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Phil Kessel - Where do you see him going?

The Mountain Man

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Holymakinaw Contributor

Holymakinaw

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Now that Babcock is in Toronto, maybe they'll try to keep Kessel?  They're not going to trade everyone, so maybe just guys like Lupul and Bozak are traded, and Kessel and Phanuef will stay.

 

Toronto would STILL have some awesome young bluechippers in Strome/Marner, Nylander and Rielly all coming up, and maybe Babcock will take a year to see if he can work with those other guys at all.  If not, they can always work on trading them later on.

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WordsOfWisdom Newbie

WordsOfWisdom

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Now that Babcock is in Toronto, maybe they'll try to keep Kessel?  They're not going to trade everyone, so maybe just guys like Lupul and Bozak are traded, and Kessel and Phanuef will stay.

 

Toronto would STILL have some awesome young bluechippers in Strome/Marner, Nylander and Rielly all coming up, and maybe Babcock will take a year to see if he can work with those other guys at all.  If not, they can always work on trading them later on.

 

Kessel, Phaneuf, and Lupul need to go for sure.

 

  • Kessel will be the first one gone. Kessel is useless defensively. He provides no leadership, is awful from a PR perspective, and needs to be buried somewhere in the NHL where nobody will ever watch him. He is not the kind of player Babcock will want on his team.
  • Phaneuf is overpaid for what he is. He ties up too much cap space, plays average defensively, and doesn't contribute offensively. He's the kind of guy you move just to free up cap space.
  • Lupul is another one dimensional player except he can't even stay healthy. Is there such a thing as being half of one dimension? The Lupul experiment has to be over at this point. I've seen enough of this guy.

:)

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J0e Th0rnton Veteran

J0e Th0rnton

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Kessel to Edmonton? Huh, I don't know.

 

I see Kadri going to San Jose. If they could squeeze a deal with Logan Couture and a few other assets, it would do.

uh.........ROFL. Nah. Couture is a 26 year old Elite two way center. Last year was a bad year for the Sharks, but Couture still set career high point totals and is getting better. 2 years older than Kadri, but has 4 seasons better than Kadri's best already.

 

Wilson made it pretty plain his young untouchable in trade corps is Couture, Vlasic, Hertl, Mueller and that he would not trade any 1st round picks. He also pretty flat out stated the Sharks would not trade picks for players over 30. A goalie may be an exception to that rule, if Anderson is available.

 

He WILL trade youth for youth(Demers for Dillon), but not easily.

 

So unless Kadri is being traded for a 2nd and Nieto, don't count on it. In terms of centers(Including those converted to wing due to having too many centers), we have Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski, Couture, Hertl, Tierney, Wingels, Smith, Karlsson. Can Kadri play wing?

 

I might be crazy, but Kadri was one of the few Leafs who I thought was playing well in the first 40 games. In terms of possession at least

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jammer2 Proficient

jammer2

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I just can't see this marriage between Babber and Kessel working. He represents the opposite of everything Babcock wants in a player. Out of shape bum, peripheral player who will not sacrifice his body to maintain possession....pfft....this is gonna be GOOD!!

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jammer2 Proficient

jammer2

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@J0e Th0rnton   My take on Kadri, and I've had a REAL good look at him as division rival in the OHL and more than half his Leaf games....he's a very selfish player Joe. He's propelled by ego, which works ok against kids in the OHL...NHL...not so much. He has undisputed talent, but quite often you see him trying to do it all, beat two guys when his teammate is across the ice awaiting a nice touch pass that never comes. He's got a LOT of growing up to do. He strikes me as entitled....and that is not going to mesh to well with Babber....at all.

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WordsOfWisdom Newbie

WordsOfWisdom

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@J0e Th0rnton   My take on Kadri, and I've had a REAL good look at him as division rival in the OHL and more than half his Leaf games....he's a very selfish player Joe. He's propelled by ego, which works ok against kids in the OHL...NHL...not so much. He has undisputed talent, but quite often you see him trying to do it all, beat two guys when his teammate is across the ice awaiting a nice touch pass that never comes. He's got a LOT of growing up to do. He strikes me as entitled....and that is not going to mesh to well with Babber....at all.

 

Ya know, if you asked me how many players on the current Leafs team will still be here when the team makes another final four appearance (and loses), I'd have to say fewer than 20%.  :unsure[1]:

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flyercanuck Veteran

flyercanuck

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Ya know, if you asked me how many players on the current Leafs team will still be here when the team makes another final four appearance (and loses), I'd have to say fewer than 20%.  :unsure[1]:

 

 

I wonder how many of us will still be here...on this planet?

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J0e Th0rnton Veteran

J0e Th0rnton

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@flyercanuck

 

None.

 

 

The next time the Leafs win will be in 2167, when we've abandoned earth due to over pollution and are playing hockey on our new planet (owned by MLSE. Yes they rigged it, do you even need to ask?).

Now I am thinking of Jason X when they visit earth and find Jason's cryotube.

 

"What's that on his face?"

"Hockey mask. Sport outlawed in 2028!"

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J0e Th0rnton Veteran

J0e Th0rnton

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@WordsOfWisdom@Commander Clueless

 

The way I see Kessel's contract is thus

 

With no retention, almost no chance of moving him 8 million for 7 years in his declining years is just rough unless they take an albatross contract back like McDud, Richards, Clarkson(lol), Semin, Bolland.

 

With 2 million retention. Suddenly, his contract looks fair. 6 million for a scorer of his caliber is about normal, even if he is soft and bad on possession due to throwing the puck any direction to avoid contact. You will start to see interest and a fair return.

 

With 4 million retention. I am sure the idea sucks, but hear it out since you are in a long rebuild. Kessel at 4 million would garner a kings ransom in A level prospects and 1st round picks from someone. Essentially, you are paying 4 million a year for 7 years to accelerate your rebuild.

 

At the rate the cap climbs, 4 million in a few years will look like bottom pairing Dman money

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Commander Clueless Newbie

Commander Clueless

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@J0e Th0rnton

 

First off, don't even mention Clarkson. We just got rid of that contract (so he can score 30 for Columbus, with our luck). :P

 

I seriously doubt $6 million is the price for scorers like Kessel anymore - case in point: the Petry contract. I mean, if the difference between a second pairing defenseman and a PPG scorer (well, unless the second half of the season was indicative of major dropoff I guess) is $500K...well, that's weird. I think the price has increased. 

 

The remainder of his contract spans from age 27 to age 34. It's not unreasonable to expect some decline in the later years, but if your last statement is true, then that would also apply to the later years of Phil's contract, no? As in, the extra money will be chump change?  ;)

 

I'd say the Leafs definitely need to take salary coming back (preferably young, useful salary), but as for retention? Not sure. Depends on the team he goes to.

 

That said, if the Leafs do retain, I expect some pretty good compensation for Fat Phil. I realize he isn't generally liked, but the guy can put up points with the best of them.

 

 

Dion on the other hand...that one will require retention or a bad contract in exchange. Although Babcock has been saying good things about Phagoof, so he may return next season.

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J0e Th0rnton Veteran

J0e Th0rnton

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@J0e Th0rnton

 

First off, don't even mention Clarkson. We just got rid of that contract (so he can score 30 for Columbus, with our luck). :P

 

I seriously doubt $6 million is the price for scorers like Kessel anymore - case in point: the Petry contract. I mean, if the difference between a second pairing defenseman and a PPG scorer (well, unless the second half of the season was indicative of major dropoff I guess) is $500K...well, that's weird. I think the price has increased. 

 

The remainder of his contract spans from age 27 to age 34. It's not unreasonable to expect some decline in the later years, but if your last statement is true, then that would also apply to the later years of Phil's contract, no? As in, the extra money will be chump change?  ;)

 

I'd say the Leafs definitely need to take salary coming back (preferably young, useful salary), but as for retention? Not sure. Depends on the team he goes to.

 

That said, if the Leafs do retain, I expect some pretty good compensation for Fat Phil. I realize he isn't generally liked, but the guy can put up points with the best of them.

 

 

Dion on the other hand...that one will require retention or a bad contract in exchange. Although Babcock has been saying good things about Phagoof, so he may return next season.

Gonna have to retain now. As per mackenzie, his 8 team list.

 

http://www.tsn.ca/mckenzie-on-free-agents-trades-and-more-1.307528

 

Per Bob Mac 

 

Quote:
Kessel's limited NTC is believed to include eight teams he can be traded to. Prior to the trade deadline, TSN reported those eight teams were believed to be: Boston; Chicago; Los Angeles; Minnesota; Montreal; New York Rangers; Philadelphia; and Pittsburgh.
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TropicalFruitGirl26 Grand Master

TropicalFruitGirl26

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You know, not that I'd particularly care for Phil Kessel coming to Minnesota, but in playing "make believe" (because the Wild were one of the teams on his list he would go to), I was trying to come up with a plausible scenario where Kessel could go to Minnesota, and the Wild wouldn't have to bust the farm, or give up their near future just to have Kessel in there.

 

Well, that exercise was short lived, because after looking at player contracts around the league (and with the Wild in particular), I see all these NMC or NTC in there...hence why I asked about those in the shoutbox.

 

Really, the ONLY players Minnesota has that DON'T have those provisions are the younger, under 25 types that would be RFA's at the end of their contracts, or are relatively inexpensive.

Oh, sure, Toronto would LOVE to do a deal like that (trade Kessel and his monster cap hit for a package of young, salary controllable players), but that makes ZERO sense for the Wild to do!

 

I can think of a few vets on the Wild that could possibly be worked into a package for Kessel to come to Minnesota, but again, those guys ALL have NMC or NTC in their contracts!

So much for Kessel coming to the Wild. Not even in "Pretend Land" can the Leafs move him to Minnesota........ unless, of course, the Wild GM suddenly starts doing 'shrooms and ACTUALLY trades young, controllable assets for Kessel....in which case, Minnesota is doomed!!

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