Non Leaf Fans Opinion of Phil Kessel

[Captain Mittens*]

He's a me first guy. Doesn't backcheck . hell of a scorer though

 

[PoutineSp00nZ]

He's a gifted offensive producer, an underrated play-maker and a complete gong-show in pretty much every other facet of hockey.

He's the guy you add towards the end of a build to put a team over the top. He's not the guy you build around.

In a non-cap world, would be happy to take him on the Blackhawks, where he'd have plenty of possession drivers to insulate him and afford him the best matchups.

Exactly how I look at Kessel and believe he would best be utilized.

 

[SirPaste]

Top 5 RW in the game, he gets a lot of flak just because he plays for a joke of a team, but hes a great player

edit: I just wanna say iI mean no offense to Leaf fans, but Im sure most agree with me anyway

 

[UsernameWasTaken]

I probably don't qualify as a 'non Leafs" fan - because after the Hawks, the Leafs are my favourite team.

But I will say that after P. Kane and Stamkos, Kessel is my 3rd favourite player in the NHL.

He's not a perfect player but he is one of the best in the NHL at his position (I do not think he is as good as Kane or Perry).

The Leafs are better for having Kessel on the team. His contract is completely appropriate for the player that he is.

While it's true that you cannot build a cup winning team around Kessel, you certainly can have a cup winning team with Kessel @ his current contract on the team. To the extent the Leafs have stupidly blown their cap space on brutal contracts, that's not Kessel's fault.

edit - i haven't followed the caps much this year - so, with apologies, if OV is playing RW i would put him above 81, too.

 

[CapsJunkie]

What's not to like about him? Fast, see's the ice really well, excellent passer, and a sniper...The better you are, the more criticism you get

 

[Quarter]

Slightly surprised with all the Phil love, not gonna lie. The Phil has blessed you all.

Praise be unto The Phil.

 

[longchange]

Great scorer but not very responsible and not a leader…I'm really undecided on what to think of him and whether I really want him with that salary. What makes it more difficult is I don't know how much of the negatives associated with him are a result of his play or the team he's playing for. It's just so hard to tell with the ridiculous state that Toronto is in. In the end I'd probably take him because decent RW's are hard to find.

Anyways, that's my honest opinion. The guy is talented as hell though.

 

[Clode]

Would be an absolute juggernaut with a legit #1C

 

[19 for president]

Excellent scoring winger but not one that you build a team around. He's the scorer you bring in to put you over the top.

The problem is that he cost assets that should have been able to bring back a building block piece. He also has a pretty large contract too, which makes perceptions of him worse.

 

[Xavier Laflamme*]

I think he'd be unbelievable playing on a small market team like the Penguins where the media won't suffocate you and centers like Crosby or Malkin already drive the offense and Kessel can provide elite secondary scoring playing alongside one of those two.

 

[Callista Rhian]

^ This.

Kessel is a great offensive player - fast, awesome scorer, good passer. Defensively? Meh. Personally, I think all the negativity stems from his contract: how a very incomplete player is earning so much. His reticence with regards to the media doesn't help things, as they savage him because he won't give them what they want.

Would LOVE to see him on a line with Crosby and/or Malkin.

 

[Subbanned]

An amazing elite scoring winger that stays healthy and tries hard every game but doesn't play physically. Average defensively which would not bode well on any team with poor defensive structure and many average to below average defensive players.

If he had a legit center to work with too, he'd go from being in the top 3 scorers over the last handful of season to possibly the #1.

Can't say much more than that.

Oh and people like to give him grief because of his facial appearance and persona, which have nothing to do with his hockey skills

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Praise be unto The Phil.

The Phil givith and the Phil takith away. But mostly givith away.

 

[Zen Arcade]

There's a difference between being awkward and contentious, and I think Kessel falls into the former category when it comes to media relations.

 

[Vagrant]

Complimentary scorer (meant as a compliment) being sold as a franchise player to a market starved for one. He's in the star tier instead of the superstar tier standard that he's being held to in Toronto. Great hockey player put in a bad situation through no real fault of his own. I thought he was an immature, awkward little pug in Boston but it seems like he has really grown as a person during his time in Toronto. I think having to deal with as much media as he has had to deal with has forced him to keep his habits a little better and be more aware of how his actions are perceived.

 

[RadimBicanek]

A goal scorer, very fast.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Leafs suck.

Kessel: tremendous offensive talent, but with relentlessly noted deficiencies in defence and "character". As previously stated, the kind of player you bring on to a contender to put the team over the top for the extra goalscoring punch during the playoff wars.

Makes too much money.

Being expected to be a Team Leader for want of better candidates and obviously disappointing.

On a team with strong emotional leadership, he'd be deadly. Leave him alone in the corner to do his thing, get the cameras away from him, let him just be Phil then turn him loose on the ice...boom. Points.

 

[HIFE]

What's not to like about him? Fast, see's the ice really well, excellent passer, and a sniper...The better you are, the more criticism you get

People think of Kessel only as a sniper with his glorious, patented off-foot snapshot. The attributes you mention perfectly he excels at. Speed is upper echelon and his playmaking/passing ability have grown through the seasons. He is creative it has been a little surprising to watch some of the plays he pulls off... I wouldn't have thought before he had it in him.

Physicality is not necessary for every player on a team, take Patrick Kane's success as the greatest example. May be embarrassing for some they are both US, but he and Kessel literally throw 0 body checks.

Same thing with his defensive hustle, players have different ways they choose to approach the game. Pavel Datsyuk is a guy who loves intercepting passes, chasing opponents down and frustrating them possibly more than he loves shooting the puck. Kessel may sense more value in transitioning quickly being high up the ice for a rush. Individuals (thankfully) don't have the exact same temperament, it makes life (and the game) much more interesting.

Kessel is unique, I can't think of anybody who plays or looks like him in the NHL. Instead of criticizing I'm sure as a wise manager or coach you find what makes a player thrive and use him accordingly. Kessel may not be the captain or "homecoming king" type character but that doesn't mean he can't be someone you build a team around.

 

[Helistin]

One of the most prolific and coachable one way wingers in the league.

 

[ILoveStephanieBrown]

He deserves better than Toronto. Never saw such a quiet, reserved athlete get this much crap before.

 

[deathtouchtrample]

Most of the things Toronto media ***** on him for are the things I love about him as a neutral fan

 

[carparkno1]

Islanders fan here...

I'd have him in a heartbeat. He just needs to be matched with a top center on a team that doesn't breathe down his neck constantly.

Frans Nielsen would be the PERFECT guy to partner him with.

 

[Bee Sheriff]

He's great if he's on the ice with teammates who can clean up for him.

 

[General Fanager]

He would do so much better if he was on a team where he didnt have to be the man. Far less pressure if the team already has a solid leadership core.


I would love to get him on The Habs

 

[Saitama]

There's no denying his skills, but having said that, I don't think I'd want him on my team. Just something about him that screams poison to me. I'm definitely willing to concede that I could be dead wrong and that he'd be a big asset, but I just get this bad vibe about him.