Phil Kessel may be gone from Pittsburgh in a year.

[Pikesburgh]

From Insidepittsburghsports, I read a story about how Mike Sullivan's patience with Phil Kessel is basically gone, and how the relationship between the two is not good. With Rick Tocchet possibly going to Arizona (they say Tocchet was a guy who could handle Kessel), Kessel's days in Pittsburgh look numbered. Apparently they aren't very happy with his lack of effort defensively, and him not blocking shots, just to name what I read. I'm guessing there could be more things they don't like.

Kind of surprised to read that in all honesty. I would say take it with a grain of salt, but TIOPS has been a really good site for years.

Click to read more...

 

[Seanaconda]

If they can get something good back for him I guess but I can't see them trading him for hopes and dreams yet

 

[Snippit]

Wha...

There's no way they can't be happy with Kessel's performance.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

2 years with the team, 2 cups

he excels at his role, don't try to make him be something he isn't

 

[izzy]

good news for 29 teams

 

[Randy Butternubs]

That site you reference is utterly unreliable.

 

[ColdSteel2]

About time we got some Pens drama, this one is interesting considering Phil's history of getting moved all the time, even retained.

 

[clefty]

TIOPS is a joke of a site that caters to and attracts only the gullible.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

This would be a prototypical NHL move. Teams just can't help themselves.

 

[TNT87]

From Insidepittsburghsports, I read a story about how Mike Sullivan's patience with Phil Kessel is basically gone, and how the relationship between the two is not good. With Rick Tocchet possibly going to Arizona (they say Tocchet was a guy who could handle Kessel), Kessel's days in Pittsburgh look numbered. Apparently they aren't very happy with his lack of effort defensively, and him not blocking shots, just to name what I read. I'm guessing there could be more things they don't like.

Kind of surprised to read that in all honesty. I would say take it with a grain of salt, but TIOPS has been a really good site for years.

No it hasn't.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Also relevant;

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

********. They've won 2 Stanley Cups in two years and Kessel was arguably the most important player for that first Cup. Yeah he doesn't defend much but he scores a ton in the playoffs and they don't need him to play defense anyway.

Why the hell would you ask your top winger to block shots like a 4th liner? Leave that to the Carter Rowneys of this world.

 

[PennDanzig]

TIOPS is highly unreliable and not a reputable source.

 

[Leafs24Seven*]

If that is true they are idiots. Without Kessel, Pitt does not win the cup in 2016. By all intents and purposes he seems beloved in that locker room as well.

 

[K Fleur]

I find it nearly impossible to believe that Tocchet was the guy who could "handle" Kessel, and Sullivan apparently can't.

I call ********.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

TIOPS looking for clicks again, no surprise. He's worse than Eklund.

 

[Beauner]

Can we lock this? TIOPS is about as reliable as my Magic 8 ball

 

[BrannigansLaw]

You can't coach a team to consecutive Cups and actually think that. This is just bogus.

 

[ColdSteel2]

You can't coach a team to consecutive Cups and actually think that. This is just bogus.

I could see Sullivan getting a big head. This thing seems like it could have legs.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I trust Eklund considerably more than insidepittsburghsports. In a city filled with bad sports media, they are probably the worst. Fan blogs have more credibility.

 

[Wayne Primeau]

I can't imagine a coach being unhappy with one of his core players who he's won two straight cups with. This seems incredibly ludicrous.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

TIOPS has been a really good site for years.

You seem to be the only person who thinks so.

Closed.