Are you happy that Phil Kessel is gone?

[deletethis]

I fail to see what's so great about what we got back for Kessel. Harrington is a "maybe" as a 3rd pairing defenseman. Spaling is a 4th line journeyman. Kapanen is a middling forward prospect. The greatest potential lies in the uncashed draft pick(s).

 

[hotpaws]

I fail to see what's so great about what we got back for Kessel. Harrington is a "maybe" as a 3rd pairing defenseman. Spaling is a 4th line journeyman. Kapanen is a middling forward prospect. The greatest potential lies in the uncashed draft pick(s).

the key to the return was clearing the cap space

 

[Cor]

I fail to see what's so great about what we got back for Kessel. Harrington is a "maybe" as a 3rd pairing defenseman. Spaling is a 4th line journeyman. Kapanen is a middling forward prospect. The greatest potential lies in the uncashed draft pick(s).

Harrington isn't a maybe. He's a 3rd pairing guy that could be much more.

Spaling is a bottom 6 guy and is nothing much, sure, but he should return a draft pick at the deadline. That's more assets.

Kapanen is not a "middling forward prospect". He's a very good prospect. While he's not a blue chip prospect like Marner or Nylander, he's right underneath them on the list.

The 1st and 3rd rounders are just icing on the cake. Two great assets for Hunter to work his magic on.

The only negative to the deal is that we had to retain 1.2M on Kessel, but with a large part of our roster going to be on ELC's or bridge deals for the next 6 years, it's hardly an issue.

We got a fantastic deal for the situation we were in.

Kessel is a very good winger, but he's not franchise guy. The fact that we got a 1st rounder, a prospect recently chosen in the 1st round, a 3rd rounder, as well as two other assets, is nuts. His stats were inflated here because he was the only option. We're now seeing his totals fall because there is Crosby and Malkin who need the puck as well, and it's not working

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Harrington isn't a maybe. He's a 3rd pairing guy that could be much more.

Spaling is a bottom 6 guy and is nothing much, sure, but he should return a draft pick at the deadline. That's more assets.

Kapanen is not a "middling forward prospect". He's a very good prospect. While he's not a blue chip prospect like Marner or Nylander, he's right underneath them on the list.

The 1st and 3rd rounders are just icing on the cake. Two great assets for Hunter to work his magic on.

The only negative to the deal is that we had to retain 1.2M on Kessel, but with a large part of our roster going to be on ELC's or bridge deals for the next 6 years, it's hardly an issue.

We got a fantastic deal for the situation we were in.

Kessel is a very good winger, however his stats were inflated here because he was the only option. We're now seeing his totals fall because there is Crosby and Malkin who need the puck as well, and it's not working

And give back their 2nd. Besides those two factors the rest of the deal is fine and I agree with what you said.

 

[deletethis]

the key to the return was clearing the cap space

Indeed.

 

[MapleLeaf]

There's no question that Kessel had to go....the only thing I miss about Phil (or someone of his pedigree) is his ability to create offense when it is needed. With Babcock's system in place, a player like Kessel is important in a power play situation or creating a goal from nothing. The current team really needs a sniper....a lot of early games this season became losses not because the team played poorly but because they don't have anyone creating any offense.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Harrington isn't a maybe. He's a 3rd pairing guy that could be much more.

Spaling is a bottom 6 guy and is nothing much, sure, but he should return a draft pick at the deadline. That's more assets.

Kapanen is not a "middling forward prospect". He's a very good prospect. While he's not a blue chip prospect like Marner or Nylander, he's right underneath them on the list.

The 1st and 3rd rounders are just icing on the cake. Two great assets for Hunter to work his magic on.

The only negative to the deal is that we had to retain 1.2M on Kessel, but with a large part of our roster going to be on ELC's or bridge deals for the next 6 years, it's hardly an issue.

We got a fantastic deal for the situation we were in.

Kessel is a very good winger, but he's not franchise guy. The fact that we got a 1st rounder, a prospect recently chosen in the 1st round, a 3rd rounder, as well as two other assets, is nuts.

And give back their 2nd. Besides those two factors the rest of the deal is fine and I agree with what you said.

Yes, we gave up a 2nd to Pittsburgh as well, and then there was the salary retention.

At a minimum, have to hope that at least one of Kapanen or the 1st are bonafide (above average) 1st line players to call this a decent (good?) deal. Will be awhile before we know for sure.

 

[Mess]

We could use his scoring right now, but he's not the future of this team.

Pens have +3 more goals then the Leafs after 28 games with Leafs 3rd last and Pens 4th last in GF overall.

Leo Komarov replacing Kessel on Leafs 1st line has 10 goals and Kessel (with Crosby & Malkin) as his centres has 9.

 

[Liminality]

Poll is kind of a loaded question with no real way to answer truthfully in my case. I'm happy he's gone but only because of the direction the team is heading and what he brought back in return. He's still one of the top offensive players in the league and if we were in a different situation he'd probably be sought after to enhance our team. Who knows how Babcock could have used him too, would have been interesting to see.

 

[deletethis]

Harrington isn't a maybe. He's a 3rd pairing guy that could be much more.

Spaling is a bottom 6 guy and is nothing much, sure, but he should return a draft pick at the deadline. That's more assets.

Kapanen is not a "middling forward prospect". He's a very good prospect. While he's not a blue chip prospect like Marner or Nylander, he's right underneath them on the list.

The 1st and 3rd rounders are just icing on the cake. Two great assets for Hunter to work his magic on.

The only negative to the deal is that we had to retain 1.2M on Kessel, but with a large part of our roster going to be on ELC's or bridge deals for the next 6 years, it's hardly an issue.

We got a fantastic deal for the situation we were in.

Kessel is a very good winger, but he's not franchise guy. The fact that we got a 1st rounder, a prospect recently chosen in the 1st round, a 3rd rounder, as well as two other assets, is nuts.

Yes, these are subjective opinions. I think Kessel was a much more difficult asset to trade than most believed. It seems that Pittsburgh may have been our only dance partner. In that context, getting anything was a win. I'll respectfully disagree about Harrington and Kapanen but hope to be wrong.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Yes, we gave up a 2nd to Pittsburgh as well, and then there was the salary retention.

At a minimum, have to hope that at least one of Kapanen or the 1st are bonafide (above average) 1st line players to call this a decent (good?) deal. Will be awhile before we know for sure.

Does it have to?

W did nothing with Kessel as a first liner.
If we become a cup winning team, but Kapenen is on the second line and Pittsburgh's first rounder is a solid seiche third paring, wouldn't that be a winfor us?

 

[Banic]

I like Kessel tbh. He gets a lot of hate around here, but hes a quality player. I am happy with the return we got for him, but if Pittsburgh offered to give him back for free, I'd take him. I like the cap relief, but he wasn't the worst contract we had on the books. Lupul and Phaneuf are much worse.

 

[Cor]

Yes, these are subjective opinions. I think Kessel was a much more difficult asset to trade than most believed. It seems that Pittsburgh may have been our only dance partner. In that context, getting anything was a win. I'll respectfully disagree about Harrington and Kapanen but hope to be wrong.

They aren't that subjective though.

It's the general feeling from hockey people paid to do this for a living.

Kyle Dubas said he wouldn't have done the deal without Kapanen in it. Hunter spoke highly of all assets, and then reporters/writers/analysts have said similar to what I laid out.

 

[deletethis]

Does it have to?

W did nothing with Kessel as a first liner.
If we become a cup winning team, but Kapenen is on the second line and Pittsburgh's first rounder is a solid seiche third paring, wouldn't that be a winfor us?

The win for us would be this trade, regardless of its individual outcome, combined with scores of other moves making the Leafs into a self-sustaining contender for years.

 

[finnbalor*]

I think we could have eaten some salary and shipped him to CBJ early this season for their 1st when Kekäläinen was desperate to stir things up.

Still would rather than taken that Pulkkanen deal for Dion and sit on Kessel a bit before dealing him.

Or...

Kessel - Stamkos - JVR

Marner - Nylander - Tkchuk/Laine/Puljajarvi

would have been fun to watch.

 

[TMLegend]

Ecstatic. Being one of Phil Kessel's biggest detractors, July 1st, 2015 was one of happiest days I've experienced since being a Leaf fan. The cancer was cut from the team.

 

[hotpaws]

They aren't that subjective though.

It's the general feeling from hockey people paid to do this for a living.

Kyle Dubas said he wouldn't have done the deal without Kapanen in it. Hunter spoke highly of all assets, and then reporters/writers/analysts have said similar to what I laid out.

and Burke said he wouldn't have done the Phaneuf deal if Aulie wasn't included , mgmt say many things after a deal , most of it is just spin

it was obvious the team wanted to move forward without Kessel and took the best and probably only real offer on the table

 

[yubbers]

Where's the option for "I'm over it"?

This

Dubas still walking funny though

 

[deletethis]

They aren't that subjective though.

It's the general feeling from hockey people paid to do this for a living.

Kyle Dubas said he wouldn't have done the deal without Kapanen in it. Hunter spoke highly of all assets, and then reporters/writers/analysts have said similar to what I laid out.

Ah yes, appealing to authority. Still subjective. And what do you expect the people who made the trade to say?

 

[Mess]

and Burke said he wouldn't have done the Phaneuf deal if Aulie wasn't included , mgmt say many things after a deal , most of it is just spin

it was obvious the team wanted to move forward without Kessel and took the best and probably only real offer on the table

Leafs are at the bottom of the NHL standings now because Sequin, Hamilton and 32nd overall became Kapanen, Harrington, Spaling and protected conditional 1st & $1.2 mil in salary retention.

The silver lining is that if the Leafs were looking to trade Kessel today the return would no doubt be even less then we got in the summer.

Of course if anyone asked Burke he would still say " he would make that Kessel deal again for the Leafs".

 

[hotpaws]

Leafs are at the bottom of the NHL standings now because Sequin, Hamilton and 32nd overall became Kapanen, Harrington, Spaling and protected conditional 1st & $1.2 mil in salary retention.

The silver lining is that if the Leafs were looking to trade Kessel today the return would no doubt be even less then we got in the summer.

Of course if anyone asked Burke he would still say " he would make that Kessel deal again for the Leafs".

yup Burke kept saying he'd do that deal again yet when he had a chance to trade for him a 2nd time at a fraction of the price he originally paid he passed

as the saying goes - actions speak louder that words - and as we'll all know , Burkes words are pretty much worthless

 

[ShaneFalco]

I'll be happier when Bozak, Phaneuf and Lupul are gone too

 

[deletethis]

and Burke said he wouldn't have done the Phaneuf deal if Aulie wasn't included , mgmt say many things after a deal , most of it is just spin

it was obvious the team wanted to move forward without Kessel and took the best and probably only real offer on the table

BTW, I seem to remember Aulie getting as many if not more rave reviews from us Leafs' fans as Harrington.

 

[deletethis]

Leafs are at the bottom of the NHL standings now because Sequin, Hamilton and 32nd overall became Kapanen, Harrington, Spaling and protected conditional 1st & $1.2 mil in salary retention.

The silver lining is that if the Leafs were looking to trade Kessel today the return would no doubt be even less then we got in the summer.

Of course if anyone asked Burke he would still say " he would make that Kessel deal again for the Leafs".

That 32nd overall could be alternately described as Stralman, a 3rd and a 7th.

 

[hotpaws]

BTW, I seem to remember Aulie getting as many if not more rave reviews from us Leafs' fans as Harrington.

pretty much

many on this board will endlessly pimp every prospect/young player we have up until the second they're gone , at least now we have a few very high quality assets that should reward there faith