Did the Leafs lose the Kessel trade to Pittsburgh?
- Thread starter saffronleaf
- Start date
7even
Offered and lost
I dunno if they lost it. But they didn't win it.
Meh, it earned them Matthews as Kessel put them over the hump just enough to be mediocre. I don’t see it as a “We retained on Kessel who was one of the main reasons Pittsburg won a cup while Kapanen is a third line scrub and Andersen is fragile and cracks under pressure” scenario.
Primary Assist
The taste of honey is worse than none at all
- Jul 7, 2010
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It's hard to say without knowing whatever alternatives were available. Keeping Phil would have gone directly against the team's rebuild philosophy at the time, so that wasn't a viable option. This forced the team into trading a distressed asset, meaning other teams would be looking for a major discount, and at the time there weren't many teams looking for an expensive one-dimensional winger with a checkered history.
So overall I would say no, the Leafs didn't lose since it doesn't seem like there was a better alternative and the team took what appears to have been the best offer on the table. I don't think there are any acquisitions we could have changed our fate over the past 4 years.
But if this is a zero-sum, one winner one loser, scenario, then yes, Pittsburgh absolutely won that trade which would make us the loser.
So overall I would say no, the Leafs didn't lose since it doesn't seem like there was a better alternative and the team took what appears to have been the best offer on the table. I don't think there are any acquisitions we could have changed our fate over the past 4 years.
But if this is a zero-sum, one winner one loser, scenario, then yes, Pittsburgh absolutely won that trade which would make us the loser.
Felt like a trade we were always going to loss, but had to try and mitigate our losses.
Kap and Andersen weren't bad pieces, but don't have a Kessel-like impact.
Would like to see both moved this offseason
Kap and Andersen weren't bad pieces, but don't have a Kessel-like impact.
Would like to see both moved this offseason
Suntouchable13
Registered User
Didn’t he have some kinda ntc? He wasn’t available to all 29 teams at the time.
Primary Assist
The taste of honey is worse than none at all
- Jul 7, 2010
- 5,959
- 5,848
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
We don't finish last in the league and get Auston Matthews if we don't trade Kessel. So I quite honestly do not care lol
qqaz
Think Happy Thoughts
- Oct 25, 2018
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A 1 dimensional scoring winger for a pick that became a legit starting goalie. That's pretty fair.
I know people are mad at Andersen right now (wrongly). But he's a legit starter. I don't get the hate.
Especially when you consider the direction of the team, this trade was not a loss.
I know people are mad at Andersen right now (wrongly). But he's a legit starter. I don't get the hate.
Especially when you consider the direction of the team, this trade was not a loss.
ACC1224
Super Elite, Passing ALL Tests since 2002
- Aug 19, 2002
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Wasn't there more to the trade? Harrington I think? Retained cap space?
Sure looks like a loss, not his fault though.
Kessel wanted and needed out. His last year here he was fed up and didn't try. Neither did the entire leafs team. It obviously didn't work in the locker room and there was no way it was going to. I'm happy he got the cup though.
Dreakmur
Registered User
Babcock needed Kessel gone to install his new culture.
May agree or disagree with that culture, but Kessel couldn’t be here for it.
May agree or disagree with that culture, but Kessel couldn’t be here for it.
HamiltonNHL
Parity era hockey is just puck luck + draft luck
- Jan 4, 2012
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You are forced to dump Kessel for his salary demands to start a rebuild. In that view, you aren't looking at just maximizing return
A1LeafNation
Obsession beats talent everytime!!
- Oct 17, 2010
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We got a regular season goalie for a regular season fwd (on the leafs).
It wasnt a win or a loss for the Leafs. It was a win for the Pens.
It wasnt a win or a loss for the Leafs. It was a win for the Pens.
Maplebeasts
I See Demons!!!!!
The team would not have bottomed out with Phil and we wouldn't have drafted Matthews. They are better off now than they would have been if they kept Phil.
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
We lost an incredibly amount of one goal games and just barely came in last. He wouldn't of kept us afloat but we wouldn't have been the worst team in the league with his goals.
Warden of the North
Ned Stark's head
We were the worst team from xmas onwards the year prior if I remember correctly
Space Coyote
Registered User
- Oct 29, 2010
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Kessel is the real winner here; 2 cup rings. Now playing in Arizona on a young Coyotes team in the 2nd round of the playoffs.
TheBeastCoast
Registered User
Right...I am talking about the season where we finished last place not the season before. The previous season has literally nothing to do with this. We finished last by a single point and I think it is fair to say Phil Kessel would have gained that team more then a point or two.
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