News Article: Kessel on his way out of Pittsburgh?

[LeafFever]

I want him back

We are stacked on the wing. We don't need him.

 

[slozo]

He's not coming back here.
/Discussion.

 

[ULF_55]

Is Kessel worth 6.8 per year for the next 4 years?

more or less the same price as Marleau?

The retention is sunk cost.

 

[Rogie]

Sorry, not interested in a guy that isn't willing to put on his work boots and go to work.

We've just got to the point where we will be losing a very skilled player that had to be sheltered - we don't need to take on another.

edit: I respect Kessel's offensive skills and I even think he's a good guy and all, but, to me, he just doesn't bring it the way he could bring it.

If he had half the drive train of Marner - he'd practically be Gretzky.

 

[Gabriel426]

He's almost eaten all of the hotdogs in Pittsburgh

Then all the hotdog venders will protest if he is on the block.

 

[Gabriel426]

Can the Leafs trade Phil back and then trade him to another team without the 1.2mil retention?

 

[TMLegend]

Yay, another Kessel thread. We haven't had one in a long time so I was getting worried we had all forgotten about him.

I predict many a argument will take place in this thread over Kessels tenure as a Leaf/Penguin.

I don't have anything to contribute other than Kessel is literally the only player that has worn a Maple Leaf sweater that I hated while he was here.

Uncoachable bum.

 

[AllDay28]

We are stacked on the wing. We don't need him.

8th highest scorer in the league. theres 8 wingers on a team. I think we can find a spot.

 

[AllDay28]

Yay, another Kessel thread. We haven't had one in a long time so I was getting worried we had all forgotten about him.

I predict many a argument will take place in this thread over Kessels tenure as a Leaf/Penguin.

I don't have anything to contribute other than Kessel is literally the only player that has worn a Maple Leaf sweater that I hated while he was here.

Uncoachable bum.

uncoachable bum with 2 stanley cups and dominated in those playoffs. sorry the truth doesnt fit your narrative

Also "hating" a player you dont know? You got bigger issues than incorrect hockey views.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

I find it hilarious that the main reason people don't want Kessel is because we don't need more scoring. I'm the biggest believer in team-defense here but why on earth would you not want more scoring (and that coming from an elite player). With JVR and Bozak gone (who are worse than Kessel defensively), we're already better. You ask Pens fans and they'll tell you Kessel backchecks and isn't bad defensively. He isn't great defensively but we bashed him hard as the scapegoat when he was here.

If adding one of the top elite scoring wingers is an issue that's not cap-related, then there's a serious existing-issue with the team and adding Nicklas fricken Lidstrom won't help that. Team-defense starts with Matthews/Nylander/Marner/Kadri/Johnsson/Marleau/Kapanen/Hyman/Brown before it does with any UFA signing we get.

Johnsson - Matthews - Kessel (The top line we've been waiting for. Kessel's playmaking is on par or better than that wicked release of his)
Hyman - Kadri - Marner (Fast, skilled defensive line)
Marleau - Nylander - Kapanen (Marleau to help Nylander transition to C)
UFA LW - Lindholm - Brown


But anyways, there's no way the Pens are actually giving up a 92 point Kessel.

 

[Menzinger]

I find it hilarious that the main reason people don't want Kessel is because we don't need more scoring. I'm the biggest believer in team-defense here but why on earth would you not want more scoring (and that coming from an elite player). With JVR and Bozak gone (who are worse than Kessel defensively), we're already better. You ask Pens fans and they'll tell you Kessel backchecks and isn't bad defensively. He isn't great defensively but we bashed him hard as the scapegoat when he was here.

If adding one of the top elite scoring wingers is an issue that's not cap-related, then there's a serious existing-issue with the team and adding Nicklas fricken Lidstrom won't help that. Team-defense starts with Matthews/Nylander/Marner/Kadri/Johnsson/Marleau/Kapanen/Hyman/Brown before it does with any UFA signing we get.

Johnsson - Matthews - Kessel (The top line we've been waiting for. Kessel's playmaking is on par or better than that wicked release of his)
Hyman - Kadri - Marner (Fast, skilled defensive line)
Marleau - Nylander - Kapanen (Marleau to help Nylander transition to C)
UFA LW - Lindholm - Brown


But anyways, there's no way the Pens are actually giving up a 92 point Kessel.

It’s not that the Leafs couldn't use Kessel (they could even though obviously Rw is still a strength for the team), but the cost of trading for a recent 90 point player in a 6.8 million caphit will be huge.

Leafs don’t have the moveable assets for such a deal.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

We are stacked on the wing. We don't need him.

*Nylander transitions to C*

*Looks at wingers*

*Sees only one top-line winger on the team - Marner*

*Sees the comment "We're stacked on the wing, we don't need him"*

*Laughs*

No but seriously, we're not stacked on the wing. We have a lot of great wingers (Kapanen/Johnsson/Marleau/Brown/Hyman), but only 1 elite when Nylander moves to C. Look at Winnipeg for example. You think they're complaining with 3-4 top-line wingers Wheeler/Laine/Ehlers/(Maybe Connor) and then some great wing depth in Perreault/Roslovic/Armia.

 

[LeafingTheWay]

It’s not that the Leafs couldn't use Kessel (they could even though obviously Rw is still a strength for the team), but the cost of trading for a recent 90 point player in a 6.8 million caphit will be huge.

Leafs don’t have the moveable assets for such a deal.

That I agree with for sure. I'd certainly ask to see what the asking price is though if I were the Leafs.

The only thing is I can't stand the argument that we don't need him because we don't need more scoring.

 

[Stephen]

Is Kessel worth 6.8 per year for the next 4 years?

more or less the same price as Marleau?

The retention is sunk cost.

Kessel for Marleau straight across.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Yay, another Kessel thread. We haven't had one in a long time so I was getting worried we had all forgotten about him.

I predict many a argument will take place in this thread over Kessels tenure as a Leaf/Penguin.

I don't have anything to contribute other than Kessel is literally the only player that has worn a Maple Leaf sweater that I hated while he was here.

Uncoachable bum.

that says more about you than it does about Kessel

 

[Tavares to Marner]

Please please come back

 

[BrainyBomber]

If the Pens trade him is there anyway we can trade back for our $1.2m cap retention? We could really use that space from 2019-20 onwards.

Since the cap has gone up alot since we shipped him his overall cap hit of $8m for 4 more years isn't that bad really for a 93 point scorer last season. So the team the Pens trade him to wouldn't really need us to continue to take on that $1.2m retention.

I'd be fine parting with a decent draft pick or a Leivo or McBackup.

 

[thewave]

If the Pens trade him is there anyway we can trade back for our $1.2m cap retention? We could really use that space from 2019-20 onwards.

Since the cap has gone up alot since we shipped him his overall cap hit of $8m for 4 more years isn't that bad really for a 93 point scorer last season. So the team the Pens trade him to wouldn't really need us to continue to take on that $1.2m retention.

I'd be fine parting with a decent draft pick or a Leivo or McBackup.

In a strange way it's like getting him for 6 and change. Only because the money was spoken for regardless.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Yeah because if there is one thing this team needs to spend cap space on, it's more scoring RW.

 

[SprDaVE]

Why is this posted here?

 

[LeafFever]

*Nylander transitions to C*

*Looks at wingers*

*Sees only one top-line winger on the team - Marner*

*Sees the comment "We're stacked on the wing, we don't need him"*

*Laughs*

No but seriously, we're not stacked on the wing. We have a lot of great wingers (Kapanen/Johnsson/Marleau/Brown/Hyman), but only 1 elite when Nylander moves to C. Look at Winnipeg for example. You think they're complaining with 3-4 top-line wingers Wheeler/Laine/Ehlers/(Maybe Connor) and then some great wing depth in Perreault/Roslovic/Armia.

Let's wait and see if Nylander doe become a C. I am not as convinced as you are. How many "Elite" wingers do most teams have anyways? The fact we had Kapanen on the 4th line means we are in very good shape.

 

[Liminality]

I love Kessel but this team doesn't need to get rid of assets for a Kessel type player at this stage.

 

[LeafFever]

I love Kessel but this team doesn't need to get rid of assets for a Kessel type player at this stage.

In the end, he's burned 3 bridges on 3 teams it appears. There may be some teams that shy-away from him. Usually you don 't get quite the package you should with guys with a reputation (Subban, Kane, ETC).

 

[Liminality]

In the end, he's burned 3 bridges on 3 teams it appears. There may be some teams that shy-away from him. Usually you don 't get quite the package you should with guys with a reputation (Subban, Kane, ETC).

Not even meaning to say it like that. I think Kessel is a huge offensive asset to any team that takes him no matter the reputation he may have. I just don't think the Leafs roster structure can support such a move.

 

[LeafFever]

Not even meaning to say it like that. I think Kessel is a huge offensive asset to any team that takes him no matter the reputation he may have. I just don't think the Leafs roster structure can support such a move.

I agree with that. Also, after Phil quite on the team Shanahan will never, ever take him back. He won't want his act around the young players.