News Article: Kessel May Take Gary Roberts' Fitness Program

[ULF_55]

Is it fitness?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...season-report-cards/article17956533/?page=all

Forwards

Phil Kessel: A. Up until the Olympic break, Kessel was an A+, earning plaudits from around the league and on pace to finish second to only Sidney Crosby in league scoring with what would have easily been career highs. Like the rest of his teammates, he faltered down the stretch, with only six goals and 15 points in his final 22 games as he ran out of gas and opponents found ways to shut down the overworked top line. Despite his defensive limitations, Kessel remains a dynamic, dangerous player, one who lived up to expectations despite a limited supporting case and was the team’s co-MVP despite the ugly finish. And he did it earning only $5.4-million, in the last year he’ll come cheap.

This year did he run out of gas in January?

 

[BertCorbeau]

Kessel says he takes a month off before starting to work out again .. By my count it's been approx two and a half months since the Leafs season ends, so I wouldn't say he's changed his off-season routine in any particular way .. The only thing that's different is that he might be going to train with Roberts for this second half of the off-season (for him).

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Leafs seasons usually end in April-May. Leafs off time is longer than most NHL'ers.

 

[thatsenoughnow]

You need to read the quote I posted more carefully. Last year Hobbies first, then as the season nears Kessel starts to train. This year priorities seem to be changing. Roberts first, hobbies 2nd. I doubt there are 450lbs sharks in Lake Ontario to fish. This is a major fundamental change in Phil's dedication to be in better shape.

Again, he took ONE month off last year. It's been well over a month at this point in the offseason, so to say Roberts first this time is not true again..

There's also a quote that says "Kessel coming back to Toronto in July", which could imply he's been in Florida until now? Doing his regular routine of fishing/poker/w.e and now he's coming back to resume training?

IDK I just find it very hard to believe that an NHL player, an elite one at that, is a fat lazy guy who's allergic to breaking a sweat and just sits around for 5 months every year yet still manages to keep up with the rest of the league..

 

[Trapper]

Is it fitness?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...season-report-cards/article17956533/?page=all

Forwards



This year did he run out of gas in January?

I know a rebuild takes time and people preach patience. They are also concerned about the return from Kessel (and Phaneuf) as a factor.
That's fine if it takes time but the Leafs should be aggressively shopping Kessel/Phaneuf even if it takes time. No lets see this or lets see that.
Great if he is working with Roberts (unconfirmed rumor) but it shouldn't change our plan in the least.
Boston may be a little crazy, but they move on when it's time to move on.
Keep shopping and don't stop until the deal is done.

 

[ACC1224]

Kessel says he takes a month off before starting to work out again .. By my count it's been approx two and a half months since the Leafs season ends, so I wouldn't say he's changed his off-season routine in any particular way .. The only thing that's different is that he might be going to train with Roberts for this second half of the off-season (for him).

What has he been doing for 2 1/2 months?

 

[Loosie]

So does this mean that Kessel will start getting penalties for Too Much Man?

 

[mmalady]

oh boy....im torn about kessel...I feel that kessel has qualities this team can use but too many that we don't want...I have flipped flopped with my opinions of his contributions(and lack thereof) for years...as of this moment if somehow phil would just commit to receiving pucks in traffic I would gain some hope...not sure any fitness routine would address this ..

 

[BertCorbeau]

What has he been doing for 2 1/2 months?

Based on what Kessel says his typical routine is that he was in Florida relaxing for the month following the season, and I'd assume he's resumed training the last month and a half likely down in Florida as he has a place down there.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

What has he been doing for 2 1/2 months?

Did you read the article I posted? He's had Apr - May - June off., though some will argue he has been off since February. He wasn't training with Roberts. This we know.

 

[ACC1224]

Based on what Kessel says his typical routine is that he was in Florida relaxing for the month following the season, and I'd assume he's resumed training the last month and a half likely down in Florida as he has a place down there.

That's a likely assumption.

 

[Loosie]

What has he been doing for 2 1/2 months?

Who gives a ****? Players should be able to have lives during the off-season. Now is the time that players are likely to start getting ready for the next season with the exception of probably the Blackhawks and Lightning. So if he's only starting to workout now, that's fine. If he doesn't start working out until August that's fine too.

 

[LaPlante94]

Who gives a ****? Players should be able to have lives during the off-season. Now is the time that players are likely to start getting ready for the next season with the exception of probably the Blackhawks and Lightning. So if he's only starting to workout now, that's fine. If he doesn't start working out until August that's fine too.

He's a professional athlete who gets paid millions and will be retired by the age of 40 or earlier. I'm not saying he can't take any days off, but at least do some kind of working out. You don't have to go all out or anything, just do some light workouts once a day or 3/4 days a week. It's not that hard when you don't have anything else to do.

 

[ACC1224]

Who gives a ****? Players should be able to have lives during the off-season. Now is the time that players are likely to start getting ready for the next season with the exception of probably the Blackhawks and Lightning. So if he's only starting to workout now, that's fine. If he doesn't start working out until August that's fine too.

Seems like many care, myself not so much.

Some seem to know detailed accounts of his off-season, I was just hoping for a little insight. I always assumed he was like most of the league.

 

[GardinerTheForward]

He really can't turn it around in 2 months. Maybe a year.

I lost 35 pounds in 2 or 3 weeks. I can't remember now but it was when I was in highschool. Kessel can 'turn it around' in two months.

 

[ACC1224]

He's a professional athlete who gets paid millions and will be retired by the age of 40 or earlier. I'm not saying he can't take any days off, but at least do some kind of working out. You don't have to go all out or anything, just do some light workouts once a day or 3/4 days a week. It's not that hard when you don't have anything else to do.

Why do you assume he doesn't?

 

[Swervin81]

I lost 35 pounds in 2 or 3 weeks. I can't remember now but it was when I was in highschool. Kessel can 'turn it around' in two months.

That's physically impossible. I'm on a pretty damn strict diet and get 5 days a week of exercise. Been doing it for about 1.5 months and have only lost 17 pounds.

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

That's physically impossible. I'm on a pretty damn strict diet and get 5 days a week of exercise. Been doing it for about 1.5 months and have only lost 17 pounds.

Stop eating then and do more work on the stairstepper

 

[BrannigansLaw]

I lost 35 pounds in 2 or 3 weeks. I can't remember now but it was when I was in highschool. Kessel can 'turn it around' in two months.

35 pounds in 2 to 3 weeks? Is that even safe? Not to mention that Phil no longer has the metabolism of a teenager so there's that.....

 

[Hyperglide]

So does this mean we are keeping him or is this just to up his trade value?

 

[Hyperglide]

That's physically impossible. I'm on a pretty damn strict diet and get 5 days a week of exercise. Been doing it for about 1.5 months and have only lost 17 pounds.

It's not impossible if you are like 300-400 lbs. lol..

It's all based off your mass.

 

[Hyperglide]

So does this mean that Kessel will start getting penalties for Too Much Man?

Looks like he's just seen to much, man.

 

[Kubus]

Seriously some think that Kessel is so talented that he was able to put up 82, 52(in 48 games), and 80 point season just on talent alone...that he was not in great shape to do so. LOL. If he is that talented than he is the greatest talent in the NHL right now.

Can he maybe improve somehow, or change his diet...sure. But let's not kid ourselves to believe he out of shape.

Kessel is what he is, a point producing winger. He is not a guy that you put the hopes of your team on. He is a Patick Kane, difference being in who they play with. Him coming into the season 5lbs lighter will not change who is centering him, it will not increase his goals to 50.

This is not to say that I think we need to keep him, just that he is a very good player at what he does. Teams need players like him, and we will too. It's just that a team can't depend on a player like that to carry it on his back. And that is the big problem here, may fans expected Phil to be the savior, the guy to carry the team.

 

[Kamiccolo]

I mean, Tavares has been a minus player his entire career except for last season. He sucks at face offs, poor defensively, not overly physical. Going to be 25 next season. Isles haven't won anything with him as their best player, miss the playoffs most seasons.. Put him on RW and we have Kessel, yet one is loved and the other is hated.

I want to keep Kessel. I want Kessel to win a cup here so I can watch 90% of the main board and 70% of the leaf board eat crow, and lots of it.

He hasn't had any help, and consistently been our best player. Literally every NHLer is streaky, the only non streaky players have been top 3 players in the NHL. He finished top 3 in fitness testing last year for the leafs.

I want to keep him. Imagine him and Nylander on the 2nd line and Marner and JVR and Brown on the first line. He would be a 40 goal scorer and PPG winger.

We need Kessel. Kessel is the piece to push us over the edge to win a cup. Instead of having to trade our prized players for one like him in 5 years, we'll already have him.

I want Phaneuf traded, but Kessel is a top NHLer. It's disgusting the way people talk about him and straight up make **** up. The double standard for Kessel and the media is sickening.

If Kessel played the way everyone says he should, he would be a two way, 40 goal PPG winger playing like a power forward and would literally be the best player in the NHL.

Every single star has flaws, it's just theirs get covered by strong team mates or conveniently ignored. People expect Kessel to do it all himself.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Seriously some think that Kessel is so talented that he was able to put up 82, 52(in 48 games), and 80 point season just on talent alone...that he was not in great shape to do so. LOL. If he is that talented than he is the greatest talent in the NHL right now.

Can he maybe improve somehow, or change his diet...sure. But let's not kid ourselves to believe he out of shape.

Kessel is what he is, a point producing winger. He is not a guy that you put the hopes of your team on. He is a Patick Kane, difference being in who they play with. Him coming into the season 5lbs lighter will not change who is centering him, it will not increase his goals to 50.

This is not to say that I think we need to keep him, just that he is a very good player at what he does. Teams need players like him, and we will too. It's just that a team can't depend on a player like that to carry it on his back. And that is the big problem here, may fans expected Phil to be the savior, the guy to carry the team.

Exactly man. If Kane stops scoring (like he did earlier this year for a few months and everyone was saying he is over paid) what happens?

Well,

Toews
Sharp
Hossa
Saad
Keith
Seabrook

Take over and carry the team. When Kessel stops scoring, who is of that similar quality on the leafs?

JVR?
Phaneuf?
Rielly?

Is that it? Maybe Kadri? But Certainly no 4 or 5 elite forwards to help carry the weight.

When Nylander and Marner come up, if they are as good as advertised, along with JVR and Kadri (who I think will move to LW), we'll have a core of forwards who can carry each other.

It's the same on defense. How long until people turn on Rielly when he has no help other than Phaneuf back there.

Keith has hjalmarsson (argued as a top shut down D) doing the hard assignments and Seabrook (argued as a low end #1 D) as a partner.

What do leaf fans expect?