Sportsnet: Kessel and Leafs won't negotiate in-season

[ACC1224]

um, i'm not 13 and i'm not 14 either.

i am right to be upset about this. this is horrible. we finally didn't miss the playoffs again and it looked like the team was getting better. then this. this is the sort of thing that could set us back years.

You realize this happens to every team every year?

Kessel walks they sign the Sedin twins and Gaborik

Here's a list taken from another thread of pending UFA's.

Gaborik, Marian »
Heatley, Dany »
Vanek, Thomas »
Thornton, Joe »
Marleau, Patrick »
Stastny, Paul »
Sedin, Henrik »
Sedin, Daniel »
Cammalleri, Mike »
Iginla, Jarome »
Alfredsson, Daniel »
Kessel, Phil »
Pominville, Jason »
Gionta, Brian »
Hemsky, Ales »
Jokinen, Olli »
Whitney, Ray »
Legwand, David »
Michalek, Milan »

 

[Jerkini]

I'd be very concerned if he has no plans to sign during the season.

 

[diceman934]

This is a non issue until a week before the trade deadline....If the negotiations with his agent is not progressing then you have to weigh your options.....

If we offer him 8 years at say 8.5 and it is turned down....then it is not money....you cut bait and get what you can for him.

This year for any top free agent is different as max term is 8 years....so it makes negotiations for super stars far easier with the new CBA rules.

 

[pspot]

id rather the extra year anyway before committing long term and top dollar
if he continues to produce he'll get the same contract anyway but if he doesn't then a more realistic contract

if he walks that sucks but nonis should know that and not let that happen

 

[BiggestLeafsFanEVER*]

"Then this"

what do you mean by "this".

It sounds like you're blindly assuming Kessel has stated he will refuse to resign in TO. Which couldn't be further from the case.

There is no reason for him not to sign now. The Leafs should just give him whatever he wants.

I wish that just once in my life a really good player would enthusiastically want to play for the Leafs when they also have other options.

 

[ACC1224]

There is no reason for him not to sign now. The Leafs should just give him whatever he wants.

I wish that just once in my life a really good player would enthusiastically want to play for the Leafs when they also have other options.

You aren't old enough to remember Sundin?

 

[jmart21]

There is no reason for him not to sign now. The Leafs should just give him whatever he wants.

I wish that just once in my life a really good player would enthusiastically want to play for the Leafs when they also have other options.

believe it or not; there is much more to contract negotiations than "hey, we're offereing XM for XXyears."

Contracts (in any respect) are not a small task. They take time. Quit whining about the sky falling and someday maybe you'll find a way to be something other than paranoid.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Kessel loss would SUCK BUT it's not the end of the world. We still have Clarkson, Lupul, JVR, tons of cap space to find a replacement

 

[wulfio*]

he won't negotiate?

 

[calcal798]

I doubt either Phaneuf or Kessel are going anywhere and, in terms of Kessel, if they find a deal that works for both parties then they will sign it no matter when it is.

 

[Cor]

This doesn't really mean much. Kessel doesn't want to be apart of discussions during the season. Nonis and his agent talk during the season, and if Nonis makes and offer Kessel's agent likes, he sends him a text. Kessel answers and boom. A solution.

 

[Peasy]

um, i'm not 13 and i'm not 14 either.

i am right to be upset about this. this is horrible. we finally didn't miss the playoffs again and it looked like the team was getting better. then this. this is the sort of thing that could set us back years.

Everyone knew there were no on going negotiations during the off season, so why would they magically start during the season? If you couldnt see this coming then you're blind.

 

[Fandlauer]

Given the fact that everyone expects the salary cap to take a huge jump next year, doesn't it make complete sense for Kessel to wait and see what kind of room both parties are working with? I don't think this indicates Kessel wanting to leave whatsoever. It's just a smart business decision.

 

[rdawg1234]

This team is on the upswing not downswing, no reason for a player like him to leave us.

Its the Toronto Maple Leafs, finally looking like a team capable of cup contention for the first time since maybe 2003-04, would you want to be the guy that left that team and ruined the chances of us winning a cup for the first time in 50 years?

Even though hes shy, you can tell he wants to be that hero, that winner, so I dont see him going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[I Believe]

I see no reason why he wouldn't sign here. Not worried at all to be honest.

 

[HarrisonFord]

Not worried here either. In no world does Nonis not match the $AAV that any other GM offers Phil; not to mention that Nonis will add one extra year of that value onto whatever any other GM can offer him.

I expect an $8Mx8year signing for Kessel.

 

[DPyro]

Players don't just walk away from a good thing. Kessel has become a PPG player and has good line mates, loves the city and gets to play with his best friend. The Leafs are getting better every year, I see no reason he won't sign for 8 years.

 

[HEAVY DUTY]

anyone think kessel put on a few pounds this off season?

 

[Ace88*]

Im confident Kessel is a Leaf for a good long time. Not so confident about Phaneuf. I dont care in the slightest that Kess dossnt wanna talk contract during the season. Do you know what that means? That he is focused on playing and winning, not squeezing every last dollar out of Nonis. All these young guys on this board just have no idea.

 

[astro7]

This reminds of what Curtis Joseph was saying back before the 01-02 season.

Oh yea and Kessel's middle name is Joseph, which means absolutely nothing whatsoever but hey! May as well throw that in there.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

I really hope we could get him signed. Whether you like him or not, losing a player of his calibre for nothing would be an utter fail. He has a NMC which kicked in this off-season making it difficult to move him too.

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

anyone think kessel put on a few pounds this off season?

Haha, he always looks like that. And then he does this:

 

[Mr Knies Guy]

Am I the only one who's not comfortable with contract talks being put off til after the season? That is a lot of time for things to go wrong imho...

Don't worry, once out of contention, Nonis would probably look at dealing him at DL

 

[FriedEgg]

Does Phil have any clauses in his current contract (move or trade)?

If he doesn't want to talk turkey in season, nonis has to keep his options open. Its a big gamble for nonis to wait till late June and find out philip's walking. I guess that's why he gets paid the big bucks.

 

[wulfio*]

anyone think kessel put on a few pounds this off season?

lol is this recent?

he must be on the hops/barley and poutine training program.