the Boston Bruins and Maple Leafs.

Kessel was acquired with forward Tyler Biggs, defenseman Tim Erixon and a 2016 second-round selection from Toronto on July 1. The Maple Leafs received forwards Nick Spaling, Kasperi Kapanen, blue-liner Scott Harrington and first- and third-round picks next year.

(h/t Pittsburgh Penguins)