Speculation: Phil the Thrill has a destination in mind?

[NateB19]

Saw this video of Jeremy Roenick on a Buffalo talk show talking about Marner. At the end of the video, they ask him his thought on Phil shooting down the trade to Minny. He followed that up by saying he knows where Phil wants to go and that he wants to "go west" and that there is one team he wants to go play for. He said he will stay in Pittsburgh or go to this team. The video ends with JR saying "there are a few teams in the southwest you can pick from" and added that the team "didn't make the playoffs". Who do you think? AZ? Anaheim? or LA?


Starts at about 9:15

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[RABBIT]

Thatssss the Yotes

 

[Potty John]

Low-Key the Flames... I hope

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Kessel is a golfer, isn't he? In that case, Arizona makes sense. He'll have plenty of time to partake in a round of 36 holes (sans Stanley Cup).

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Kings and Ducks would both be stupid to trade for him, IMO.

 

[mattydamon]

It's the desert dogs - he wants to continue the bromance with Tocchet.

IDK that there is a fit there, both need scoring wingers?

 

[AKL]

It’s undeniably the Coyotes. Issue is the Coyotes don’t want him as bad as he wants them.

 

[Langdon Alger]

It’s undeniably the Coyotes. Issue is the Coyotes don’t want him as bad as he wants them.

Why would he want them though?

 

[KingsFan7824]

Coming from Roenick, that would almost surely be the Coyotes.

I mean, I'll take him on the Kings, if the Pens are sending over their 1st with him. Otherwise, what's the point? The Kings are old enough. Kessel isn't taking them anywhere. There's no 28/29 year old Crosby or Malkin hanging around. It's just a bunch of old dudes killing time with a bunch of money still headed their way. Again, Kessel is more than welcome to get on that train and take it easy on the beach, but I at least have to get the 21st pick out of it though.

 

[Brodeur]

Why would he want them though?

Phil Kessel has nothing but praise for Rick Tocchet

Apparently he and Rick Tocchet get along well from their time in Pittsburgh. Kessel probably wouldn't mind not being a media focus like he has been in other stops, and he could live fairly anonymously. The Coyotes were competitive last year and that was without Nick Schmaltz for the 2nd half of the season. So one could argue that they're trending up and the Pacific seems a little more wide open than other divisions.

 

[AKL]

Why would he want them though?

Phil Kessel has nothing but praise for Rick Tocchet

Apparently he and Rick Tocchet get along well from their time in Pittsburgh. Kessel probably wouldn't mind not being a media focus like he has been in other stops, and he could live fairly anonymously. The Coyotes were competitive last year and that was without Nick Schmaltz for the 2nd half of the season. So one could argue that they're trending up and the Pacific seems a little more wide open than other divisions.

Plus golfing and inevitable retirement. Low pressure, relatively low expectations, out of the limelight.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Considering all three of the above teams missed the playoffs, why trade for a 32 year old who's never exactly been in impeccable shape?

 

[Syckle78]

If he knows which team why not just name it instead of hinting around like an annoying dumb ass? Way to cover your bases, blowhard.

 

[Syckle78]

Considering all three of the above teams missed the playoffs, why trade for a 32 year old who's never exactly been in impeccable shape?

Two out of the three have some good pieces in place and could go on a run with some added elite scoring. Then there's Arizona which is whatever.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Hasn’t it been fairly obvious it’s Zona? Although I don’t understand what’s so special about there

 

[Empoleon8771]

It's so blatantly obvious that it's Arizona that I don't even know why Roenick is being cryptic about it:

Friedman: "He knows he will be traded because there’s no benefit to staying, but he’s going to make sure it is on his terms if the Penguins want to send him anywhere other than his eight-team list. My guess is Arizona would be high on his choice of destinations, but I don’t see an easy fit."
Pagnotta: "The Arizona Coyotes are among the teams Kessel would waive his NMC to go to, and one player the Penguins have interest in is winger Alex Galchenyuk."
Rossi: "But I do know that he'd have a keen interest on playing for the Arizona Coyotes, but until their ownership situation resolves....it really depends on how much money they're going to be able to spend"
McKenzie: "My guess is Arizona would be high on his choice of destinations, but I don’t see an easy fit."

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Two out of the three have some good pieces in place and could go on a run with some added elite scoring. Then there's Arizona which is whatever.

Both are old and getting older, and weren't good enough to make it.

Granted, Anaheim had some of the worst coaching I've ever seen.

 

[Clamshells]

Absolutely perfect if Mr. Hot Dog goes to the Desert Dogs.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Two out of the three have some good pieces in place and could go on a run with some added elite scoring. Then there's Arizona which is whatever.

Arizona makes the most sense of the 3. Their problems are a lack of top end talent, goal scoring on RW and staying healthy. Kessel fits all of those 3. He also has a great relationship with their coach and Kessel's real dollars is less than his cap hit going forward (only owe him $5.4 million a year for a $6.8 million cap hit).

 

[Syckle78]

Both are old and getting older, and weren't good enough to make it.

Granted, Anaheim had some of the worst coaching I've ever seen.

Kings 3 best players 1c,1d and goalie aren't too old to retool around for another shot. Either that or they might as well sell Doughty and Kopitar now. Ducks have a good young defense a top notch goalie and a 1c along with a couple good scoring wingers. If they can trade for Phil and add more scoring in free agency they can compete.

 

[Kaibur]

Phil, have you ever tried a Sonoran hot dog?

 

[LeafsLegendAkiBerg]

Considering all three of the above teams missed the playoffs, why trade for a 32 year old who's never exactly been in impeccable shape?

Kessel works out with Roberts during the off season. He's in shape.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Kessel works out with Roberts during the off season. He's in shape.

Hot Dog curls don't count.

 

[LeafsLegendAkiBerg]

Hot Dog curls don't count.

Epic

 

[boredmale]

At the end of the video, they ask him his thought on Phil shooting down the trade to Minny. He followed that up by saying he knows where Phil wants to go and that he wants to "go west"