How Tyler Bozak is hurting Phil Kessel

[HometownHockey]

How Tyler Bozak is hurting Phil Kessel

Surrounding the current Leafs' struggles is the fact that the team's top scorers have not produced. How much can be blamed on the decision to continue playing Tyler Bozak with Phil Kessel?

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[gtforepro]

Good read. I've thought that for a while...

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Phil can only blame Phil. And btw, it is he who wants to play with his best buddy all the time and being the star he is he gets his wish.

 

[Stephen]

You have to ask yourself if Phil is doing everything in his own power to succeed, despite Bozak. And the answer is a resounding no.

 

[diceman934]

You have to ask yourself if Phil is doing everything in his own power to succeed, despite Bozak. And the answer is a resounding no.

It is the media's fault!

I really thought that the fact that he was called uncoachable would at least light a fire under his rear end....it appears that he has no real interest in proving Wilson wrong...if anything he is providing visible evidence that he is not a player that you can coach. His current coach just called him and his line mates out.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Kessel is an emotional player. When the puck is going his way he have fun, when it´s not he sulk. He is a player that needs to be cuddled with, not be asked to do anything that isnt fun.
He is probably thinking more about this summers fishing trips, golf tournaments and poker games then anything else. He will of course take some blame for the poor season the Leafs have had and say he will come back better (I hope he is traded) but then do nothing to improve him self over the summer.

While the true stars in this league work their ***** off to come back faster and stronger Kessel is not having any of that. He will show up to camp with some extra weight like he always do and use the camp and the first weeks of the season to get in shape. He does not think or worry about anything hockey related stuff during the summer. That is his enjoying life time. Some are ok with having a player like that on your team, I am not.

 

[Bill Waters*]

I'd like to see Kadri and Bozak on the same line

 

[Kamiccolo]

I'd like to see Kadri and Bozak on the same line

Sounds good, I think Franson should play on that line aswell.

Bozak-Kadri-Franson

 

[Eb]

This just in:

The Maple Leafs do not have a #1 centre.

 

[ironhorse384]

Truly great players don't need to rely on other guys to make their game better. They are the ones, who by virtual of their own play elevate that of their teammates. That's what separates great players from good players. Phil Kessel is a good player that could be great but his own immaturity and selfishness holds him back from being that. He wants everything handed to him on a silver platter and it doesn't just work that way, you've got to have some desire and determination mixed in with that talent otherwise you have potential that's never truly realized.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Truly great players don't need to rely on other guys to make their game better. They are the ones, who by virtual of their own play elevate that of their teammates. That's what separates great players from good players. Phil Kessel is a good player that could be great but his own immaturity and selfishness holds him back from being that. He wants everything handed to him on a silver platter and it doesn't just work that way, you've got to have some desire and determination mixed in with that talent otherwise you have potential that's never truly realized.

If that is your definition than there are few truly great players in the league.

Toews has Kane.
Getzlaf has Perry
Crosby has Malkin
Stamkos had MSL, now has TJ and a bunch of great rookies.

Kessel has...JVR? Kadri? Neither of those guys are of the talent of the above players.

ALL great players in the NHL right now has another great player to either take pressure/defensive assignments off of them, or be their linemate and help them play at a high level.

Kessel (and Phaneuf) have no such player. This will be obvious to everyone once they are traded OR we draft these players. Then people will complain.

 

[Menzinger]

Truly great players don't need to rely on other guys to make their game better. They are the ones, who by virtual of their own play elevate that of their teammates. That's what separates great players from good players. Phil Kessel is a good player that could be great but his own immaturity and selfishness holds him back from being that. He wants everything handed to him on a silver platter and it doesn't just work that way, you've got to have some desire and determination mixed in with that talent otherwise you have potential that's never truly realized.

It's likely not a coincidence that Bozak, JVR and Lupul have all had career years playing with him.

 

[ironhorse384]

If that is your definition than there are few truly great players in the league.

Toews has Kane.
Getzlaf has Perry
Crosby has Malkin
Stamkos had MSL, now has TJ and a bunch of great rookies.

Kessel has...JVR? Kadri? Neither of those guys are of the talent of the above players.

ALL great players in the NHL right now has another great player to either take pressure/defensive assignments off of them, or be their linemate and help them play at a high level.

Kessel (and Phaneuf) have no such player. This will be obvious to everyone once they are traded OR we draft these players. Then people will complain.

good trade them both they're useless anyway, I'm sick of seeing all the excuses people make defending these two like somehow its always someone else's fault except for theirs. They are the two highest paid players on the team therefore they are going to be scrutinized as such.

 

[realgoodleafs]

Bozak has no impact on a game if Kessel isn't playing well aside from goals against. He's a soft player who just floats around the ice. Unfortunately he is one of many on this roster. As bad as it is that Phil isn't playing well, it also shows how terrible his teammates are that they can't win a game unless he puts up 2 points per game.

 

[Daisy Jane]

good trade them both they're useless anyway, I'm sick of seeing all the excuses people make defending these two like somehow its always someone else's fault except for theirs. They are the two highest paid players on the team therefore they are going to be scrutinized as such.

not to mention
Crosby does not always play with Malkin, his wingers are
Perron, Kunitz and Hornqivst.

Toews doesn't always play with Kane


and Stamkos, funnily enough
is playing with rookies, and Tyler Johnson.

Ergo. great players don't need great players to make them go. great players just need good players to help them, and they can go all on themselves.

I truthfully don't care, I'll be happier when Kessel and Bozak both are off this team. May Kessel finally find his #1 centre to play with and may Bozak happily score all the short handed goals on the penalty kill.

 

[ironhorse384]

It's likely not a coincidence that Bozak, JVR and Lupul have all had career years playing with him.

Correct , but where's the consistency? This is the problem with this guy he has all the talent in the world but doesn't bring it on a nightly basis. When's the last time you saw him help either Bozak or JVR dig a puck out of the corner or if not that go to the front of the net in scoring position? I never see that , he's content to let everyone else do all the work while he just floats on the periphery and when what everyone does isn't enough it becomes their fault. This guy gets a free pass while other players get thrown under the bus and I don't think its right.

 

[Kamiccolo]

not to mention
Crosby does not always play with Malkin, his wingers are
Perron, Kunitz and Hornqivst.

Toews doesn't always play with Kane


and Stamkos, funnily enough
is playing with rookies, and Tyler Johnson.

Ergo. great players don't need great players to make them go. great players just need good players to help them, and they can go all on themselves.

I truthfully don't care, I'll be happier when Kessel and Bozak both are off this team. May Kessel finally find his #1 centre to play with and may Bozak happily score all the short handed goals on the penalty kill.

Way to completely miss the entire point of that post.

I never said they all play with them. I said they are either team mates

ORRRR

The other guys take pressure off from opposing teams defense, and put up points which also takes pressure of each other.

It's not hard to stop the leafs. Put both your best dman on the ice with Kessel and your shutdown center if you can and your secondary pairings easily handle Kadri with Clarkson on his wing.

On D, leaf assign Phaneuf to the most lethal line, and then have no answer to anything other lines. Even still, Phaneuf is given the task of defending three forwards.

If leaf fans can not see this, then they are either not very good at understanding hockey, or are letting their disappointment and whatever delusions get in the way of facts and common sense.

Do you guys seriously think if Kane, Stamkos, or Kopitar would be here instead of Kessel we would be better?

Remember Pitts drafted 2nd OA with a 100 point Crosby.

ONE ELITE PLAYER DOES NOT MAKE A TEAM GOOD.

 

[Tak7]

Phil is #3rd overall in league scoring since 2010.

Bozak isn't holding Kessel back.

But, if you want to unlock Kessel's true potential and attacking talent, it's probably a good idea to put an offensively capable center alongside him.

Phil scores and creates.

Now imagine if Phil had someone who did some of the creating for him.

 

[realgoodleafs]

Correct , but where's the consistency? This is the problem with this guy he has all the talent in the world but doesn't bring it on a nightly basis. When's the last time you saw him help either Bozak or JVR dig a puck out of the corner or if not that go to the front of the net in scoring position? I never see that , he's content to let everyone else do all the work while he just floats on the periphery and when what everyone does isn't enough it becomes their fault. This guy gets a free pass while other players get thrown under the bus and I don't think its right.

When have you ever seen Bozak or JVR dig a puck out of a corner?

You'd think if his linemates were so hardworking they'd have plenty of games where Phil wasn't the main reason they put up points but nope, doesn't happen. His linemates are just as lazy as he is except with a fraction of the skill.

 

[ironhorse384]

When have you ever seen Bozak or JVR dig a puck out of a corner?

You'd think if his linemates were so hardworking they'd have plenty of games where Phil wasn't the main reason they put up points but nope, doesn't happen. His linemates are just as lazy as he is except with a fraction of the skill.

touche, but I have seen them at least attempt it.

Oh, I'm not giving either of them a free pass, but I do expect more from the highest paid player on the team.

 

[Stephen]

It's likely not a coincidence that Bozak, JVR and Lupul have all had career years playing with him.

What's your point? Those players show no growth and want to only play an easy rush game to succeed. They've shown no growth or maturity at all.

 

[ironhorse384]

Kessel is an emotional player. When the puck is going his way he have fun, when it´s not he sulk. He is a player that needs to be cuddled with, not be asked to do anything that isnt fun.
He is probably thinking more about this summers fishing trips, golf tournaments and poker games then anything else. He will of course take some blame for the poor season the Leafs have had and say he will come back better (I hope he is traded) but then do nothing to improve him self over the summer.

While the true stars in this league work their ***** off to come back faster and stronger Kessel is not having any of that. He will show up to camp with some extra weight like he always do and use the camp and the first weeks of the season to get in shape. He does not think or worry about anything hockey related stuff during the summer. That is his enjoying life time. Some are ok with having a player like that on your team, I am not.

You mean working on stuff that might enhance his arsenal like say deking or trying out new sticks so he can try one timers? You know so one could say that he's not a one trick pony.

 

[Al14]

Kessel is paid ten million American dollars this season! His cap hit is eight million dollars.

He needs to do whatever is necessary to earn that money! Currently, I don't think he's doing everything he can. If it takes surrounding him with better players for him to earn that money, then, just maybe he's a tad overpaid, and, some of his money should be spent on those players that are needed to make him better.

Kessel's fitness levels are questionable, at best. His work ethic appears to be far too minimal at times. He avoids contact to the point where sometimes it's too obvious and laughable.

Is Kessel a winner? Well, winners do what losers refuse to do, so, Kessel appears to be a loser. Until he does all it takes to be a winner, he'll remain a loser, and, so will the team he plays for. JMHO.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

You mean working on stuff that might enhance his arsenal like say deking or trying out new sticks so he can try one timers? You know so one could say that he's not a one trick pony.

Something like that.

 

[Menzinger]

What's your point? Those players show no growth and want to only play an easy rush game to succeed. They've shown no growth or maturity at all.

That it's false to claim he hasn't helped his linemates in some ways - ie on offense.

It's not a right winger's job to develop players anyways - that's the coaching and front office staffs responsibility.