[2] In Kessel's first season with the Waterloo Black Hawks, he played in 59 games, scoring 11 goals and accumulating 27 assists, for a total of 38 points.

After spending two seasons playing for the team's minor league affiliates, the Adirondack Phantoms of the AHL and the Trenton Titans of the ECHL, the Flyers did not give Kessel a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

He remained on the Ilves team until February 2016 and then took up an offer from German top-tier club Augsburger Panther, signing a contract until the end of the 2015–16 season.

[5] In the following off-season, Kessel returned to North America to continue in the ECHL, signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Gladiators on September 27, 2016.

His brother, Phil Kessel, is the NHL "Ironman", having played over 1,000 consecutive regular season games, and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion.

His sister, Amanda Kessel, plays for the United States women's national ice hockey team and is a three-time Olympic medalist.