Malkin wanted out if Kessel returned

[Foots]

He can't hear you he has his SC rings plugged in his ears

He should plug one in his mouth.

I keed. I keed.

 

[rynryn]

Kessel being a dickhead or no couldn't he have just solved it another way like throwing Kessel's clothes in the shower? Looking forward to a trend where players start demanding where they play and who they play with. I'm sure it happens--it's bound too--but out in the open it's just not a good look and further erodes the idea that coaches wield any sort of power. So i guess easy-out for coaches post-game is "Well player X just didn't feel like killing penalties tonight." or whatever.
But i mean obviously a guy you're counting on and paying that much will ultimately wield more influence with the GM than a coach so...Good on Malkin for making an executive decision?

 

[Cellee]

Damn this is interesting , hopefully Kessel comments on this and doesnt just give us the typical “ Thats behind me now”

I want drama damnit

Kessel doesn't get along with Suter or Parise either. That is why he isn't in Minnesota

 

[bleedgreen]

I don’t know. I remember Neal and Malkin screaming at each other during their shifts, they clearly had artistic differences.

Not sure I’d pin this all on Phil. I’ve never gotten the impression Malkin is very easy to play with.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

All this **** makes me appreciate a guy like Crosby even more. Malkin and Kessel are really similar in a lot of ways.

 

[NyQuil]

If someone like Gary Roberts had done this, everyone would be falling over themselves to fawn at his strong leadership.

I think anything that Malkin does tends to be interpreted poorly. It’s kind of like the Jagr treatment before he was rehabilitated into jolly older statesman.

Everyone knows that Kessel is a weird guy. He keeps getting traded. Some of it has to be Kessel.

It’s kind of like what is happening with Subban.

 

[lottster14]

Goof Kessel

 

[izzy]

gold medal

 

[Menzinger]

Malkin obviously jelly that the Pens needed Kessel to get them those two extra cups

 

[TheAngryHank]

Pittsburgh sure has its share of devas..
Whats next? AB will want out?

 

[Frank Drebin]

Times like these need a strong Captain in the locker room.

Oel is up to the challenge

 

[Frank Drebin]

I don’t know. I remember Neal and Malkin screaming at each other during their shifts, they clearly had artistic differences.

Not sure I’d pin this all on Phil. I’ve never gotten the impression Malkin is very easy to play with.

Wait, James Neal isn't the best example though. He basically alienated himself from the entire flames team last season.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Bringing the frustration out of others is what Kessel does best.

 

[bleedgreen]

Wait, James Neal isn't the best example though. He basically alienated himself from the entire flames team last season.

Not disagreeing, just saying I don’t think there’s anyone innocent here. All three of them are probably tough to play with. And we’re talking about Neal years ago not Neal from last season. There may be a difference.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

The writer of this article is not a paragon of journalism, so I hope we get confirmation.

I wonder if Jack Johnson wasn't the defender with most TOI with Malkin/Kessel they would have had better results and less friction with each other and the coach.

What is the source of the "Crosby won't play with Kessel" statement?

 

[Wings4Life]

Yeah, especially since the article cites that Malkin had beef with Sullivan because he wouldn't put him on the ice when the opponent had an empty net.. sounds like Geno was upset he wasn't able to pad his stats.

Malkin literally missed out on another Conn Smythe (which he probably deserved anyway) because Sullivan wouldn't let him get one EN point in 4 rounds of playoff action. I mean, even Ovie gets EN time in the playoffs. It was quite bizarre to limit Malkin this way.

 

[Oleksiak]

If someone like Gary Roberts had done this, everyone would be falling over themselves to fawn at his strong leadership.

I think anything that Malkin does tends to be interpreted poorly. It’s kind of like the Jagr treatment before he was rehabilitated into jolly older statesman.

Everyone knows that Kessel is a weird guy. He keeps getting traded. Some of it has to be Kessel.

It’s kind of like what is happening with Subban.

Yep; he's never really gotten the credit he deserved. Seeing him drop the gloves to fight Wheeler when he knew he'd get rocked really cemented my positive view towards him. He doesn't like losing and was the one who had to cover for Kessel's lack of backchecking.

 

[KIRK]

The writer of this article is not a paragon of journalism, so I hope we get confirmation.

I wonder if Jack Johnson wasn't the defender with most TOI with Malkin/Kessel they would have had better results and less friction with each other and the coach.

What is the source of the "Crosby won't play with Kessel" statement?

There was no grand 'Crosby won't play with Kessel' statement, but do you think it's just a coincidence that they rarely played together?

 

[Plural]

He just never plays like he is giving it his all. The same criticisms you can use against kessel and his game can be used with malkin.

Well that's a big fat lie. Geno has his ups and downs, but when he plays like he should (which is more often than not) he plays his heart out.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

I'm glad this article is out. Probably pretty therapeutic for Malkin. Hopefully we will see an energized Malkin, maybe even an Angry Geno, which freaking rocks!

Angry Geno can be his own worst enemy. He has little regard for opposing players, and is lucky not to be called for his shenanigans.

 

[Snippit]

No GM Malkin jokes?

 

[The Panther]

If someone like Gary Roberts had done this, everyone would be falling over themselves to fawn at his strong leadership.

The difference there is that Gary Roberts would not have done something like this. He would not have talked to media about his personal issues with playing on a line with a particular teammate (I mean, not in a negative way).

I don't really understand why Malkin would want to talk about this to anyone other than his coach and his partner/wife. Just keep it buttoned up. Kessel is gone now, so he got what he wanted.

It's just hockey. There's no pity party for Malkin, who's getting paid multi-millions to play the game he loves. If he's not happy and doesn't want to spend winters in Pennsylvania (with several free road trips around the continent to stay in 5-star hotels), just quit and do something else.

 

[YearsintheWilderness]

Kessel has always been like this. When people pointed it out earlier in his career, his fanboys came unhinged. But even they now see it. Of course, any team that trades for him knows this too.

Last on the ice, first off in practice. Sulky and petulant when things don't go his way, one-dimensional. But can still put the puck in the net.

 

[aufheben]

I don't understand how Kessel scoring a lot hurts the Penguins unless he just started giving like zero f***s.

Randomly aggressive.

I mean not everyone can read the article.

 

[780il]

That's 2 time Stanley Cup Champion Phil Kessel