Phil Kessel has been compared to Mike Modano, Brett Hull and Sidney Crosby. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Phil Kessel sits quietly in the corner of the visiting dressing room in the bowels of the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, no cluster of cameras eager to get a sound bite for TV, no throng of reporters taking note of his every word.

And he seems to like it that way.

That's surprising, considering just a couple of years ago he was being compared to wunderkind Sidney Crosby. But it's true: Toronto’s voracious media is, by and large, leaving Kessel alone.

“That’s fine,” the Boston Bruins rookie says softly, when asked about the lack of media attention. “I’m happy about that. I just want to go about my business. That’s what I want to do.”

While Kessel would prefer to stay out of the spotlight, he is no stranger to it – athletes of his skill level rarely are.

Born to athletic parents (Phil Sr. was a quarterback who once played in the CFL and his mother, Kathy, ran high school track), Kessel participated in plenty of sports growing up Madison, Wis., but fell in love with hockey.

“I love to skate. I’d be lost without hockey,” he says.

Phil the thrill

It didn't take long for him to get noticed, as Kessel was 15 when he caught the eye of both hockey scouts and the American media. In 2002, he led his bantam team to within a whisker of the U.S. National Championships. Two years later came impressive performances at the under-18 hockey championships and world juniors, against mostly older players.

The Kessel hype reached its peak in the spring of 2005, when he had powered the Americans to a gold medal at the under-18s, staking his claim as the tournament’s runaway scoring leader and most valuable player.

Kessel was unstoppable at the 2005 under-18s leading, leading the United States to a gold medal. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Those scouts were still watching. And now they were salivating.

His smooth skating drew comparisons to Mike Modano – maybe the greatest American hockey player ever – and Kessel’s nose for the net reminded scouts of Brett Hull.

Christened “Phil the Thrill,” Kessel was to U.S. hockey what Alexander Ovechkin was to Russia and what Crosby was to Canada.

USA Today called Kessel “The King of all Hockey Prospects,” and some hockey experts went so far to suggest that if Kessel were eligible for the 2005 draft (he was too young at the time) he should be picked No.1 overall – ahead of Crosby.

“It’s tough to deal with,” said Kessel, now 19, when asked about coping with the pressures of being the “next big thing.”

“You’re expected to do so much all the time. It’s hard.”

Fading Star?

Kessel spent the next season playing U.S. college hockey at the University of Minnesota, and despite putting up solid numbers as a rookie, he was seen as a disappointment.

Kessel’s star continued to fade at the 2005 world juniors. He scored only one goal at the tournament and some began to question whether he had the mettle to make it in the NHL.

By the time the 2006 draft rolled around, Kessel was no longer considered the obvious top pick. Four teams passed on Kessel – St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Washington – before Boston took him with the fifth pick overall.

While he’s happy to be a member of the Bruins, and claims he isn’t bothered by slipping in the draft, Kessel is also determined to make the critics who questioned his character eat their words.

“You always want to go out and prove yourself and make people realize you’re a good player,” said Kessel.

A motivated Kessel earned a spot on the Bruins and has impressed veteran teammates and coaches with his willingness to learn and his maturity.

“I know it was tough coming into the NHL as a 23-year-old," said Bruin forward Brad Boyes. "I couldn’t imagine doing it as a 19-year-old.”

“From the first day, until now, I think he’s grown immensely. If he keeps doing that, the guy’s going to be in the league a long time and be a good player.”

Kessel may develop into a star someday, but so far this season – as one would expect from a rookie – his play has been uneven.

Uneven debut season

Blinding speed makes Kessel a hot commodity in th new NHL. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Kessel’s shown flashes of his strong offensive instincts, but his defence has been less than thrilling. Bruins' coach Dave Lewis wants the sniper to be conscientious in his own end and has been willing to take away Kessel’s ice time to make his point.

"I want him to be a complete player, in all areas of the arena," said Lewis.

What Kessel does have going for him is speed – maybe the most valuable commodity in the new, wide-open NHL.

“When he starts to skate, when he takes the puck and really moves, that’s when he’s most effective,” explained Boyes. “I’ve seen him create tons of chances with his speed.”

Bruins veteran Wayne Primeau, who spent some time on a line with Kessel earlier this season, is convinced the 19-year-old will make the adjustments necessary to succeed.

“He’s still got some things to learn, but he’s a confident kid with great ability and he’s dedicated," said Primeau.

“His time will come.”