According to capfriendly.com there is a timer set for Kessel to be playoff eligible. Kessel needs to sign by the trade deadline, and according to Rick Dhaliwal, it currently looks unlikely that the Canucks will sign Kessel.
After much fanfare it appears that the Canucks are going a different direction as rumors persist that the Canucks are working hard to land his former teammate Jake Guentzel from the Penguins. If this happens, it's likely President Jim Rutherford and GM Patrik Allvin may not sign him.
The 37-year-old has had a colourful career as he had spent time with five NHL organizations including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins and Vegas golden Knights. Many felt that he could still be a value for a team looking for depth scoring and power play time.