Kessel ill-suited as Leafs’ frontman ... Leaf must keep 1st.

[hockeywiz542]

http://www.therecord.com/sports/art...ontman-contract-could-be-headache-if-he-stays

There’s only one untouchable on the Maple Leafs.
...
The 2013 first-round draft choice.

It is to be protected, retained and cherished, although other teams covet it and have already started suggesting it should be included in proposed trades.
...

Sucker trades. Like Ernie Hicke to help you now.

There will be no trading away the first-rounder in an attempt to make the present more palatable.
...

Kessel cost the Leafs a great deal, as much, perhaps, in prestige as in actual assets. Indeed, that deal may ultimately have cost Burke his job.

That’s not to blame Kessel for the state of the team, although as the star forward, he has to shoulder his fair share.

Personality-wise, this just hasn’t been a fit. Like Andrea Bargnani, he could be a nice secondary piece on a good team.

On a young, struggling team, however, he can’t be the frontman.

Beyond that, if you’re the Leafs, you don’t want to be the team that has to figure out what to pay Kessel once his current deal ends at the conclusion of next season.

At a $5.4 million cap hit ($5.1 million in real money this season), he’s affordable given his stats and goal-scoring ability.

At $7 million, or $8 million, it will be much different. And that’s what he’ll be able to demand.

Moreover, the Leafs don’t want to lose him for nothing as an unrestricted free agent.

The ideal time to trade him would have been last summer, but Burke was still in charge and the lockout got in the way of everything.

Now, given the state of the team and the 25-year-old Kessel’s contractual status going forward, the April 3 trade deadline looms as the unofficial deadline to move this player, and there will be takers.

The kind of deal the Leafs should be looking for will be similar to that made by Columbus at last year’s deadline when Jeff Carter, then 27, was moved to the L.A. Kings for 25-year-old defenceman Jack Johnson and a first-round pick.

In 239 games with the Leafs, Kessel has potted 99 goals. Basically, that averages out to 33 goals per season, a number only 18 NHL players (2 per cent) hit last season and only 13 (1.4 per cent) did the season before that.

Kessel does well what very few NHLers do well. So, even with warts, he has great value, particularly to a team strong enough that he can play in a supporting role, as a secondary scoring threat.

Nonis, if he is to succeed, must put his stamp on this team in relatively short order, and must articulate a new direction fans can readily understand and embrace.

He has the patience and foresight to do that. Whether the new GM has the support of the new ownership, well, nobody knows.

But trading Kessel is the likeliest first step to the needed reset.

Click to read more...

 

[Drew311]

Here we go..

 

[FelixPotvin29]

Depends. Talk to his agent and gauge what he's thinking, then decide.

a) If you feel he won't stick around start taking offers now.

b) If you feel he will stick around starting talking extension asap.

Since Cox doesn't really know any of the details he's purely speculating. Kessel could fetch a hefty sum. He is also very important to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

We'll see but whichever option Nonis decides that doesn't mean he'll be the overpaid front man or trade bait.

There are many other options. This is a bit of a narrow minded article, no surprise.

 

[Erdinger]

Cox trolling the Leafs as always but he makes a good point

 

[Anth93]

No way they swallow their pride and trade him right now. Burke may be gone, but he's still the only thing we have to a star.

 

[MakeTheIronSing]

So despite Kessel playing his best 2 way play as a Leaf so far, Cox thinks Kessel is not conditioned properly, is expendable

He thinks the team is "struggling" (in the first 5 games of the season) and needs to "reset"

Reset what Cox? Its not a computer, there's no restart button.

Damien Cox continues to write articles to get knee jerk reactions out of people because he can't retain information for more than a week (probably a lack of insulation coming from the top of that chromed mr clean head of his)

Damien Cox knows as much about hockey as a dim-witted 4 year old knows about not staring into the sun for extended periods of time

Worst writer ever

 

[Phion Keneuf]

I'd want an OEL level Dman. Or someone like Hamonic +

 

[charliolemieux]

Can we trade Cox?

Be nice to see him troll the 'Nucks or Oilers for a while.

He's learned from McCowen that controversy is what sells. Who cares if you just pull it out of your arse or not.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I said this 3 weeks ago, Damien is right, what to do with Kessel this year.

 

[Stoneburg]

So Cox says that only roughly half the teams in the NHL have a player who scores as much as Kessel, but he is only a "secondary" scorer?

 

[rdawg1234]

Naw I'll keep him, draft a star centre to play with him.

Lupul-Mackinnon/Drouin/Monahan/Barkov-Kessel. You have your first line.

 

[Amadeus]

Damien is bang on. He's been very objective and accurate as far as his articles are concerned recently. On many occasions, with regards to the Leafs, he usually has the first scoop.

Some of you hate him as if he's Steve Simmons.

Poor Howard Berger. I used to think the guy was annoying but he loved this team and was a target of a poor relationship with Wilson which cost him his job ultimately.

 

[MakeTheIronSing]

I said this 3 weeks ago, Damien is right, what to do with Kessel this year.

Yep its a real problem trying to sort out what to do with a 25 year old 4 year in a row 30 goal scorer.

Probably trade him for draft picks that hopefully develop into a young 30 goal sco....

 

[ErnieLeafs]

Damien is bang on. He's been very objective and accurate as far as his articles are concerned recently. On many occasions, with regards to the Leafs, he usually has the first scoop.

Some of you hate him as if he's Steve Simmons.

Poor Howard Berger. I used to think the guy was annoying but he loved this team and was a target of a poor relationship with Wilson which cost him his job ultimately.

Berger's an idiot.
Simple as that. He can stew in it.

 

[mt99808]

Do it, do it, do it

 

[FelixPotvin29]

Naw I'll keep him, draft a star centre to play with him.

Lupul-Mackinnon/Drouin/Monahan/Barkov-Kessel. You have your first line.

If that were to happen they Leafs would be sitting pretty. It's worth it to wait and see where this team sits in the next 15-20 games.

 

[Pi]

He's not wrong at all.

If this team isn't getting any better with Kessel as the leading act, may be it's time to trade him.

He could easily demand 7.5M. I hope we go all in for Corey Perry and then if Kessel is asking for too much, trade him for some good prospects.

He'd fetch the same if not more than Mike Richards.

If we bottom out this year and draft a C, then it makes sense to keep Kessel.

 

[ErnieLeafs]

"a new direction fans can readily understand and embrace" ....

LOL.

Yes, I think trading the only real star we have for relative unknowns is certainly going to ring well with a great many of the fanbase, and be easy to understand for all of those who know that he is actually far more important than these muppets make him out to be...

 

[ponder]

This summer, Nonis has to spend a good amount of time talking to Kessel (or at least his agent), and gauge how likely we are to be able to re-sign him. If it looks like he has one foot out the door, then we absolutely have to trade him, ideally in the offseason, since he'll have way less value at the following trade deadline. If it looks likely that he WILL re-sign, then we should keep him, simple as that really. He's not worth close to what we gave up to get him (Seguin, Hamilton and Knight), but he's very talented offensively and a good 1st line winger, and we likely wouldn't get fair value back for him in a trade. As talented as he is offensively, his total lack of physicality and weak defensive game means teams probably won't be breaking the bank for Kessel with 1 year left on his deal, I feel like the return for Kessel would be a bit disappointing. He's not someone we should trade unless we absolutely have to (i.e. unless we're convinced he'll leave for nothing as a UFA).

 

[The Apologist]

So predictable. So so predictable. Leaf fans may not be the worse but our media is absolutely terrible. And we eat it up every time... Such sheep we are...

 

[MapleLeafGardens*]

Teams have been banging Kessel a lot more this year they know he doesn't like the rough stuff and is not as effective. If teams continue to beat down on Kessel his production is going to drop off.

Trade Kessel by April 3rd we need a #1 center and a #1 goalie more than we need Kessel a one trick pony.

 

[Pi]

This summer, Nonis has to spend a good amount of time talking to him (or at least his agent), and gauge how likely we are to be able to re-sign him. If it looks unlikely that he'll re-sign, then we absolutely have to trade him. If it looks likely that he WILL re-sign, then we should keep him. Simple as that really. He's not worth close to what we gave up to get him (Seguin, Hamilton and Knight), but he's very talented offensively and a good 1st line winger, he's not someone we should trade unless we have to.

I think that is what it comes down to.

We can't afford a Zach Parise situation here.

Nonis needs to know exactly what Kessel and his agent are thinking. If they give the slightest clue that he doesn't want to stay here, it's time to trade him because it's going to be a disaster of epic proportions if Kessel walks.

 

[The Apologist]

He's not wrong at all.

If this team isn't getting any better with Kessel as the leading act, may be it's time to trade him.

He could easily demand 7.5M. I hope we go all in for Corey Perry and then if Kessel is asking for too much, trade him for some good prospects.

He'd fetch the same if not more than Mike Richards.

If we bottom out this year and draft a C, then it makes sense to keep Kessel.

Maybe we could trade him for Stamkos, or Tavares......

 

[The Winter Soldier]

"a new direction SOME fans can readily understand and embrace"

I would hypothetically use smart, but why temp an infraction.

 

[colchar]

So despite Kessel playing his best 2 way play as a Leaf so far, Cox thinks Kessel is not conditioned properly, is expendable

He thinks the team is "struggling" (in the first 5 games of the season) and needs to "reset"

Reset what Cox? Its not a computer, there's no restart button.

Damien Cox continues to write articles to get knee jerk reactions out of people because he can't retain information for more than a week (probably a lack of insulation coming from the top of that chromed mr clean head of his)

Damien Cox knows as much about hockey as a dim-witted 4 year old knows about not staring into the sun for extended periods of time

Worst writer ever

Worst writer ever? I take it you've never read Steve Simmons then? It is a dead heat between those two.