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.
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.
Did you miss his second half performance in the 2014-15 season?Kessel didn't quit on the team, he didn't ask to be traded.
Kessel didn't quit on the team, he didn't ask to be traded.
Did you miss his second half performance in the 2014-15 season?
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.
Although it doesn't matter in the least to the Toronto Maple Leafs any longer, if true I hope this can underline the seldom recognized middle ground in the longstanding Kessel debate: Kessel is both a great, productive talent that a team CAN win championships with AND he's a royal pain in the rear end to coach and manage.
If you read the article, the discussed controversy is over Kessel perhaps playing hurt to keep his consecutive game streak alive. That's a very strange thing to have an issue with. Usually the "bad attitude" players have the "if I'm not 100% I'm not playing" attitude.
Kessel didn't quit on the team, he didn't ask to be traded.
ehhh.
i think regardless of how people feel in regards to kessel, we can all agree Shanahan wanted zero part of him
Which is fair, just statements like Kessel quit on the team aren't fair. He led the team in points every season he played with us.
that says more about you than it does about Kessel
So everyone quit on the team then? We were terrible after Carlyle was fired. Kessel still led that team in points, assists and was only two goals back on JVR.
Leafs are actively shopping Gards and Kadri too?Why else would the Leafs be actively trying to purge all of those players from the team and fans memory?
It was an embarrasingly mentally weak team with zero structure or leadership. Not sure why people want to bring the ringleader back. Dubas, Shanny and Babcock wanted absolutely nothing to do with Kessel so I dont ever see a reunion happening under this management.
for the most part, I don't think anyone said they couldn't win with Kessel. the argument was always you could not win with kessel with him as your principle player. (and regardless of his achievements it was always Crosby then Malkin, then Fleury/Murray and then Kessel). I have my issues regarding kessel, but I will (and have) given crap to people for stating anything less than that.
but to answer to the question, no. I wouldn't want Kessel here.
We need to really improve our play along the boards and getting Phil Kessel doesn't help with that!
Pass.
Wasn't it Dubas/Hunter that made the trade to get rid of him in the first place? I can't see him having any interest in getting him back. Leafs didn't have to trade him and they did, must have had their reasons.