Feel bad for the guy because he's actually playing really well. His lack of goals to this point I would say is a matter of being unlucky. He's working hard every shift and even committing more to his defensive game. He's still contributing offensively in ways that other players on the team are reaping the benefits for in the goals column. He just has to continue doing the little things and with time his luck will change. I'm sure he's frustrated to some degree, but it's nice to see that he's responding in other areas of his game rather than becoming completely invisible on the ice just because he can't find the back of the net. He's still a dangerous offensive threat on the ice and opposing teams haven't forgotten that just because he has 0 goals right now.
Hopefully he does, because the other lines will produce less.
We only need two lines going at a time, were scoring at a pretty good rate, if grabovskis line production is halted in favour of Kessels then there will be little to no net change as long as Kadris line is still producing.
We only need two lines going at a time, were scoring at a pretty good rate, if grabovskis line production is halted in favour of Kessels then there will be little to no net change as long as Kadris line is still producing.
This Boston game will be the tell-tale sign of where Kessel is headed.
Bold word is team, it's spelled T-E-A-M, not K-E-S-S-E-L.
Man even Crosby didn't get his team into the playoffs his first season and they had a better team than us. It's okay to hate a player or dislike a player but it's pretty dumb to ignore his good work.
Sure the team has glaring defecienices we all know that.
Who better to help fill those organizational needs - then a goal scorer-who isn't scoring-and can command top dollar on the open market. A guy who has made it painfully obvious that he is nothing more than a solid complimentary piece (as long as he has X-Line mate ... X-Playing time ... X-responsibilites)
Does it make more sense to trade Kadri? Frattin? Gardner? Reilly? 1st Rounders instead?
Or as you all suggest - we keep him - we cross our fingers and hope that someday the problems we have will simply fix themselves and/or we can instantly get better by throwing money/assets at players like Luongo. Rinse.Repeat. This is the plan to get better?
Kessel usually has a mid-season slump - which would happen around this time. It just so happens that the would-be mid season is the start of the shortened season.
Except I wouldn't necessarily call this stretch of games a slump. Hes playing extremely well, except for the one game against the Rangers, and has been buzzing around the net making plays. The pucks just aren't going in for him.
Carlyle is transforming his game into something we haven't seen before, it still early but he is playing much more responsible in both ends of the ice, he's going into dirty areas, bein tossed around and still working hard.
He's taking better shots now than when we was at the beginning of the year, just hasn't gotten lucky yet. I'm not concerned, I think it's just a matter of time now.
Kessel has been playing the best hockey as a Leaf. You see him give 110% every night. That fact that he's not scoring goals is pure bad luck. He will score 15 this season and that's only because of bad luck. Should be somewhere around 20 if not for this stretch. He's not giving up pucks, not being lazy coming back on the backcheck; he's been playing great. Just my 2 cents.
Edit: I'm glad we have people who share the same point of view. People like Cox shouldn't be allowed to write for Toronto. Go to Vancouver or something.
If you watched hockey other than the TML you would realize that what you're referring too - is not an isolated/unique situation that pertains only to Phil Kessel and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
EVERY SINGLE GOOD PLAYER IN THE NHL GETS MATCHED UP AGAINST - yet they can all still find a way to contribute - Crosby can still find a way? Perry still finds a way? Stamkos still finds a way? The list goes on and on ...
Here's last year's list.
Player GP G A P
1 Evgeni Malkin 75 50 59 109
2 Steven Stamkos 82 60 37 97
3 Claude Giroux 77 28 65 93
4 Jason Spezza 80 34 50 84
5 Ilya Kovalchuk 77 37 46 83 6 Phil Kessel 82 37 45 82
7 James Neal 80 40 41 81
8 John Tavares 82 31 50 81
9 Henrik Sedin 82 14 67 81
10 Patrik Elias 81 26 52 78
11 Erik Karlsson 81 19 59 78
12 Marian Hossa 81 29 48 77
13 Ray Whitney 82 24 53 77
14 Joe Thornton 82 18 59 77
15 Marian Gaborik 82 41 35 76
16 Jordan Eberle 78 34 42 76
17 Anze Kopitar 82 25 51 76
18 Martin St Louis 77 25 49 74
19 Jason Pominville 82 30 43 73
20 Loui Eriksson 82 26 45 71
21 Eric Staal 82 24 46 70
22 Matt Moulson 82 36 33 69
23 Patrick Sharp 74 33 36 69
24 Zach Parise 82 31 38 69
25 Henrik Zetterberg 82 22 47 69
Keep trying though, one day you might get one right.
I think you all are really starting to reach and its quite sad "Oh Phil's getting so many shots its great" "Oh I saw Phil go in the corner once."
Are the expectations so low that Phil Kessel can do what 99.9% of NHL players are required to do and its considered a monumental victory?
Like Burke - get him on the next plane out of here. not scoring is just putting salt on the Sequin/Hamilton wound.
I'm guessing you wanted Sundin gone too? 5 years now and we still haven't found a center to replace him. Kessel bring skills that none of our other forwards have... you don't appreciate it until it's gone.
I would trade Kessel for Perry if Anahiem feels that they won't be able to sign him. That's about it.
If Kessel continues to not score then the other team's top D will play against the other players you mentioned. That's exactly why he must score to be an effective player. He occupies the other teams' top D.
C'mon now, think it through.....what happens when the other team's top D stop playing against Kessel?
Kessel has been playing the best hockey as a Leaf. You see him give 110% every night. That fact that he's not scoring goals is pure bad luck. He will score 15 this season and that's only because of bad luck. Should be somewhere around 20 if not for this stretch. He's not giving up pucks, not being lazy coming back on the backcheck; he's been playing great. Just my 2 cents.
Edit: I'm glad we have people who share the same point of view. People like Cox shouldn't be allowed to write for Toronto. Go to Vancouver or something.
Cox is like some here. It's fine to chuckle to yourself at the stupidity but it's best not to acknowledge it.
I think you all are really starting to reach and its quite sad "Oh Phil's getting so many shots its great" "Oh I saw Phil go in the corner once."
Are the expectations so low that Phil Kessel can do what 99.9% of NHL players are required to do and its considered a monumental victory?
Like Burke - get him on the next plane out of here. not scoring is just putting salt on the Sequin/Hamilton wound.
You're missing the point here. He's improved overall as a player with Carlyle at the helm. Last year under Wilson's reign, when he didn't score, he didn't do ANYTHING. You barely noticed him on the ice.
This year you see him everywhere. You see him behind the net, in front of the net, on the point, at the hash, back checking, forechecking. He's doing everything right, that stats just aren't showing it.
Line 1: Joffery Lupul _ Ryan Getzlaf _ Phil Kessel
Give Getzlaf 56M over 7 years. It will be worth it.
He'll be probably get that easily from Anaheim. If we want to show him and his wife how committed we are, we need to blow them away. $77-89.6m would get his attention.
He's a complimentary player, not a piece to build around - now getting Getz and Perry here next season.. that's a different story!
(BTW, was that Kess who missed an empty net last night??)
I've probably read this at least a hundred times or more on these boards. Does it really mean anything or is it just another overused cliche from armchair GM's?
Sure the team has glaring defecienices we all know that.
Who better to help fill those organizational needs - then a goal scorer-who isn't scoring-and can command top dollar on the open market. A guy who has made it painfully obvious that he is nothing more than a solid complimentary piece (as long as he has X-Line mate ... X-Playing time ... X-responsibilites)
Does it make more sense to trade Kadri? Frattin? Gardner? Reilly? 1st Rounders instead?
Or as you all suggest - we keep him - we cross our fingers and hope that someday the problems we have will simply fix themselves and/or we can instantly get better by throwing money/assets at players like Luongo. Rinse.Repeat. This is the plan to get better?
Why does anyone need to be dealt? Our only holes are a #1 C, #1 G and #2D. Granted those are tough to fill but right now we have internal players with the potential to fill it. Kadri can be that #1, Rielly can be more than a #2 and Reimer can be that #1. This team is being built like Boston and St.Louis rather than Philly and Pittsburgh. Talent depth with little elite talent. When every line and every player contributes in a collaborative effort, the results are sometimes more effective than 2 generational players, and so far that's the direction this team is heading.
I've probably read this at least a hundred times or more on these boards. Does it really mean anything or is it just another overused cliche from armchair GM's?
You hear it a lot because it's true. You don't build teams around guys like Kessel. You add pieces like him - to an already-established team - to take you over the top. It was unfair bringing him in expecting him to be our saviour because we gave up so much for him. Granted, he's passed with flying colours with his production, but it's not a cliche.
I think you all are really starting to reach and its quite sad "Oh Phil's getting so many shots its great" "Oh I saw Phil go in the corner once."
Are the expectations so low that Phil Kessel can do what 99.9% of NHL players are required to do and its considered a monumental victory?
Like Burke - get him on the next plane out of here. not scoring is just putting salt on the Sequin/Hamilton wound.
Is that generational talent and future sure fire Hall of Famer Tyler Seguin, who this year has 3 assists and one all-important empty net power play goal?
Incorrect, from a number of encounters i'm fairly certain that Kessel's snack of choice are chips. Particularily chips from Chipotles. I've seen him at the Chipotles on Yonge and Dundas no less than 5 times in the last year leaving with a Burrito and a massive bag of chips.
