The Star: Kessel wants to finish his career in Toronto - agent

[Damisoph]

Thanks - For what its worth:

I also loathed Ron Wilson - when 70% of these forums adored him and his extension
I also hated Brian Burke - when 80% of the posters wanted him extended (before he was fired!)
I also have predicted that this team was not good enough to make the post-season every year for last 8. (8for8) - While majority on here proclaim saeson after season that its all but a sure thing.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Phil Kessel holds negative value to this hockey club. It will take too much additonal resources to turn him into a player that contributes significantly to the teams overall win/loss record - than from a player who's individual stats are excellent.

Rarely am I wrong - seems like majority of you are almost always. Thankfully Dave Nonis and company owe no allegiance to Phil the Thrill Kessel and all appear to be well versed in 'Common Sense" so I am confident they will do the right thing and trade him - thus putting this franchise back on track to compete for a Stanley Cup. And endign one of the worst eras in Maple Leaf history.

That's ludicrous. Your viewpoint is tainted to me because of your obvious dislike of Kessel.

It seems you're touting yourself as some sort of prognosticator extraordinaire. What a stretch, saying Wilson was doing a bad job and that this team wasn't a playoff team. I think your percentages are off also. Colour me unimpressed.

 

[david999]

Thanks - For what its worth:

I also loathed Ron Wilson - when 70% of these forums adored him and his extension
I also hated Brian Burke - when 80% of the posters wanted him extended (before he was fired!)
I also have predicted that this team was not good enough to make the post-season every year for last 8. (8for8) - While majority on here proclaim saeson after season that its all but a sure thing.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Phil Kessel holds negative value to this hockey club. It will take too much additonal resources to turn him into a player that contributes significantly to the teams overall win/loss record - than from a player who's individual stats are excellent.

Rarely am I wrong - seems like majority of you are almost always. Thankfully Dave Nonis and company owe no allegiance to Phil the Thrill Kessel and all appear to be well versed in 'Common Sense" so I am confident they will do the right thing and trade him - thus putting this franchise back on track to compete for a Stanley Cup. And endign one of the worst eras in Maple Leaf history.

Kessel is the Leafs best player, top 6 in NHL scoring last year. He currently leads the team in scoring, despite (according to the media types) being in a slump. He has made both Bozak and JVR better players, as well as, turning Lupul into an allstar for the first time in his career last year. He is young, talented, and puts fear into other team's defences when he has the puck. My guess is the Leafs offer him an 8 year deal to put this to rest.

 

[NarcoPolo]

Thanks - For what its worth:

I also loathed Ron Wilson - when 70% of these forums adored him and his extension
I also hated Brian Burke - when 80% of the posters wanted him extended (before he was fired!)
I also have predicted that this team was not good enough to make the post-season every year for last 8. (8for8) - While majority on here proclaim saeson after season that its all but a sure thing.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Phil Kessel holds negative value to this hockey club. It will take too much additonal resources to turn him into a player that contributes significantly to the teams overall win/loss record - than from a player who's individual stats are excellent.

Rarely am I wrong - seems like majority of you are almost always. Thankfully Dave Nonis and company owe no allegiance to Phil the Thrill Kessel and all appear to be well versed in 'Common Sense" so I am confident they will do the right thing and trade him - thus putting this franchise back on track to compete for a Stanley Cup. And endign one of the worst eras in Maple Leaf history.

Who are you?..

 

[ITM]

Thanks - For what its worth:

I also loathed Ron Wilson - when 70% of these forums adored him and his extension
I also hated Brian Burke - when 80% of the posters wanted him extended (before he was fired!)
I also have predicted that this team was not good enough to make the post-season every year for last 8. (8for8) - While majority on here proclaim saeson after season that its all but a sure thing.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Phil Kessel holds negative value to this hockey club. It will take too much additonal resources to turn him into a player that contributes significantly to the teams overall win/loss record - than from a player who's individual stats are excellent.

Rarely am I wrong - seems like majority of you are almost always. Thankfully Dave Nonis and company owe no allegiance to Phil the Thrill Kessel and all appear to be well versed in 'Common Sense" so I am confident they will do the right thing and trade him - thus putting this franchise back on track to compete for a Stanley Cup. And endign one of the worst eras in Maple Leaf history.

I haven't been a member here for eight years, but does a person really need to have been to infer correctly that you're exagerrating your value and the perception of the board's in the same monotonous rhetoric that has now afforded your avatar an implicitly stated opinion without the need of text?

I would place dollars on the table against a wager that says Leafs Nation had a love affair with Wilson, and all that time, you were the lone voice of reason. And I would do so doubly in the same scenario as your characterization of Burke. As for Kessel...

We could discuss his status as a goalscorer, his ability to produce in the playoffs, his positive tanglibles vs his negative and I'd dare say, you would, from my estimation land more on the wrong than the right side.

If you're claiming it's incumbent on the club to acquire resources to augment his game, are you talking about moving from 6th in the league scoring tables to...3rd? Are you talking about a hypothetical that says once we're in the playoffs, Kessel should move from a ppg player to more than a ppg player?

You don't discard core pieces when they're as exceptional, as young and as willing to be part of the solution to the team as Kessel -- from any heuristic - clearly is.

Like...This infalibility schtick...Are you a paid provacateur, 12, a combination of both or just a little, uhm..."over-confident"?

And really...As soon as I see your avatar, I know you want Kessel gone. Could you spare the rhetoric and provide a detailed argument why?

Cheers.

 

[The Hockey Life]

Love the guy, did you know he sings the Canadian National anthem too? Makes me cry

 

[jboknows]

Thanks - For what its worth:

I also loathed Ron Wilson - when 70% of these forums adored him and his extension
I also hated Brian Burke - when 80% of the posters wanted him extended (before he was fired!)
I also have predicted that this team was not good enough to make the post-season every year for last 8. (8for8) - While majority on here proclaim saeson after season that its all but a sure thing.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Phil Kessel holds negative value to this hockey club. It will take too much additonal resources to turn him into a player that contributes significantly to the teams overall win/loss record - than from a player who's individual stats are excellent.

Rarely am I wrong - seems like majority of you are almost always. Thankfully Dave Nonis and company owe no allegiance to Phil the Thrill Kessel and all appear to be well versed in 'Common Sense" so I am confident they will do the right thing and trade him - thus putting this franchise back on track to compete for a Stanley Cup. And endign one of the worst eras in Maple Leaf history.

Hahahahahhaha.
Best. Post. Ever.

 

[jboknows]

If Kessel wants to stay one would think he would sign at a non outrageous number. Also My guess is anywhere between 5 to 7 years at a cap hit of 6.6 or 6.8 million +/- 200k. If he wanted to bolt though 7 up would be my guess.

I'm personally not a huge Lupul fan (I like him, but I don't think he's a great player). To me though, that signing was great because it will give the Leafs a bit of negotiating power with Kessel when the time comes.

He apparently likes to play with Bozak and Lupul and I believe Lupul at roughly $5.25 will help keep Kessel's demnands at a more realistic number (as you suggested, the $6.5M ish range) than he would likely get in free agency ($7+).

 

[DaveT83*]

That's ludicrous. Your viewpoint is tainted to me because of your obvious dislike of Kessel.

It seems you're touting yourself as some sort of prognosticator extraordinaire. What a stretch, saying Wilson was doing a bad job and that this team wasn't a playoff team. I think your percentages are off also. Colour me unimpressed.

I know - its laughable how obvious it was that Ron Wilson was the worst coach possible for this team - do a search for some Ronnie Wilson threads posted on here during his final days to get a general idea of how the majority of posters refused to acknowledge it.

See some of The Brain Burke fan polls the day before he was fired - 80% wanted a 5+ year extension - again I was vilified for simply suggesting that he should be removed and some fresh blood injected into management.

History has a funny way of repeating itself - now its Kessel ... a guy who has been here for 4 years. Has helped this team finish 2nd,9th,5th last overall - and appears to be well on his way to another bottom 10 finish. He's not the answer - he has never been the answer ... its time to move on - if you can get significant pieces coming back that help the team not only today but in the future - it should be automatic. This team will never play a significant game as long as Phil Kessel is the teams go to guy. If you can't get better players to join the team - because the team simply isn't very good - then I suggest you find a way to improve the hockey club - and revisit looking for a playmaking RWer at a later date.

Schneider
Kassian
Gaunce
3rd

For example sure would help a lot more than Phils 2 even strength goals in the last 34 games! This is not that complicated people.

 

[Bomber0104]

I know - its laughable how obvious it was that Ron Wilson was the worst coach possible for this team - do a search for some Ronnie Wilson threads posted on here during his final days to get a general idea of how the majority of posters refused to acknowledge it.

See some of The Brain Burke fan polls the day before he was fired - 80% wanted a 5+ year extension - again I was vilified for simply suggesting that he should be removed and some fresh blood injected into management.

History has a funny way of repeating itself - now its Kessel ... a guy who has been here for 4 years. Has helped this team finish 2nd,9th,5th last overall - and appears to be well on his way to another bottom 10 finish. He's not the answer - he has never been the answer ... its time to move on - if you can get significant pieces coming back that help the team not only today but in the future - it should be automatic. This team will never play a significant game as long as Phil Kessel is the teams go to guy. If you can't get better players to join the team - because the team simply isn't very good - then I suggest you find a way to improve the hockey club - and revisit looking for a playmaking RWer at a later date.

Schneider
Kassian
Gaunce
3rd

For example sure would help a lot more than Phils 2 even strength goals in the last 34 games! This is not that complicated people.

Just goes to show you that the majority opinion isnt always objective or precise.

 

[rimshot]

Different positions.

If Barkov was a #6 dman, we could talk.

But yes both are fearless, gritty, and ooze leadership.

Edit: It's too bad leadership doesn't show up on the scoresheet every night.

Welcome back Aki. Or maybe you never left but chose to be silent and let your awesome presence be a guide, as you would, in times past, guide opposing players into the boards with both grace and ferocity. I never tired of your schtick, as I tired of your penchant to pinch at exactly the wrong time, and it is good to see a resumption, on this board, of your candor and humility.

 

[Defense]

Id try to lock him up at 6 million for 7 years. 6.5 should be the max he gets, and 7 million is overpaying. If he wants to stay here, he can take a pay cut as he will make money from the extra endorsements for being a Leaf anyways.

 

[Whydidijoin*]

There was never any indication that Kessel wasn't going to sign here, but I guess this is still "news".

Looking forward to having one of the best wingers in the game for a long time to come.

 

[hullsy47]

There was never any indication that Kessel wasn't going to sign here, but I guess this is still "news".

Looking forward to having one of the best wingers in the game for a long time to come.

this stretch without lupul and frattin will go a long way towards kessel's future here in toronto ......to me ottawa losing karlson is way bigger blow than if the leafs traded kessel .......in a different perspective ....kessel will be looking for money afforded to the lkes of karlson ,parise ,sutter etc ......not sure id pay him ......he has too many games like he had in carolina for my liking ....i just dont see him getting over 6 million a year fom MLSE