Phil Kessel - Where do you see him going?

[The Mountain Man]

With the Toronto Maple Leafs seemingly leaning towards sending Kessel off in a trade, where do you think he may go?

 

Clearly the Leafs will have to retain some of his salary but I think when motivated to play he is still one of the top wingers in the game. I think if he was not the main guy on the team you would see a lot more production from him. Could these deals make sense to another team?

 

1. Kessel to the Blues for T.J.Oshie? Oshie is a year older and not quite as good offensively. Kessel would have solid centers to play with and not be the main guy. Much smaller world as far as press hounding either.

 

2. Kessel to the Sabres for a first round pick? Buffale has several picks in the first round. The Leafs may not get the top pick but if Buffalo loses the draft lottery...would they deal the second pick for him? The Leafs retain half of his salary and get to pick 2nd and 4th.

 

3. Kessel to the caps for marcus Johanssen and a 2nd round pick. Imagine Kessel playing right wing for Backstrom and Ovechkin on the left wing? Pretty awesome line and Johanssen is a big young forward who the leafs would covet. The Caps have Kuznetsov and Backstrom so they may see Marcus as expendable.

 

I am not a Kessel fan and this is just me making **** up.... but what do you think?     

 

lots of people will say "no way" to all these deals...... lets hear what you think if I am out to lunch.

[WordsOfWisdom]

With the Toronto Maple Leafs seemingly leaning towards sending Kessel off in a trade, where do you think he may go?

 

Clearly the Leafs will have to retain some of his salary but I think when motivated to play he is still one of the top wingers in the game. I think if he was not the main guy on the team you would see a lot more production from him. Could these deals make sense to another team?

 

1. Kessel to the Blues for T.J.Oshie? Oshie is a year older and not quite as good offensively. Kessel would have solid centers to play with and not be the main guy. Much smaller world as far as press hounding either.

 

2. Kessel to the Sabres for a first round pick? Buffale has several picks in the first round. The Leafs may not get the top pick but if Buffalo loses the draft lottery...would they deal the second pick for him? The Leafs retain half of his salary and get to pick 2nd and 4th.

 

3. Kessel to the caps for marcus Johanssen and a 2nd round pick. Imagine Kessel playing right wing for Backstrom and Ovechkin on the left wing? Pretty awesome line and Johanssen is a big young forward who the leafs would covet. The Caps have Kuznetsov and Backstrom so they may see Marcus as expendable.

 

I am not a Kessel fan and this is just me making **** up.... but what do you think?     

 

lots of people will say "no way" to all these deals...... lets hear what you think if I am out to lunch.

 

I would keep him around for the rebuild. We need Kessel on our team so we can finish at the bottom.

 

I would rather see Kessel wasting away in Toronto for the next five years then have the team buy him out and watch him become motivated playing somewhere else. Toronto gave up a fortune to get him. I wouldn't accept anything less than top value for his departure.

[Samifan]

I see him going to a Dunkin Donuts and all you can eat buffet

[WordsOfWisdom]

This is where Kessel needs to go:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b_ns8RPTtk

[yave1964]

I see Kessel in the desert of Arizona. My first thought was Florida, but they retained Jagr which in my opinion kills that.

 

 As for compensation, it will depend upon how much salary the Leafs eat. His stock is low, I wouldn't mind him wearing the Winged wheel though Holland would never do it. I think a change of scenery makes him a 40 goal scorer again. Yes his defense is wretched, yes, all he does is score goals, but you need goals to win. Pretty defensive players, body checkers, all needed but you need someone to put it in the net. Used right, he could easily get back on track.

 

 I still think there is a 20 percent chance of him returning to Toronto, depending upon the new coaches disposition.

[J0e Th0rnton]

look at this?

I watch the guy often enough to wonder what he would be like with a dedication to fitness and work ethic.

 

How did he let himself go so much? Boston fans think "He looks like he ate Phil Kessel"

 

[JagerMeister]

I personally think Kessel would be a perfect fit in Florida...

he does not like media all to much, and he wont get **** from any fans because...well...there are none in Florida 

[WordsOfWisdom]

I see Kessel in the desert of Arizona. My first thought was Florida, but they retained Jagr which in my opinion kills that.

 

 As for compensation, it will depend upon how much salary the Leafs eat. His stock is low, I wouldn't mind him wearing the Winged wheel though Holland would never do it. I think a change of scenery makes him a 40 goal scorer again. Yes his defense is wretched, yes, all he does is score goals, but you need goals to win. Pretty defensive players, body checkers, all needed but you need someone to put it in the net. Used right, he could easily get back on track.

 

 I still think there is a 20 percent chance of him returning to Toronto, depending upon the new coaches disposition.

 

That's exactly what the Leafs DON'T NEED. We don't need to be paying another ex-Leaf player 50% of their salary to suddenly "find their smile" again and become everything they should have been when they signed their fat contract to play in Toronto!

 

The Leafs got burned badly when they acquired Kessel, giving up Seguin and Hamilton to get him. Let's not get burned twice on the same damn player! If I were the GM I'd draw a line in the sand and say the price for Kessel is two first round draft picks... same thing we paid. Obviously nobody will pay that, but that's fine. Kessel can rot in Toronto for the next five years as the team finishes 30th and collects high draft picks. I don't care. They have to pay enough to get to the salary floor so why not? When it comes time to compete again, then I'd buy out the last three years of the contract and bury him in the minors or release him or whatever. The Leafs paid such a huge price to get Kessel, they should force him to rediscover his game in Toronto before moving him out. Buy low, sell high.

[J0e Th0rnton]

Doesn't Kessel have a NTC? With an 8 team list he can say he will go to?

 

That completely hamstrings you. All he has to do is list the 8 most cash strapped teams, or teams with young talent due for contracts in a year or two, and it becomes a full NTC unless you are willing to take garbage contracts back AND retain salary.

 

Chicago, LA, Boston, Tampa, Philly, NYR, Pittsburgh, Minny.

 

Good luck getting any of them to take Kessel without taking their garbage contracts back. Chicago has ZERO chance of taking him. They are going to have to field a roster of 6 rookies next season just to fit under the cap. LA would insist you take Richards. Boston probably wishes they still had Kessel, but realistically, they cannot take his contract even if they give you one back. Tampa has a goldmine of talent and just does not need Kessel. Philly would take him gladly, but only if you took any two of  VLC, Umberger or McDud. NYR could not possibly take him, and the pens already have multiple monster contracts prohibiting them from signing depth. Minny might consider giving you Vanek for him. But then you have to talk Vanek into waiving his NTC when he specifically wanted to go to Minny and became useless.

 

Yeah, trading Kessel is going to be rough. Which is strange given he is a dynamic offensive talent when he is confident.

[jammer2]

  I trade Kessel as fast as I can. Here is the big problem as I see it.....he's a valuable top 10 scorer, but that alone necessitates that he be on the ice down one goal or tied late in a playoff game....BUT he defense is so sloppy and poor, and his work ethic is so bad....that you are putting a potential liability on the ice in pressure packed situations...in short, he's not a winner, and will not put in the work to make that change.

 

 The Leafs will never ever get back what they gave up....so, stop trying....get him out of town as quick as possible. The one thing...the Leafs have Nylander coming next year....and probably Strome the year after...so any trade MUST include a winger coming back....or a draft pick that can net them a talented winger. Who is gonna score on the wing now that the Leafs will FINALLY have a legit center?? 

 

 A top 10 scorer, should lead by example....does anything about Kessel's game say...."hop on my back...I will take us where we need to go"???  If not...you trade him, it's that simple.

[flyercanuck]

Phil "Puffy" Kessel is only 27. But with his idea for fitness (eating cookies) and being a team player (hey, let's turn our backs on the fans, then mail in the rest of the season) I see his game beginning a decline a lot sooner than most NHLers. Somehow with that body he's a fast skater. But the fatter he gets, the more thats going to start going south. Unless he totally changes his outlook on the game, I'd want no part of him on my team.

[J0e Th0rnton]

Phil "Puffy" Kessel is only 27. But with his idea for fitness (eating cookies) and being a team player (hey, let's turn our backs on the fans, then mail in the rest of the season) I see his game beginning a decline a lot sooner than most NHLers. Somehow with that body he's a fast skater. But the fatter he gets, the more thats going to start going south. Unless he totally changes his outlook on the game, I'd want no part of him on my team.

In fairness, he did try playing a more defensive game under the new coach. The problem is, he is HORRID on his own end of the ice and it negated his best skill. Scoring.

 

I agree, old butterball is remarkably quick for a gut that size. Fast hands and good offensive instincts. Imagine if he devoted time to fitness and had work ethic. He could be a top 5 NHL player

[flyercanuck]

@J0e Th0rnton

 

Incredible God-given skill. Effortless skater and one of the quickest releases in the game. One strange dude though. I swear his parents locked him in a closet when he was a kid with an empty cookie jar.

[AJgoal]

look at this?

I watch the guy often enough to wonder what he would be like with a dedication to fitness and work ethic.

 

How did he let himself go so much? Boston fans think "He looks like he ate Phil Kessel"

 

 

Not for nothing, but his bout with testicular cancer probably has a lot to do with his inability to shed fat. Chemotherapy and radiation treatment for testicular cancer can screw with the body's ability to produce testosterone, which can affect moods, cause depression, and cause metabolic issues. If he's not getting follow-up treatment, both through hormone and psychological therapy, that could be a huge reason why his work ethic and appearance have gone downhill.

[flyercanuck]

@AJgoal

 

It's funny how his work ethic is fine when he has the puck, yet disappears without it.

[AJgoal]

I'm talking about off-ice, since his fitness was questioned in the post I quoted.

[flyercanuck]

@AJgoal

 

I'm just being a jerk. 

[Podein25]

@AJgoal

 

I don't know much about chemo and metabolism or any of that stuff - it might all be true - but Phil already has a reputation for being out of shape and not caring. This reputation is earned not made up by media or hateful bloggers. 

 

In the fall when camp opened he was asked what he did in the off season. He said: not much, played some golf (paraphrasing). Plus: 

 

[flyercanuck]

@Podein25

 

I think he said he fished too.

 

And ate cookies...lots and lots of cookies.

[Podein25]

I think he said he fished too.

 

 

 

That I don't believe. I've fished plenty in my life, and it's work. First, there's the getting up really early. Then there's assembling all the gear, getting the boat in the water (if necessary), getting bait, choosing the right lure, etc etc. If you're jigging, that's a lot of work too: up, down, up down. Exhausting. Nope, can't see Phil fishing really.

[AJgoal]

I'm not really trying to defend the guy - he's got plenty of negatives associated with him, many of which are fair. However, I've seen it said, here, that he should be embarrassed about the fact that he doesn't shed whatever excess fat he's carrying. I'm just pointing out that that may just not be possible for him anymore, regardless of how hard he works (or doesn't). It's not like the cancer is something new - he was treated a decade ago. So any side effects are just going to be compounding at this point. But something happened since then - I mean, the guy lost a testicle and was back playing hockey in less than a month. You don't do that without having some sort of work ethic and drive. So what happened to it?

[flyercanuck]

That I don't believe. I've fished plenty in my life, and it's work. First, there's the getting up really early. Then there's assembling all the gear, getting the boat in the water (if necessary), getting bait, choosing the right lure, etc etc. If you're jigging, that's a lot of work too: up, down, up down. Exhausting. Nope, can't see Phil fishing really.

 

Fishing cookies out of the jar?

[AJgoal]

To hedge my own question - besides the money?

[J0e Th0rnton]

That I don't believe. I've fished plenty in my life, and it's work. First, there's the getting up really early. Then there's assembling all the gear, getting the boat in the water (if necessary), getting bait, choosing the right lure, etc etc. If you're jigging, that's a lot of work too: up, down, up down. Exhausting. Nope, can't see Phil fishing really.

Dude, he is rich. He can pay people to do the work for him and just go do the fun part of fishing. I know plenty of guys like that.

[J0e Th0rnton]

I'm not really trying to defend the guy - he's got plenty of negatives associated with him, many of which are fair. However, I've seen it said, here, that he should be embarrassed about the fact that he doesn't shed whatever excess fat he's carrying. I'm just pointing out that that may just not be possible for him anymore, regardless of how hard he works (or doesn't). It's not like the cancer is something new - he was treated a decade ago. So any side effects are just going to be compounding at this point. But something happened since then - I mean, the guy lost a testicle and was back playing hockey in less than a month. You don't do that without having some sort of work ethic and drive. So what happened to it?

When the sun is shining my friend. Just not when it rains

 

He looks game enough when on an offensive rush. He just looks frustrated and bored when the puck goes the other way. He also avoids the mucking and boardwork.