ARLINGTON, VA.

Phil Kessel still has the moves, albeit on Monday anyway it was schooling some eight-year-old kids on the ice at the Washington Capitals’ practice facility.

When it comes to the NHL and the Olympics, though, is it possible that the best is yet to come from the Maple Leafs superstar? Is it possible that a rocking post-season that most Leafs fans are aching to forget will actually take the American winger to a new stratosphere in the sport?

As one of 48 U.S.-born players here taking part in the Team USA Olympic orientation camp, it is clear that big things are expected of Kessel both in Sochi — where a first-line winger spot isn’t out of the question — and with the Maple Leafs, where a return to the playoffs will be expected.

And the man who has done his share to set him up for both gigs believes we haven’t seen anything yet when it comes to the now 25-year-old.

“I think the playoffs often set the stage for a player’s next level of performance and I think people saw last year what Phil can do when it really counts,” former Leafs general manager (and current Team USA director of player personnel) Brian Burke told the Sun on Monday.

“And, hopefully, we’ll see the same thing in Sochi. He’s a different player now.”

Kessel has some added age and experience on his side, not to mention burying the hex that his old team held over him. If the Leafs had hung on for a 4-2 win in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarter-final, need we remind you, he would have had three game-winning goals in the series.

His teammates took notice. The fans took notice. And, surely, the opposition did as well.

While reluctant to award himself a spot on the team, it’s clear Kessel is as automatic as almost any of the 24 forwards here for two weeks of orientation and briefings.

Four years ago, he had Burke as the U.S. general manager and his former coach Ron Wilson behind the bench. But despite the team’s success in Vancouver, just losing in OT to Canada in the gold-medal game, Kessel was little more than a bit player. He had just two points in six games and, occasionally, his ice time was limited.

“Obviously, you never know if you are going to make the team or not, but if I make it, I would hope to have a bigger role and do whatever I can to help this team win,” Kessel said on Monday. “It was a great honour to be (in Vancouver). If you ever get to play in the Olympics, it’s a special thing and it was a special time for me.”

That said, the Sochi Games have the opportunity to be that much more memorable for the flashy winger. For starters, his sister Amanda is expected to be a star on the women’s team making the Kessel story one that NBC will salivate over.

But when it comes to the men’s tournament, the thought of Kessel’s speed and skill on display on the larger ice surface of Sochi is a tantalizing one.

“I grew up playing on big ice in college and I’ve played in a lot of international tournaments,” the Wisconsin native said. “I like the bigger ice. There’s a lot more room out there.”

Though it will be up to coach Dan Bylsma to decide whether Kessel fits in on a first line, Burke believes the evolution of his game is impossible to miss. Credit Leafs coach Randy Carlyle for hammering it home, but props to Kessel as well for responding to the less-than-gentle prompting.

“Last year was his finest season in my opinion,” said Burke, who will handle a bulk of the Team USA evaluating along with his scouting role with the Anaheim Ducks once the NHL season gets under way. “Randy got him to commit more to all three zones. He became a 200-foot player, which he wasn’t. He became a 60-minute player, which he wasn’t.

“You could put him out in any situation and I think his playoffs opened a lot of eyes to him as an elite hockey player.”

A softer Kessel might have disappeared against the Bruins, especially after they fell into a 3-1 series hole. Instead, he became a leading force in the near rally, an observation not lost on his linemate James van Riemsdyk, who joins him here at the U.S. camp.

“The playoffs are a tougher game and the way he battled and contributed when things got tougher and tighter out there, that was great to see,” van Riemsdyk said. “It was exciting to see how he played down the stretch last year. Hopefully, we can build on that.

“We never doubted what Phil could do, but I’m sure it felt good for him to have that success.”

KESSEL THINKS KADRI WILL SIGN SOON

Phil Kessel may find himself at the centre of contract-extension talks before long. But for now, he’ll take the odd playful shot at an unsigned teammate.

The closer Leafs training camp comes, the more the question of unsigned forward Nazem Kadri becomes an issue. Like everyone around the team, Kessel is following the developments with interest.

“I give him a hard time every once in a while, but it’s no big deal,” Kessel said on Monday. “I think he’ll be signed shortly here or close to camp.”

Kessel, meanwhile, has a year remaining on his own contract. It’s expected that, at some point, Leafs general manager Dave Nonis and his team will at least kick the tires on getting him locked up to an extension.