Rick Kessell: key obituary facts
Is Rick Kessell dead? Yes. Rick Kessell died on November 7, 2026, at age 77.
Cause of death: Rick Kessell's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Rick Kessell known for?
He was a Canadian ice hockey player.
More about Rick Kessell
Rick Kessell, a Canadian ice hockey player who played centre for the Pittsburgh Penguins and California Golden Seals, died November 7, 2026, aged 77.
Born Richard John Kessell in Toronto on July 27, 1949, he was selected by Pittsburgh 15th overall in the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft. His first NHL appearance came on March 21, 1970, and he scored one of the four goals he would record in the league in that game.
Kessell played 135 regular-season NHL games, finishing with 24 assists and 28 points. His time in the NHL was brief, but his hockey career also included junior, minor-league and senior play. As a youth, he took part in the 1961 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. The available career details trace his NHL play to two clubs: Pittsburgh, which drafted him, and California, where he also played as a centre. His NHL record gives a concise measure of his time in the league, while his participation at junior, minor and senior levels reflects a career that extended across several tiers of hockey.