Post-Game Talk: Leafs Win. Andersen Bounced Back. Marner 1st NHL Goal.

[Mitchy]

Why are we ripping on Kessel again?

He had his flaws, but he did his job with the Leafs. He always refers Toronto as his home too, so I don't think it's fair to say he treated Toronto bad.

Yes, he was quiet and awkward, but that doesn't make him a bad guy. He has a good rep around the league and his teammates in Pittsburgh really like him and his teammates in Toronto liked him too.

 

[Rick74*]

 

[Gary Nylund]

Kessel had his shot and then based on his attitude, was not asked back. And because of his attitude most likely won't be asked back for future teams as well.

It's not blind hate fella. When you watch a team, you get a sense for a players behavior through how they carry themselves both on and off the ice...and Kessel carried himself like a self entitled smug arrogant pos. In the same way, you get the sense that Matthews is very reserved and mature, while Marner is excited and high energy. This isn't blind perception....we all can see it plain as day.

(that escalated quickly, didn't it)

And while I'm sure he's in a much better situation in Pittsburgh (that much is obvious), so are the Leafs without him here.

It was a win/win.

If they got NOTHING for him, it would still be considered a great move by Toronto as he was venom in the locker room.

You mean his attitude at the Olympics where he was picked as the the best forward on any team? WTF?

 

[Purity*]

Kessel is simply old news, especially with our 3 young studs. He's doing great in Pittsburgh anyway.


I'm not even gonna bother with this guy

 

[Rick74*]

You mean his attitude at the Olympics where he was picked as the the best forward on any team? WTF?

And yet somehow wasn't asked to join the team for the worlds...

What's up with that?

 

[Rick74*]

Kessel is simply old news, especially with our 3 young studs. He's doing great in Pittsburgh anyway.


I'm not even gonna bother with this guy

I never asked you to bother with "this guy"

I don't think my original take of why Kessel was traded was off the mark at all. Some people are questioning it, and I'm defending it.

The end.

 

[Iamtheliquor*]

You mean his attitude at the Olympics where he was picked as the the best forward on any team? WTF?

If you need another example of his attitude take a look at his tweets following team USA's world cup of hockey.....

 

[Quarter]

If you need another example of his attitude take a look at his tweets following team USA's world cup of hockey.....

"Man villainized for showing personality"

How NHL.

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

And yet somehow wasn't asked to join the team for the worlds...

What's up with that?

The US worlds team was built to be all about grit and toughness to counter Canada and they lost every game. He wasn't asked to join because the people making the team made terrible choices, that says nothing about Kessel just about the brain trust behind the US Worlds team.

 

[Menzinger]

"Man villainized for showing personality"

How NHL.

Yeah - same old same old.

That Team USA performance deserve me a lot worse criticism than Kessel's mild (and himerous) tweet

 

[gravyface]

If you need another example of his attitude take a look at his tweets following team USA's world cup of hockey.....

Fully justified for those tweets. Ridiculous that he wasn't invited.

 

[hockeyes]

Kessel was so good he created a hole in space time, I'll send Rick the winning lotto numbers for July 2015 if he promises to split it with me.

 

[nsleaf]

I never asked you to bother with "this guy"

I don't think my original take of why Kessel was traded was off the mark at all. Some people are questioning it, and I'm defending it.

The end.

Promise??

 

[Maplebeasts]

If you need another example of his attitude take a look at his tweets following team USA's world cup of hockey.....

They were completely justified. He was a better player than at least half the roster they brought. Lombardi had it coming for picking a garbage coach and roster.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Kessel had his shot and then based on his attitude, was not asked back. And because of his attitude most likely won't be asked back for future teams as well.

It's not blind hate fella. When you watch a team, you get a sense for a players behavior through how they carry themselves both on and off the ice...and Kessel carried himself like a self entitled smug arrogant pos. In the same way, you get the sense that Matthews is very reserved and mature, while Marner is excited and high energy. This isn't blind perception....we all can see it plain as day.

(that escalated quickly, didn't it)

And while I'm sure he's in a much better situation in Pittsburgh (that much is obvious), so are the Leafs without him here.

It was a win/win.

If they got NOTHING for him, it would still be considered a great move by Toronto as he was venom in the locker room.

You have no actual evidence to support this. Stop character assassinating someone because you "think" they carried themselves like a smug entitled pos. By your logic Patrick Kane should be barred from these tournaments as well.

 

[Nithoniniel]

My take is pretty simple, and as much a shot in the dark as every other opinion voiced here. Here it is:

Management wanted to change overall team personality so that a high level of professionalism and dedication was expected. Kessel was a star player, and as such hugely influential. It's not that he set a bad example, it's that he was very influential and didn't set a great one. By trading him they made the locker room malleable, so that they could instill a Babcockian relation to their profession.

Oh, and the Kessel tweet was gold.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Well I think this has strayed way OT and past the game that I'm just going to lock this up