By avoiding his usual mid-season slump, speedy Phil Kessel is headed for the best campaign of his NHL career — in the hunt for the scoring title and, perhaps, Hart Trophy consideration.

With 30 goals and 30 assists, Kessel also has a chance to become the first Maple Leaf to score 50 goals since Dave Andreychuk fired 53 in the 1993-94 season.

The first-round pick of the Boston Bruins (fifth overall in 2006) has had three mini-slumps this season: six games without a goal from Nov. 22 to Dec. 5; four games from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5 and Jan. 10 to 17 —before scoring six in his last 11 games.

Traditionally, January and February have not been kind to the 24-year-old Kessel. This month, though, he has nine points in six games.