Who Wants To See Phil Kessel Play For For The Habs?

[Sterling Archer]

More importantly, what would you be willing to give up?

He's a mercurial player but a cinch to score 30+ goals a year and the sniper RW we've been missing for a long time. He's also the type of player that instantly adds more depth and offense to your team and creates openings for your other players.

As the centerpiece for a team, I think he's not a good fit but as a peripheral player behind guys like PK, Patches, Plex and Markov I think he could really thrive as he won't be the only target the media wants to speak to, especially in Quebec where he doesn't speak the language.

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[68*]

Nah.

 

[PricePkPatch*]

**** no.

Never. Let the poison simmer in Toronto.

 

[Nicko999]

It won't happen but if we don't give up Price, PK, Patches or Chucky sure.

Imagine him playing on the 1st line with Galchenyuk and Pacioretty.

 

[pepperMonkey]

More importantly, what would you be willing to give up?

He's a mercurial player but a cinch to score 30+ goals a year and the sniper RW we've been missing for a long time. He's also the type of player that instantly adds more depth and offense to your team and creates openings for your other players.


As the centerpiece for a team, I think he's not a good fit but as a peripheral player behind guys like PK, Patches, Plex and Markov I think he could really thrive as he won't be the only target the media wants to speak to, especially in Quebec where he doesn't speak the language.

Problem is that he doesn't have strong leadership material and so far in his career it seems he has no desire to play defense...
If you can pair him up with two defensive minded players (who are also offensive minded), can play third fiddle to the center (Galch) and winger (Patch), and also play behind Price and Subban; i.e. be the 5th star on the team as opposed to the 'star' of the team..., then sure. He is a star player but you can't rely on him to play like a star when you need him to play like a star. He plays hard for a period of time...then disappears for a period of time. So as long as he plays under 'Our' stars, I wouldn't mind having him...just that I have my doubts his ego would let him be, not just second fiddle, or third fiddle but fifth fiddle...(Galch, Patches, Subban, Price).

 

[Raimu]

I wouldn't want to pay him his current salary, however I'd take him on my team in a heartbeat if you could just kind of have him without giving up an arm and a leg.

That being said Kessel would be way to difficult to acquire. And the Habs would have to pay WAY more than any other team I bet. I doubt the Leafs would be willing to trade their star player to their hated rivals.

 

[Captain Mountain]

His conditioning worries me a little, but if they can add him without breaking up Montreal's core, Montreal becomes a legit contender. He has CHaracter concerns, but I see a lot of Leafs and most of my friends are Leaf fans and they'd tell you it's overblown.

I look at it kinda like Subban (minus the conditioning and effort). He's only played under hard-nose coaches that want to "make him a better person". Well, he's a top-5 point producer the last 4 years, playing with Bozak. Look at his frame and playing style. How much more are you going to get out of him? Kinda like how Subban won a Norris before he was a "better person".

Kessel needs a coach that will recognize his warts and find ways to maximize his skills. That, ultimately, is why I wouldn't trade for him. Therrien is not that guy.

 

[Vi Nc E x13x]

If we could just have him yes but at the cost of Price, Subban, Patches or Chucky then no. I just heard a story of how he was sore so he sat out of a playoff game for Boston how lame.

 

[smcgreg]

As a rental type (ala Vanek) that doesn't cost anything? Sure. Giving up assets, no way. Like one poster said, under a different coach, he might work, but in the current system, long term, disaster.

 

[Blind Gardien]

No thanks... whatever we'd give up, it'd be a lot, and I don't think Montreal is really the best place for Kessel. Fantastic player, but he probably fits better in more of a backwater place out of the limelight.

 

[Sterling Archer]

I agree with everyone about Kessels warts. Lack of leadership, defensive liability etc.

That's why I said if he's behind the main guys on the team like Patches, PK, Price etc he could be a better fit than being the focal point on a team like Toronto where he's easil their best player by far. Given he's used to score goals and plays with Patches (very responsible) or Plex (best 2 way we have) I think you can hide a lot of his warts in the short term.

Also, because he's not the top dog, I think he'd be in a situation where he'd have to buy into a system that's proven to be a winning one and start to play more responsible hockey. It's easy for him to do what he wants in Toronto because no one gives a ****. Put him on a team where the best players are the hardest working ones and he'll be forced to conform to the system. Worst case scenario is he doesn't but still puts up numbers and we trade him for a package of players and picks.

I don't see a lot of downside depending on what the price is. I can't imagine Toronto is expecting full value for him as they know they likely won't get it not to mention they NEED to shed salary to rebuild.

Patches Chucky Kessel line could be one of the best in the NHL. You might have to break them up to even out the scoring but that would make one hell of a PP and come back line when trailing at the end of a game. Better than having DD there

 

[Habitant#1]

At 50% retained salary I'd give a 2nd for him.

 

[dutchy29]

I think a lot of the BS surrounding Phil is just Toronto media blowing stuff out of proportion, Big hockey towns put every story under a microscope and stories out of Montreal, Toronto, etc. are eaten up like breaking news no matter what the story. Kessel has put up with the shananigans in Toronto for quite a few years now and he was bound to start blowing off some steam. This guy is a great player and if we could get him for a reasonable trade, who wouldn't want him.
Saying that he needs some work defensively.

 

[Scintillating10]

Not me...has a terrible contract and does not always keep himself in great shape

 

[schnapshot]

Please no. For every point he gets he creates a turnover or makes a lazy play. This guy is cancer defensively, wouldn't want him on my team.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Phil is a great goal scorer, but he doesn't do or give anything else.

He is a lazy player, no heart and not a team player. Was called out in Boston by Chara and rest of the guys and now doing the same in Toronto. No thanks, this Habs team is young and has great chemistry, you don't bring in a selfish player like Kessel to ruin things down the road

 

[No More Subban]

**** no.

Although, I have to say that Kessel would be a perfect fit for teams like Columbus or Dallas or maybe even Nashville, where he can probably get away with not playing defense at all.

 

[BLONG7]

At 6M maybe.....that being said, it would be too steep to aquire him so it would never happen...
But a true blue goal scorer...

 

[Mr. Hab]

Why help Toronto?!

I hope Kessel and Phaneuf stay in Toronto for a long long time!!


The only ones I like:
<Lupul (health is a major major issue with him, so...I wouldn't give a lot to get him, but if he stays healthy...he's be good for playoffs...maybe)
<JVR (I'd take him only if price is right, no overpaying)
<Franson (that boat already sailed! Gorges didn't want to play for Toronto, so no trade... I don't blame Gorges!!).

 

[Gainesvillain]

Kessel puts up some crazy offensive numbers and is pretty consistent on a season-to-season basis. But he also seems to play more for the name on the back of the sweater than the front. We'd have to massively overpay to get him, so I'd pass. He couldn't play for MT anyway.

 

[PricePkPatch*]

I dont want a Camellari in steroid. Kessel is everything Camel was, just more so.

More skilled
More fat
More speed
More selfish

 

[RussCourtnallsGhost]

Ugh, he's so good but he's such a loser. Had to say no, would cost too much anyway.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Great player, but if we're giving up all the assets to get him there are many other players I'd target before him.

 

[habamillions]

Big NO. He would ruin the chemistry. He is NOT a team player. Dont get me wrong hes a good player but not at that salary and doesnt have a team first mentality to play in Montreal where points take a dip and defense comes first. He would be pouting everyday

 

[schnapshot]

Great player, but if we're giving up all the assets to get him there are many other players I'd target before him.

Wouldn't say he is a "great player". He's good, but he's one of the reasons the Leafs suck today. He represents pretty well their woes (lots of offense, no defence) They wasted a big chunk of their future (2 first rounders which became Seguin and Hamilton) on him and he produced offensively but they're still out of the playoff picture and have only been once in the past five years during a shortened season.

Is he a pure goal scorer? Yes. Is he skilled? Yes. Does he have a good work ethic? No. Is he a good presence in the locker room? Meh. That's what differenciates him from the great players.