Phil Kessel Discussion Thread. (no goals as of Feb 4, 2013)

[johnny_rudeboy]

Your only evidence of him being out of shape is a picture? That was taken 3 years ago?

And him looking like he is about to implode if he takes a long shift.

 

[Mr Knies Guy]

Kessel is not a soft player to begin with. Some players like to hit more because they can't score or contribute with their playmaking. I guess playing in the best league in the world against the best checkers and defence pairings most nights makes someone soft

No what makes him soft are plays like last night where he carries it along the perimeter and rather than taking it to the net, he stops up, kills momentum, and nothing develops from it; or when he chases a puck into a corner, realizes he won't get it without fighting for it, and gives up on the chase bailing to coast around to the other side of the net.

 

[DD03]

And him looking like he is about to implode if he takes a long shift.

Again, that's actually a method of opening your lungs. It helps recovery.. Most players are also quite out of breathe after a long shift of going all out. Not very many as quick as Phil.

 

[mapleleaf979]

And him looking like he is about to implode if he takes a long shift.

Exactly.

 

[DD03]

He's 3rd on the Leafs in TOI/G with 21 minutes. How is he out of shape because he's out of breathe once in a while after a long shift? What's your evidence? The way he breathes on the bench? You guys need something else to prove this.

Matter of fact, that puts him 13th in the league for forwards in terms of TOI/G. Guess everyone below him is out of shape as well.

 

[mrsauve]

Absolutely ridiculous statement. Goals scored over the past two seasons:

1. Steven Stamkos - 105
2. Corey Perry - 87
3. Jarome Iginla - 75
4. Daniel Sedin - 71
5. Alex Ovechkin - 70
6. Phil Kessel - 69

So unless the team you root for is the Western Conference All-Stars, Phil Kessel is absolutely a primary scoring option.

Exactly the point, he IS the leafs #1 option and continues to put a decent amount of pts up every year and we still have no success as a team. It doesn't matter how many pts he puts up.. when your top player is a one dimensional perimeter player your team wont be successful.

 

[7even]

And him looking like he is about to implode if he takes a long shift.

This is all just conjecture. He might be in great shape and he might be in awful shape. You can't tell from pictures or how he looks after taking a hard shift.

All I know is that's how he always looked, and if he really was out of shape, you think Carlyle/Wilson would've fixed it by now. So I dunno

 

[7even]

Exactly the point, he IS the leafs #1 option and continues to put a decent amount of pts up every year and we still have no success as a team. It doesn't matter how many pts he puts up.. when your top player is a one dimensional perimeter player your team wont be successful.

So first our team sucks because we have no top line players and now we suck because we have a top line player, but our team is magically just awful regardless of how good he is?

Shift those goalposts...

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

He's 3rd on the Leafs in TOI/G with 21 minutes. How is he out of shape because he's out of breathe once in a while after a long shift? What's your evidence? The way he breathes on the bench? You guys need something else to prove this.

Matter of fact, that puts him 13th in the league for forwards in terms of TOI/G. Guess everyone below him is out of shape as well.

First you got the historical evidence from his draft year when it was highlighted that this once sure thing to go #1 did not care much for working out.

Then he arrived at Boston where training freak Chara was the leader and he pointed out several times in interviews that even do Kessel had elite talent he needed to work harder.

And then we can just look at him, he is chubby and gets the wind taken out of him after a long shift. I get it that a lot of players are not 100% in match shape but he stands out.

 

[Snow Dog]

Only 1 word to describe kessel - cherrypicker.He does almost nothing in his own end but hover around and wait for a breakout pass.

 

[DD03]

First you got the historical evidence from his draft year when it was highlighted that this once sure thing to go #1 did not care much for working out.

Then he arrived at Boston where training freak Chara was the leader and he pointed out several times in interviews that even do Kessel had elite talent he needed to work harder.

And then we can just look at him, he is chubby and gets the wind taken out of him after a long shift. I get it that a lot of players are not 100% in match shape but he stands out.

He stands out because you watch every game of his, and the camera is always on him. Simple as that. He plays just as much as anyone and don't kid yourself, Carlyle who is the COACH is more of conditioning freak then Chara is.

All previous stuff that is old news. Phil has matured and he wants to win in Toronto. He's told people he's gotten back into shape. Dion also helps as well. People need to learn to let go. old news.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

He stands out because you watch every game of his, and the camera is always on him. Simple as that. He plays just as much as anyone and don't kid yourself, Carlyle who is the COACH is more of conditioning freak then Chara is.

All previous stuff that is old news. Phil has matured and he wants to win in Toronto. He's told people he's gotten back into shape. Dion also helps as well. People need to learn to let go. old news.

That might be the case. But that does not change the fact that he have always had a reputation of not working out. And he is chubby.

 

[mapleleaf979]

He stands out because you watch every game of his, and the camera is always on him. Simple as that. He plays just as much as anyone and don't kid yourself, Carlyle who is the COACH is more of conditioning freak then Chara is.

All previous stuff that is old news. Phil has matured and he wants to win in Toronto. He's told people he's gotten back into shape. Dion also helps as well. People need to learn to let go. old news.

If we all think that way, it will be 100 years before this team wins. The evidence is all over the place and u choose to look the other way. He is clearly chubby. That one pic I posted shows u what a rare Phil Kessel in shape looks like.

 

[DD03]

That might be the case. But that does not change the fact that he have always had a reputation of not working out. And he is chubby.

He drinks beer! He's a man's man! He has the reputation of not working out? The last link you guys showed me was the fact he was in the best shape of everyone at camp.

 

[RogerRoeper*]

Kessel is the supporting cast! we don't have any actual top line players for him to provide secondary scoring for...

Kessel puts up pts but eats up tons of minutes and provides nothing else.. and in the playoffs he wouldn't provide anything..

LOL. He has 9 goals, 15 points in 15 playoff games.

 

[cup67]

we have to get rid of all the losers that have played the past 4 years.they will infect the new young players. ex. kadri, jvr frattin, gardiner, rielly etc

start with kessel 1st

 

[DD03]

If we all think that way, it will be 100 years before this team wins. The evidence is all over the place and u choose to look the other way.

I have yet to see this evidence that you claim to have all over the place. He's 13th in the league for forwards in terms of TOI/G. That's just this year so far. Where's your proof besides a photo?

 

[mrsauve]

and now we suck because we have a top line player, but our team is magically just awful regardless of how good he is?

Shift those goalposts...

Not "magically"... we suck because our top player is kessel who is not a legitimate top 2 player on a championship capable team. The fact that he gets points does not make him a "Top" player that a team could lean on...
Most coaches in the NHL would rather have a guy like Backess than Phil "Im afraid to get hit" kessel in a playoff game.

 

[mapleleaf979]

I have yet to see this evidence that you claim to have all over the place. He's 13th in the league for forwards in terms of TOI/G. That's just this year so far. Where's your proof besides a photo?

He can barely make it through his shifts. Look at his face, the proof is in the pudding, literally. Like I said u choose to look the other way regarding his fitness. Your the only person who reaches to make this arguement. Anyone in the know , knows that he is chubby and far from his optimum fitness level.

 

[The Apologist]

Sure, anyway, my point is I don't consider him untradable.

Given that you don't even mention value in your posts, I assume you do?

I don't consider anybody untradeable.

I would trade Phil for a top 5 in the up coming, a solid prospect and possibly a second or third depending on team and prospect. I would only do this if it was clear he want going to stick or we were absolutely tanking.

 

[mapleleaf979]

I don't consider anybody untradeable.

I would trade Phil for a top 5 in the up coming, a solid prospect and possibly a second or third depending on team and prospect. I would only do this if it was clear he want going to stick or we were absolutely tanking.

That would never happen unless Burke is GM. No one will give a top 5 for Kessel. NO ONE.

 

[kihei]

Tonight's the night.

 

[cup67]

Tonight's the night.

what?

 

[DD03]

He can barely make it through his shifts. Look at his face, the proof is in the pudding, literally. Like I said u choose to look the other way regarding his fitness. Your the only person who reaches to make this arguement. Anyone in the know , knows that he is chubby and far from his optimum fitness level.

What are you talking about? Barely makes it through a shift? He's not falling over or anything. And majority of the time, every shift, he's standing out and doing a lot. You're going off looks and your previous assumptions from 3 years ago. If he wasn't in shape, he wouldn't be able to play 20 minutes a game like he has. Who cares if he's chubby or far from his optimum fitness level? That can be said about PLENTY of players in the NHL. But not all of them are playing 20 minutes a night, against #1 defensemen and still scoring 30 goals in a season like Phil.

 

[RogerRoeper*]

what?