Phil Kessel...big attitude problem?

[Jaded-Fan]

-"Hey guys lets go down to the bar."
-"Im getting a roy rogers!"

A hockey player who drank before his 21st birthday. I know that I am shocked if this is true.

Seriously, with all the silly hits this kid is taking from people, he seems more and more a perfect fit for the Pens. I remember when some philly fans here were upset because Crosby swore while on the ice.

 

[King'sPawn]

A hockey player who drank before his 21st birthday. I know that I am shocked if this is true.

Seriously, with all the silly hits this kid is taking from people, he seems more and more a perfect fit for the Pens. I remember when some philly fans here were upset because Crosby swore while on the ice.

It actually is kinda serious. AJ Thelen got busted big time for his drinking.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

A hockey player who drank before his 21st birthday. I know that I am shocked if this is true.

Seriously, with all the silly hits this kid is taking from people, he seems more and more a perfect fit for the Pens. I remember when some philly fans here were upset because Crosby swore while on the ice.

I recognize that Kessel isn't a perfect prospect, but some of the criticisms I hear of him as a person and his game are as you say, silly. I can't remember a prospect in recent memory (Spezza?) who is so clearly talented and yet gets raked over the coals.

 

[Sorry]

A hockey player who drank before his 21st birthday. I know that I am shocked if this is true.

Seriously, with all the silly hits this kid is taking from people, he seems more and more a perfect fit for the Pens. I remember when some philly fans here were upset because Crosby swore while on the ice.

I guess it's that people are interested in seeing another Schremp fall in this years draft.

The final rankings have him at #5 amongst NA skaters, and with these questions about his attitude, it is possible he could drop on draft day.

But i doubt it since the Pens are loaded at center in a deep center draft, and he is clearly the best possible winger in the draft.

 

[Chrisd]

yeah cuz aj thelen was * ALWAYS * drunk and came to practice sluggish cuz of it... lol

Yeah no diff then any other 18 yr old kid...you think those boys in the CHL never have a chew or have a drunk fest?

Come on now...

If he had a beer at the bar, it's really not the end of the world...

 

[Haute Couture]

Unless the guy's an alcoholic who can't go a minute without a vodka shot, it's fine.

Don't give me the "he's supposed to be a role-model" crap. This is not specific to anyone here, but I've heard a lot of really pansy remarks over the years on HFBoards from people having a hard time dealing with reality. A beer is nothing.

This is sort of Jason Spezza trying to get into a casino with a fake ID.. (kinda stupid to do if you're a relatively renown hockey prospect). So what. Relax, these are just teens, like the majority of people at HF.

(speaking of which, has anyone seen an Ovechkin special where some chick commentator goes to his apartment and starts asking him questions? I think he mentioned "vodka" and "party" in almost every sentence there, heh..)

 

[espo*]

Can you imagine Pittsburgh picking up Kessel though? I mean,i know there are now questions about the kid regarding certain issues such as his ability to play in traffic but he has awesome physical skills.Can you imagine him playing with either Malkin or Crosby as his centre? my god,his play in traffic won't be much of a concern.Those guys would make him devastating when you combine their ability and ice vision with his gifts.They'll hit that boy in the clear down low and on the fly like nobodies business.If i'm Pittsburgh and picking first,thats where i question whether or not E.J is really the number one pick(at least for them)

I'd be damn tempted to take Kessel if i were them.Wherever they pick,if he's still on the board,i think i'd go for him.

you can't him home runs without taking big swings.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

It actually is kinda serious.

Are you kidding? I hope so.

 

[Gophers]

I follow the Gophers religiously and I have not heard one knock against him regarding attitude...though he seems to like a drink now and then. What college student doesn't?

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

His teammates at minny loved him.

He's a VERY shy kid, who absolutley hates tv and radio even, cuz he gets so nervous, not media saavy yet, and some may perceive that as him being stuck up or having a attitude.

coaches and teammates have nothing but positive things to say about him.

if the blues take johnson i hope the pens get kessel. he wouldn't face nearly the media blitz in pittsburgh that he would in a city where he is the sole star. crosby or malkin playmaking for him would be ideal for him as well.

 

[King'sPawn]

yeah cuz aj thelen was * ALWAYS * drunk and came to practice sluggish cuz of it... lol

Yeah no diff then any other 18 yr old kid...you think those boys in the CHL never have a chew or have a drunk fest?

Come on now...

If he had a beer at the bar, it's really not the end of the world...

NCAA has rules about drinking, especially underaged, do they not? Sure, his attitude and coming to practice sluggish was part of the reason, but the guy got kicked off the team because of it.

I'm not saying it's the end of the world that Kessel had a beer, but players who break rules and take chances of being tossed off the team isn't a non-issue, either.

http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=28970

That's one article about his dismissal. Again, it was many instances in which he was drinking, but it IS an issue.

 

[boredmale]

i could be wrong, but i heard his biggest problem was he had an overzealous hockey mom

 

[jaydub*]

NCAA has rules about drinking, especially underaged, do they not? Sure, his attitude and coming to practice sluggish was part of the reason, but the guy got kicked off the team because of it.

I'm not saying it's the end of the world that Kessel had a beer, but players who break rules and take chances of being tossed off the team isn't a non-issue, either.

http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=28970

That's one article about his dismissal. Again, it was many instances in which he was drinking, but it IS an issue.

ummm... i can you tell you with good certainty that most DI Athletes drink much more than the common student. and getting kicked off a team for it would be very rare.

 

[onetimer]

Who cares? Underage drinking is not a crime(espec at a D1 College). You pay your ticket and go on. Geez, you should hear some of the stories that come out of Jr's. Initiations and such. Rookies having to score with a fat chick, etc. Goalies trying for hat tricks(not on the ice either). Scoring a beer when your 17 is part of growing up, especially when you are around others (teammates) that are older than you. Thelen got booted more for his attitude than anything else. Like he was the only guy on the team that had a few beers the night before practices.

 

[OHLArenaGuide]

This is sort of Jason Spezza trying to get into a casino with a fake ID.. (kinda stupid to do if you're a relatively renown hockey prospect). So what. Relax, these are just teens, like the majority of people at HF.

Replace "trying to get in" with "successfully got in, in the company of his billet".

Man, Windsor was a terrible place under Riolo.

 

[Letang fan 58]

yeah cuz aj thelen was * ALWAYS * drunk and came to practice sluggish cuz of it... lol

Yeah no diff then any other 18 yr old kid...you think those boys in the CHL never have a chew or have a drunk fest?

Come on now...

If he had a beer at the bar, it's really not the end of the world...

Well they do of course drink in the CHL as well.......that is what kids do at 17-20......however one thing that should be said is that in some of the provinces in the CHL drinking limit is 18.....the rest its 19.......so getting caught when your 18 or 19 in the CHL means nothing in most cases.

 

[Chrisd]

yup kids will be kids...

Kids drink at that age, whether they play hockey or not...whether they are in canada or the US.

It's really a non issue, unless he's showing up to class baked or to practice drunk...

Having a beer with your buddies as a 18 year old...nothing 98% of us here haven't done.

 

[rt]

-"Hey guys lets go down to the bar."
-"Im getting a roy rogers!"

I heard it was a Shirley Temple.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I heard it was a Shirley Temple.

Alright, since he had such a ***** fake drink, he's dropping to around 21st.

 

[AdmiralPred]

The only reason I posted that list earlier in this thread is that those were things that I have heard over this past season. Things that might be glorified because of his stature not only in college but in the CSB rankings. If this was a thread about the attitude of Jack Skille or Erik Johnson, or any other prospect - drafted or going to be drafted - I am sure there are plenty of stories to dig up. Since this is a thread questioning weather or not Kessel has an attitude problem - well, I have not heard anything to verify that and that list I posted in post #5 is all that I've heard about him (nothing out of the ordinary). I was also unaware of any charges revolving around his presence in a bar being dropped, so good for him.

 

[MN_Gopher]

I do not want to look up the article. But i know, Kauffman, Chucko and Peltier were all caught in the bar drinking. Other gophers were just in the bar but not drinking. There were like 7 in the bar and 4 drinking. I do not remember if Kessel was actually drinking or just there. I have said this lots. But Kessel was on campus early to lift weights with teamates. Yes part of that was going to the bar. But hey he went out with teamates and was with them and not out doing his own thing. After the WJC he personally called tDon to ask to play that week-end. Its only a few things but a guy willing to report early to work out and build chemisty with teamates and just have fun and a guy with enough respect to call the coach and say he wanted to play and did not expect it, shows more of a positive player than an attitude problem. And i am biased and could paint an even better looking picture. He has his faults as a player. But this is getting way out of hand.

 

[Tadite]

I would be more then happy to see Kessel drop to the Kings at 11...


Not going to happen but hey lets keep up this talk about "emotional" problems.

 

[Heat McManus]

I think Kessel's "attitude problem" is a misnomer. I've heard a few things (on this Board and off) that his mom created some difficult situations by being an over-zealous hockey mom, but not much else.

 

[Transported Upstater]

Alright, since he had such a ***** fake drink, he's dropping to around 21st.

LOL!!!

 

[CuSa_1]

I'd be more worried about the kid if he *wasn't* drinking.