News Article: Kessel on his way out of Pittsburgh?

[Gary Nylund]

I wonder what assets it would take to bring back Kessel and Phaneuf too. Phaneuf seems especially logical as we don't have anyone deemed worthy of wearing the 'C' at the moment. Then re-signing Bozak would be an obvious move, after all there's something to be said for continuity.

 

[ShaneFalco]

so i guess we should trade matthews cause "he acted like a baby going to the media or someone telling them he wanted to be with marner more and had to get babcock to fly to Arizona to talk to him".

in fact, wow, look at this pathetic piece of work

TRAIKOS: Shades of Kessel in Babcock-Matthews turmoil

ffs

 

[ShaneFalco]

Pass on Phil. Need more compete on this tea m and he's the furthest thing from that

 

[Daisy Jane]

Isn’t it more interesting that the two players who didn’t speak to the media: Phil Kessel and Dougie Hamilton are the ones who are now, literally the next day, difficult and wanting a trade?

Isn’t it funny that the Matthews hate here and the “he can’t be a captain sentiment” really took full steam after he didn’t speak to the media?

I love how people can’t see it for what it is. The media is full of mean girls who start rumours about you the second they don’t get invited to a party

first of all mostly men work in the sports media, so it's not "mean girls." find another analogy.

second, Phil had had issues in Pittsburgh since the word jump. this wasn't the first time. I know you have this big "the media is evil and it's the cause of everything" thing, which is fine, your prerogative, but blaming all of Kessel's woes on the media is not putting ownership that maybe, just maybe Kessel could be the problem too.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Phil has had issues wherever he's played it seems
I can imagine how frustrating it must be to coach him. All the talent in the world but lazzzzyyyyyy and aloof

 

[Legion34]

first of all mostly men work in the sports media, so it's not "mean girls." find another analogy.

second, Phil had had issues in Pittsburgh since the word jump. this wasn't the first time. I know you have this big "the media is evil and it's the cause of everything" thing, which is fine, your prerogative, but blaming all of Kessel's woes on the media is not putting ownership that maybe, just maybe Kessel could be the problem too.

Three for three this year. Matthews, Kessel, Hamilton.

Kessel has had about a million “good guy Phil” articles and they were talking about him and the Ross/hart etc back in January. The toronto media has brought up the tocchet thing. Not much else. In pitt he has been loved mostly.

There were never “he wants out” rumours until the day he snubbed the media.

Hamilton got the exact same treatment.
Same with Matthews. There was never a single question who the next captain would be until he refused to speak to the media after was it game 4???

Now he Is the problem. At what point do people start actually believing it is an issue. There are 3 separate cases from 3 seperate cities. Toronto is the worst generally. But it is common. In fact there was an article published that even admitted that the media go nicer on people who talk to them. From toronto. The guy chronicled how frank Thomas sucked here, but got a free pass because he joked with the media. Then the guy said the media would back off if he was nice to them.

That got published. Just. Sad

 

[Mess]

Pass on Phil. Need more compete on this tea m and he's the furthest thing from that

I believe it was Babcock when he was about to be hired by the Leafs, that was involved heavily as one of his conditions to take the Leafs job that Kessel was moved out.

Leafs hastily with interim GM's Dubas and Hunter got Phil shipped out of town, and so coach Babcock didn't have to deal with him.

I'd see little reason that Leafs would now reverse their "Scorched Earth" mandate that disposed of flying Phil to show any interest whatsoever in reacquiring him.

The only possibility I could see with Kessel being involved again with Leafs organization is as a 3rd party team where he might flow through the Leafs organization and his original contract and his retained salary $1.2 mil are reunited and then both are moved on to his next team and Leafs including something (pick/prospect) to unload that retained salary portion of Kessel's contract off Leafs books. That would be a very clever move by Dubas/Pridham to clear up some Leafs cap space.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Three for three this year. Matthews, Kessel, Hamilton.

Kessel has had about a million “good guy Phil” articles and they were talking about him and the Ross/hart etc back in January. The toronto media has brought up the tocchet thing. Not much else. In pitt he has been loved mostly.

There were never “he wants out” rumours until the day he snubbed the media.

Hamilton got the exact same treatment.
Same with Matthews. There was never a single question who the next captain would be until he refused to speak to the media after was it game 4???

Now he Is the problem. At what point do people start actually believing it is an issue. There are 3 separate cases from 3 seperate cities. Toronto is the worst generally. But it is common. In fact there was an article published that even admitted that the media go nicer on people who talk to them. From toronto. The guy chronicled how frank Thomas sucked here, but got a free pass because he joked with the media. Then the guy said the media would back off if he was nice to them.

That got published. Just. Sad

like i said. there's no real point going further than this because you're convinced this is just the media, vs looking at both sides of the ledger.

to your last point, isn't that life? isn't the adage, you get more flies with honey than vinegar? if all you do is snub anyone why are you going to act shocked if they act like that? people never have issues with the media when they pump their tires, and talk about their trade or contract wishes, and all their lobbying, 1 coin, 2 sides.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Phil has had issues wherever he's played it seems
I can imagine how frustrating it must be to coach him. All the talent in the world but lazzzzyyyyyy and aloof

that's the thing.
he turned a lot of people off during his combine/interviews in his draft year (it's in this book, i forgot the title).

He had serious issues with teammates (and media) in Boston about his work ethic etc , to the point where they traded him to Toronto.

in Toronto a lot of it (admittedly) was a lot of Phil v. media, (and that was Burke's fault, imo), but if the message from up top was "let Phil do whatever he wants, coz he's talented" like i said, you can colour it "rebuild" all you want but it really seems interesting to me that (if we're gonna play the media card), both Dion + Phil were labeled as huge issues, Dion was being pushed out the door harder, media was like keep Phil (pump + dump him), and ditch Dion, and yet, Phil's literally pushed out the door (according to a tonne of people, for crap), and Dion's the one who ends up being remembered a lot fonder than he was.

in Pittsburgh, Rutherford had a come to jesus moment with him and the first few months he wasn't really turning anyone's heads around Then Phil does what he does best (ppg in the playoffs) and everyone is like swoon, Phil. but his issues were still there.

like this belief that Phil is this innocent little lamb and it's just the mean mean media, and dumb dumb management who doesn't know better, needs to stop. I'm not absolving management (Toronto's anyway), or outright dismissing that the media made it a lot harder sometimes, but Phil's not pure as the freshly fallen snow here.

 

[Legion34]

like i said. there's no real point going further than this because you're convinced this is just the media, vs looking at both sides of the ledger.

to your last point, isn't that life? isn't the adage, you get more flies with honey than vinegar? if all you do is snub anyone why are you going to act shocked if they act like that? people never have issues with the media when they pump their tires, and talk about their trade or contract wishes, and all their lobbying, 1 coin, 2 sides.

??? Not at all. The media is protected by law. This isn’t a guy washing your car. The media play the “free press card” all the time. They talk about journalistic integrity. They go on and on about how people can’t clap in the press box because they can’t be seen as impartial, or supporting a team. But then they can make up rumours and treat people differently because they like them?

That’s the problem. They pretend to be impartial and invoke the rights to the press when they want. But then they turn into TMZ. It is not a players responsibility To be nice to the media. It is the media’s responsibility To be impartial and report the news. Not unfounded rumours.

 

[Daisy Jane]

??? Not at all. The media is protected by law. This isn’t a guy washing your car. The media play the “free press card” all the time. They talk about journalistic integrity. They go on and on about how people can’t clap in the press box because they can’t be seen as impartial, or supporting a team. But then they can make up rumours and treat people differently because they like them?

That’s the problem. They pretend to be impartial and invoke the rights to the press when they want. But then they turn into TMZ. It is not a players responsibility To be nice to the media. It is the media’s responsibility To be impartial and report the news. Not unfounded rumours.

okay, Krazy.

 

[ottomaddox]

TOR lost that deal. Why try to win him back with assets and draft picks?

In no way am I saying Kessel is a bad player.

 

[Legion34]

okay, Krazy.

I’m not sure why expecting fair and impartial media reports from card carrying members of the media who work for recognized media outlets is somehow wrong? It’s kinda the whole bedrock of the press. I know young people get their news from twitter now, but it still means something.

Ps. How can you find a “mean girls” reference inappropriate but use “pump and dump”. You do know what that means right?

 

[GardinerTheForward]

I hope Kessel retures so we can move on from all this shit

 

[Daisy Jane]

I’m not sure why expecting fair and impartial media reports from card carrying members of the media who work for recognized media outlets is somehow wrong? It’s kinda the whole bedrock of the press. I know young people get their news from twitter now, but it still means something.

Ps. How can you find a “mean girls” reference inappropriate but use “pump and dump”. You do know what that means right?

Pump the value and dump the asset. if there's anything else to that - then i'm sorry i honestly didn't know. i've seen that used a lot here.

like i said. it's really hard to discuss this with you because all you want to do is lay everything at the media's feet and you think they are horrible and that's what's wrong with things here. i'm not saying they are innocent, etc, but like i said it's a two way street. (and. shock. they are human). true impartiality is hard. Refs are supposed to be impartial, but they are not. Media should be impartial, but of course they are impacted by what they know, and how they are treated. you can't say players shouldn't treat media nice. then turn around and be all but the media should be this that or the other.

Phil Kessel has been an issue since before he was traded. it's been documented. blaming everything on the media to excuse Phil Kessel's behaviour is a cop-out. and I'll even argue if Kessel wasn't stupidly gifted, a lot of the excuses that get lobbed Kessel's way wouldn't even exist. it would be the total opposite.

I will always defend Phil on things that he can not (or couldn't) control (or when people wanna be flat out dumbo and malicious and I don't like the guy, believe me). but thinking he's this innocent lamb and the mean mean media is just mean mean mean to him is also wrong. However you don't see it, and you don't ever even consider the other side of this coin (which is fine, you don't have to, and i respect your opinion even though i truly don't agree with it) but that makes discussing this with you extremely difficult. so at the end of the day the only thing i can say to your statement,is, Okay.

 

[ShaneFalco]

TOR lost that deal. Why try to win him back with assets and draft picks?

In no way am I saying Kessel is a bad player.

They're still paying him not to play here

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

I’m not sure why expecting fair and impartial media reports from card carrying members of the media who work for recognized media outlets is somehow wrong? It’s kinda the whole bedrock of the press. I know young people get their news from twitter now, but it still means something.

Ps. How can you find a “mean girls” reference inappropriate but use “pump and dump”. You do know what that means right?

Pump and dump almost always refers to encouraging other potential investors to invest to raise stock prices so you can sell your shares before it crashes. It might have other meanings but that is the primary one.

 

[Legion34]

Hahaahaha we already have articles comparing Auston to Phil. Media has started already. Bet pitt can’t wait to get him in 3 years to win back to back cups

 

[Legion34]

Pump and dump almost always refers to encouraging other potential investors to invest to raise stock prices so you can sell your shares before it crashes. It might have other meanings but that is the primary one.

I wouldn’t say almost always....... certain words refer to “happy” or fire kindling or fur bearing animals..... those tend not to be how they are interpreted.

 

[GoldenGOOSE]

Playing for Mike Babcock is ten times worse than playing for the guy he is taking orders from now. Shut down the thread. He ain't coming anywhere near here.

 

[Sypher04]

TOR lost that deal. Why try to win him back with assets and draft picks?

In no way am I saying Kessel is a bad player.

Not really. We achieved exactly what we needed to with that deal. Given the context of the timing/situation we simply weren't getting more for Kessel.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Playing for Mike Babcock is ten times worse than playing for the guy he is taking orders from now. Shut down the thread. He ain't coming anywhere near here.

Besides, I don't think that Dubas and Shanny have any interest in him. They couldn't get rid of him fast enough a couple of years ago, why would they suddenly have any interest in bringing him back?

 

[Buds17]

Hahaahaha we already have articles comparing Auston to Phil. Media has started already. Bet pitt can’t wait to get him in 3 years to win back to back cups

I'd hope the team isn't ever making moves based on anyone's perception. I think the Kessel and Phaneuf trades were simply about a different regime starting anew, gaining cap flexibility and potential future assets.

 

[Sypher04]

Three for three this year. Matthews, Kessel, Hamilton.

Kessel has had about a million “good guy Phil” articles and they were talking about him and the Ross/hart etc back in January. The toronto media has brought up the tocchet thing. Not much else. In pitt he has been loved mostly.

There were never “he wants out” rumours until the day he snubbed the media.

Hamilton got the exact same treatment.
Same with Matthews. There was never a single question who the next captain would be until he refused to speak to the media after was it game 4???

Now he Is the problem. At what point do people start actually believing it is an issue. There are 3 separate cases from 3 seperate cities. Toronto is the worst generally. But it is common. In fact there was an article published that even admitted that the media go nicer on people who talk to them. From toronto. The guy chronicled how frank Thomas sucked here, but got a free pass because he joked with the media. Then the guy said the media would back off if he was nice to them.

That got published. Just. Sad

For the record, for anyone unfamiliar who happens to be reading this. There is no indication whatsoever that Matthews refused to speak to the media. Media members were told he was not being made available, which may have been a choice of Leafs management or PR or whatever. Also, he doesn't wear any letter yet on his sweater, so if he doesn't speak after a game here and there, it's hardly unreasonable.

 

[Legion34]

Pump the value and dump the asset. if there's anything else to that - then i'm sorry i honestly didn't know. i've seen that used a lot here.

like i said. it's really hard to discuss this with you because all you want to do is lay everything at the media's feet and you think they are horrible and that's what's wrong with things here. i'm not saying they are innocent, etc, but like i said it's a two way street. (and. shock. they are human). true impartiality is hard. Refs are supposed to be impartial, but they are not. Media should be impartial, but of course they are impacted by what they know, and how they are treated. you can't say players shouldn't treat media nice. then turn around and be all but the media should be this that or the other.

Phil Kessel has been an issue since before he was traded. it's been documented. blaming everything on the media to excuse Phil Kessel's behaviour is a cop-out. and I'll even argue if Kessel wasn't stupidly gifted, a lot of the excuses that get lobbed Kessel's way wouldn't even exist. it would be the total opposite.

I will always defend Phil on things that he can not (or couldn't) control (or when people wanna be flat out dumbo and malicious and I don't like the guy, believe me). but thinking he's this innocent lamb and the mean mean media is just mean mean mean to him is also wrong. However you don't see it, and you don't ever even consider the other side of this coin (which is fine, you don't have to, and i respect your opinion even though i truly don't agree with it) but that makes discussing this with you extremely difficult. so at the end of the day the only thing i can say to your statement,is, Okay.

I guess my thought is...... I’m Not saying Kessel isn’t an issue. I don’t know. I’m Not saying Matthews wasn’t mad at babcock. I don’t know. What I am saying is. The media doesn’t really know most of the time. And they don’t report it impartially. That is there job. their ONLY job. That’s all they do. They don’t play. They don’t coach or manage. They report the fair and impartial truth, because we don’t trust corporations to. That’s why they have power.


Now we are at the point where the media actively tries to pick fights, admits to printing stories without checking facts, and treating people differently based purely on their like of the player. They even say, if you hang out with us we will be nice to you (hence the mean girls reference.... I didnt name it). They will trash a player when they refuse to talk.

We see this. Then the fans eat it up. They attach themselves to the media and journalism etc to get access, then they abuse it and it affects the team.

So I guess to end it off. I’m not saying that i know for a fact that there aren’t issues. Or that say Phil isn’t tough to coach or Matthews is a bad leader. I am saying that the main reason they print it is because they have vendettas. Is trashy rumour mill.


They are failing at their only job. Being a bad teammate if true is Kessels fault. Being uncoachable if true is his fault. Not being nice to the media isn’t. He didn’t just become a huge issue in pitt 2 weeks ago if it is as bad as they say. Why not report it when he was at the top of the league in scoring??? If it’s such a big issue?They picked now to do it after he didn’t speak. That’s how they always do it.