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

[Kamiccolo]

What?

Your team has finished 2nd,9th,5th last with Phil the Thrill leading the way ... I should hope the grass is greener ... somewhere.

Phil has scored 2 even strength goals in his last 33 games since RC too over. 2!
He has 4 goals on the PP in that time ...

ELITE you say? I think not.

If a team wants to trade a young PWF - a Goalie ready for primetime - additional picks in this deep draft ... it might be worth discussing.
Rather than giving One Dimensional Phil a raise - and another 6+ years of doing his best Jason Blake impression.

Okay, now glance to the right. He currently has 9 assists, 11 points in 13 games (almost ppg) and is a + 2 (not a liability so far). He is producing. If he had 2 goals, 1 assist then there would be a problem. The important thing is he is a part of almost one goal a game, which means he is a major contributor to our offence.

Who cares if it's not him putting the puck in? He is gift wrapping goals for some of our guys. He is always mocked as being "one demintional" , let him devellope his playmaking and defense like he has been. Watch him become a dominate offensive machine with elite playmaking and scoring abilities, while not being a definsive liabilty.

 

[Liminality]

Guys, obviously goals count more than assists.

When your almost a ppg and your "slumping" you know your working with a hopeless fanbase.

 

[SteveV*]

Fraser is a +10? Wow.

I would pay him 16 million a year

Think he was plus 5 last game?

 

[SteveV*]

I you can't even admit Kessel is an elite player, then it really is a testament to a thick bias rather than a fair critique of the player.

How many opposing coaches have used the term "elite player" in reference to Kessel. Exactly.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Like a poster above said, what player agent wouldn't say something like that? I don't think this interview means anything.

All I really learned from it was Phil wanted to concentrate being better defensively under RC.

I'm with you on this one, Agent doing his job.

 

[The Magic Man]

This thread will be intolerable in an hour.

Usual suspects are showingup in droves... Tank Nation still wants a sale...

I noticed that very early in this thread. Pathetic that anyone can try to decipher secret codes out of an agents very average interview. Arnott is not an enigma machine. He's just an agent doing his job. Read whatever you want, believe whatever you want, but the reality is if we want to win sooner then later, we CAN keep Phil.

If we want to tank again for another 5 years, we CAN trade him.

IMO, the most important point was made abundantly clear; Kessel would be happy to resign. I'd like to move forward with our star player.

 

[MajorityRules*]

Kessel wants to remain a Leaf?

Has to be time to trade him then. Can't keep players around that want to stay here.

 

[The Magic Man]

Kessel wants to remain a Leaf?

Has to be time to trade him then. Can't keep players around that want to stay here.

Heaven forfend!!

Could you imagine if we were the Oilers or Predators? Where everyone not from the immediate area want to leave?

 

[DaveT83*]

Re think your analogy. You think just scoring goals is all Kessel does? No.

Since acquiring him from the bruins he has shown flashes of a great set of hands for his playmaking abilities. Being in Toronto people seem to look past that and say "Well if he can't score goals, get rid of him". Wrong. Yea he doesnt hit and yea his defense is still sub par(though I hope it continues with how well its been this year so far), but he is battling, ACTUALLY going into corners now and coming away with the puck alot more than probably the 3 other years hes been here.

People can love him or hate him, that comes with playing in Toronto. To trade a guy that we payed a huge premium for would be a huge mistake and a disappointing let down. I think this new system will be good for Kessel as the chances to score will always be there, but now its more about a back checking defensive game which can only help this club.

I think a 6.5 or 7 million is reasonable under a 6/7 year deal. Like I said before, he scratches our back, lets scratch his and give him some help by acquiring that #1 C. As of now, im looking at you Getzlaf.

So basically what you're saying is that we have a small, weak, playmaking PP specialist - that is well below average in the NHL defensively.

We got playmakers - see Kadri/Grabo - we really could use anohter PWF to round out our Top6 (I'm not convinced its Lupul)
We could really use some added stability in net - if we can't stop the puck it doesn't matter how many goals Phil scores (see previous 3 seasons)

Phil is a great player - no doubt - but is he great for this roster? Does this team have other larger problems then a speedy playmaker? IMO yes

There are plenty of great players over the years that simply did not work out in a particular system - or on one particular team (Joe Thornton comes to mind) Semin in Carolina could be a recent comparison.

I just don't think Phil is the best fit for this team - never did ... I'm sorry if that offends anyone.

 

[Anth93]

I don't buy it. The agent won't negotiate till the NMC kicks it and he throws the little, "but he's still a young man so who knows what will happen."

 

[hullsy47]

Kessel wants to remain a Leaf?

Has to be time to trade him then. Can't keep players around that want to stay here.

again .....its gonna come down to money ......hes overpaid now ...if his agent maybe negotiates a 2 more year extension for around the same money im in ..but 7- 8 million bye bye phil

 

[ACC1224]

What is the max dollar and term he can sign for?

 

[DaveT83*]

I you can't even admit Kessel is an elite player, then it really is a testament to a thick bias rather than a fair critique of the player.

How many opposing coaches have used the term "elite player" in reference to Kessel. Exactly.

I watch the games - and I don't see Phil excel better than anyone in any single category.

Is the best natural goal scorer in the league? He's good - but no he's not on the same level as the best players.

Does Phil have to face the oppositions top shutdown pairings each night? Sure - but so do every other teams top players - the difference is that those other players continue to find ways to produce - Phil 50n5 becomes extinct.

He's not elite. Like many Leaf players before him he is the best player on a bad team (albeit changing now) the better we get the more redundant Kessel becomes.

 

[Liminality]

I just don't think Phil is the best fit for this team - never did ... I'm sorry if that offends anyone.

That's not what offends people. It's the way you talk about Phill as if he's a useless finess player and will never have a spot on this team. Pretty closed minded if you ask me. Phill's been doing good here you're just angry that he can't carry an entire team into the playoffs. Not even Sundin could do that by himself.

 

[DaveT83*]

Okay, now glance to the right. He currently has 9 assists, 11 points in 13 games (almost ppg) and is a + 2 (not a liability so far). He is producing. If he had 2 goals, 1 assist then there would be a problem. The important thing is he is a part of almost one goal a game, which means he is a major contributor to our offence.

Who cares if it's not him putting the puck in? He is gift wrapping goals for some of our guys. He is always mocked as being "one demintional" , let him devellope his playmaking and defense like he has been. Watch him become a dominate offensive machine with elite playmaking and scoring abilities, while not being a definsive liabilty.

I will agree - but this experiment has been going on for years. This is the Toronto Maple Leafs - not the lets ice a team that can help facilitate Phil Kessel - and then allow him to develop the glaring weaknesses of his game while we throw 8M at him with a huge term attached. It doesn't make any sense. The team is getting better - Phil is getting left behind. Better to just get the best value for him while you can. A couple solid additions and were not only compteting for a playoff spot - but were competing for a cup.


I'd much rather just target and acquire players that:

A) ALREADY ****ING NO HOW TO PLAY AN ALL AROUND GAME
B) Can still score goals
C) Help the team continue to get its Goals Against down.

 

[DaveT83*]

That's not what offends people. It's the way you talk about Phill as if he's a useless finess player and will never have a spot on this team. Pretty closed minded if you ask me. Phill's been doing good here you're just angry that he can't carry an entire team into the playoffs. Not even Sundin could do that by himself.

I'll admit I hate Phil Kessel - rather I loathe him.

He's our best player - we gave up so much to acquire him. And to watch him coast around out there shying away from any battles - makes me almost sick. If he's not scoring goals it just gets worse. Give me two Matt Frattins and a Reimer over 1 Phil Kessel everyday of the week.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

Thats nice and all but I dont believe anything these damned agents say

 

[stakesishigh]

Boy is that taken out of context.

I think we do whatever it takes to sign Kessel long-term as soon as possible.

 

[topched]

I'll admit I hate Phil Kessel - rather I loathe him.

He's our best player - we gave up so much to acquire him. And to watch him coast around out there shying away from any battles - makes me almost sick. If he's not scoring goals it just gets worse. Give me two Matt Frattins and a Reimer over 1 Phil Kessel everyday of the week.

We didn't need you to "admit" that... its already pretty evident.


We've seen this act from you before:

1. Read and ignore thread topic.
2. Create "we need to trade Kessel" post
3. Back post up with blanket statements
4. Hijack thread

Rinse, repeat.

 

[My Sweet Shadow]

again .....its gonna come down to money ......hes overpaid now ...if his agent maybe negotiates a 2 more year extension for around the same money im in ..but 7- 8 million bye bye phil

??

He's making $5.4M and scored 37 goals & 82 points last year. He hasn't been scoring as much this year, but his assists are way up, he's playing better without the puck, and he's still drawing all of the other teams' top defensive coverage, opening up space for guys like JVR, Kadri, and Frattin.

If he asks for close to $8M then, yes, that's definitely too much. But he likely won't get that, especially with the cap dropping so much next season.

 

[NIKO G]

I think Kessel is a bit inconsistent at times, But you can't take away that he's had 30 + goals for pretty much his whole career. He's fast, One of the top purest sniper's in the league, his shot alone is reason enough to keep him, he still has to work on the defensive part of the game and continue getting bigger and stronger.

Kessel is a compliment player, every other team has a least two highly elite players, we have one. Once we get that next piece of another elite first line center or winger. Kessel will thrive not only will he be able to score more goals but a lot more ice would open up for him with the other team also having to cover that other elite player we do get (whenever that is) instead of just covering Kessel.

 

[My Sweet Shadow]

I'll admit I hate Phil Kessel - rather I loathe him.

He's our best player - we gave up so much to acquire him. And to watch him coast around out there shying away from any battles - makes me almost sick. If he's not scoring goals it just gets worse. Give me two Matt Frattins and a Reimer over 1 Phil Kessel everyday of the week.

Move Kessel and all of a sudden you have each team's shutdown line and top pairing covering those Frattins every shift instead of Kessel.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Kessel loves Boston and he wants to sign a long term contract to stay in Boston, I mean Toronto...

http://sportsjabber.net/2009/06/11/kessel-“i-want-to-stay-in-bostonâ€/

 

[DD03]

Kessel loves Boston and he wants to sign a long term contract to stay in Boston, I mean Toronto...

http://sportsjabber.net/2009/06/11/kessel-“i-want-to-stay-in-bostonâ€/

Boston didn't want him.

 

[Pierre Gotye]

Trading Kessel would be an addition by subtraction no matter how you look at it.

It would be favorable for him if he gives a hometown discount in his contract negotiations and if doesn't immediately say: "Gimme $7/per,' or else.

6 or 6.5 or maybe a pro-rated contract of some sort would be good for him to stay here.