Rumor: All Purpose Phil Kessel Trade Thread

[Empoleon8771]

Also, to sum up the article in the OP for anyone who hasn't read it:

1. Phil to Minnesota is imminent and waiting on Phil to say yes
2. Zucker would probably be the piece coming back
3. Johnson for Rask has also been discussed

 

[Bazeek]

Sorry, for a second I blacked out and thought you said part of the supposed deal is us taking Jack Johnson. What a bad dream that was.

Nino for Johnson would be the stuff of legends.

 

[BB88]

I just don't get Minnesota.

 

[oooooooooohCanada]

I honestly don't know that Kessel cares about this stuff now that he has 2 cups. I don't think Kessel has the drive that guys like Crosby has.

Based on what? Nothing to suggest he doesn't have the drive to win 20 cups. Guy loves hockey and wants to win. That's tells me enough.

 

[Clayonator]

No no no! I want to see Kessel for Subban!

 

[Bazeek]

I just don't get Minnesota.

Chris Cornell tried feeling us once and we all know how that worked out.

 

[AKL]

I just don't get Minnesota.

Join the club:

Minnesota Wild

 

[Zrhutch]

What’s the rationale for Minnesota here? Get Suter and Parise a cup? Because I don’t think the difference between Kessel and Zucker is getting that done.

 

[AKL]

What’s the rationale for Minnesota here? Get Suter and Parise a cup? Because I don’t think the difference between Kessel and Zucker is getting that done.

Ay but you’re forgetting the difference between Rask and Johnson mate. Honest mistake, don’t feel bad.

 

[DrJustice]

Is the Kessel situation really that bad that they can't make it work anymore?

Zucker is a good player but he's still making just $1.3M less per year than Kessel and isn't the same level of player IMO.

Would be a good get for the Wild though.

 

[AKL]

Is the Kessel situation really that bad that they can't make it work anymore?

Zucker is a good player but he's still making just $1.3M less per year than Kessel and isn't the same level of player IMO.

Would be a good get for the Wild though.

If it’s straight up, sure. But then you also have to wonder what the opportunity cost is in terms of longer term assets we could have gotten for him.

 

[Bazeek]

What’s the rationale for Minnesota here? Get Suter and Parise a cup? Because I don’t think the difference between Kessel and Zucker is getting that done.

Minnesota's LW depth
Parise
Zucker
Fiala
Greenway
Donato
Foligno
Rask (kind of)
Eriksson-Ek (also kind of)

Minnesota's RW depth
Kunin

And we need goalscoring, so swapping Zucker for a goalscoring RW on a reasonable deal makes a lot of sense. It only doesn't make sense if you assume that we're trying to sell everyone for futures.

The bigger question is why Pittsburgh would do it, and I think that comes down to supposed friction with the coach and Kessel's NTC limiting their options.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The bigger question is why Pittsburgh would do it, and I think that comes down to supposed friction with the coach and Kessel's NTC limiting their options.

I think it's this, Kessel being a bad fit with Malkin and the Penguins needing to make changes after getting swept. If they can also swap Johnson's contract for Rask's contract, I'd be happy with that deal.

 

[HawkeyTalkMan]

somehow this is how I imagine Minnesotas front office decision making the last decade, similar to South Park

 

[57special]

Kessel is going to drink the lakes you were going to trade to Arizona.

This is even worse than I imagined.

Think of the fish! All those dead Walleyes, flopping around, with Phil trying to deep fry them for late spring snacks.

 

[Bazeek]

I think it's this, Kessel being a bad fit with Malkin and the Penguins needing to make changes after getting swept. If they can also swap Johnson's contract for Rask's contract, I'd be happy with that deal.

The Rask/Johnson aspect is pretty ugly for us, but I guess I get it. Rask's buyout isn't all that bad this summer, but Fenton having to buy out his first major trade acquisition months after adding him is a bad, bad look. Johnson sucks but we already have an entire wing of the locker room devoted to dubious depth LD. I guess he fits right in.

 

[Golden Puppers]

Value wise, I'd do something around Zucker for Kessel if I was Minnesota, not sure why Penguins would though. Maybe Kessel has become enough of a cancer that it outweighs his talent and they need to jettison him.

But Kessel is a guy who can't 'be the guy', he needs to be insulated by superstar players, particuarly centers, to really excel. And Minnesota aint that...

 

[domaug]

a lot of people seriously undervalue Kessel. even when he looked like dog shit 90% of the time he was still putting up a point per game.

now come the comments "but he played with Crosby and Malkin so they easily contributed to no less than half of his points, so if he plays for literally any other team he's not scoring more than 40"

 

[MMC]

 

[57special]

I just don't get Minnesota.

I do, unfortunately. Though if it's just Zucker for Kessel, it's not that bad. Wild need RHS forwards. If we send someone like Eiksson-Ek back I'll freak. McBain, not so much.

 

[Starat327]

Think of the fish! All those dead Walleyes, flopping around, with Phil trying to deep fry them for late spring snacks.

there will be no flopping. He's swallowing them like guppies.

 

[Fire Benning]

I’d take Zucker over Kessel at this point.

 

[Mr Tadakichi]

Oof taking Johnson too. That will be an ouch for some time.

 

[AKL]

a lot of people seriously undervalue Kessel. even when he looked like dog **** 90% of the time he was still putting up a point per game.

now come the comments "but he played with Crosby and Malkin so they easily contributed to no less than half of his points, so if he plays for literally any other team he's not scoring more than 40"

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Zucker score more in Pittsburgh over the next three seasons than Kessel scores in Minnesota.

 

[57special]

I sure as hell hope that Fenton is talking to other teams about Zucker. I'm not saying that Kessel doesn't have value, but he's a guy who should go to a team that is in position to win now. That ain't the Wild.