Satisfied or not with how any of your players are playing, a GM has to consider every way to improve his team. Kessel has had a very good season, his value has never been higher. If you think he isn't the type of player your newly hired coach can work with, there's no better time to move that player than after his best NHL season.
Most NHL coaches find a way to work with their most talented players. Certainly that's what happened with Wilson and Kessel especially this season. That didn't happen in Boston with Julien and Kessel.
And as usual with Leafs' fans versus Damien Cox, the Leafs' fans want to shoot the messenger.
Leaf fans. Hahahahaha. Blame Cox. Blame Simmons. Blame the fans. Blame TSN or Sportsnet. Blame Don Cherry and Ron MacLean. Blame Doug MacLean or Nik Kypreos. Blame the newspapers. Blame Ron Wilson. Blame James Reimer or Jonas Gustavsson. Blame anyone and everyone except those who have the immediate responsibility and power to shape and mold the team. Those in charge are completely without blame or responisibility.
he didn't see that he only labelled top 10 points for forwards and goal scored, but neither of those guys have been among the leagues top 10 scorers for a while now.
Kessel was the first player I thought of when Aulie was talking about how TBs stars are the hardest workers on the team.
I'm sorry but Kessel is not the problem in this team. It's our supposed captain who didn't keep the club loose when the going was tough.
Kessel gets paid 5.4 million a season, while he clearly deserves more. Phaneuf gets bad upwards of 6 while he definitely doesn't deserve it.
The problem of this team is the unwillingness to get dirty and doing what it takes to win. We have a bunch of pansies who are all afraid to block shots. Look at how the Rangers play and you'll know what I'm talking about. They've got the best goaltender in the league but they're still willing to take the bullets for him.
Stamkos can't lead Tampa to playoffs. Must be a bust. Right Cox?
I dont understand what Steven Stamkos has to do with Phil Kessel, the Toronto Maple Leafs or Damien Cox? Your post makes no sense and you might as well have written.
"Hey Damien, If Jose Bautista hits 50 again this year will it help the Leafs to the playoffs next year?"
I dont understand what Steven Stamkos has to do with Phil Kessel, the Toronto Maple Leafs or Damien Cox? Your post makes no sense and you might as well have written.
"Hey Damien, If Jose Bautista hits 50 again this year will it help the Leafs to the playoffs next year?"
It has everything to do with it. People are on Kessel's ass because "he doesn't lead the team into the playoffs".
Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds for Phil Kessel?
I would puke.
Richards has 35 points this year. I hope you all have fun with him on your fantasy teams as a top-10 player in the league.
Seems like points is a major requirement for you in evaluating a player. If you are consistent, than Jason Spezza must be better than 98% of players in the NHL, better than Toews and Datysuk.
Everytime Kessel is discussed you or someone else will readily cite he is 5th in NHL points, you do realize points only tell part of the story when evaluating a player's value.
He doesn't back-check, which is both selfish and lazy.
He folds under pressure, which is caused by being mentally weak.
He's great when things are going well for him, but when adversity strikes, he shuts down, which is a sign of quitting and front-running.
What? He always back checks... that's the biggest Phil Kessel myth out there, and I thought at least Leaf fans realized this.
What pressure? When has he crumbled? If you bring up the recent Philly game, then you're on another level.
Adversity? How about cancer? Not enough adversity for you?
Being picked last in the ASG? He picked his **** up after that and has been one of the best players in the NHL since.
Look what happened with McCabe he had a no-trade clause and wouldnt waive it until he got paid his $2 million in bonuses once he got that we traded him for Mike Van Ryn Kessel no-trade clause dosent kick in until later in his contract which will be difficult trading him then. Yzerman traded Downie and he was playing some of the best hockey in his career and TB got a 1st round pick for him. Kessel is way better than Downie and with the type of hockey he's playing right now we can get soooo much more than a 1st round pick. Switching to baseball Jays traded Marcum when he was pitching the best he ever pitched and we got Brett Lawrie for him who has been a saviour. I'm just saying it makes sense to trade Kessel now.
Seems like points is a major requirement for you in evaluating a player. If you are consistent, than Jason Spezza must be better than 98% of players in the NHL, better than Toews and Datysuk.
Everytime Kessel is discussed you or someone else will readily cite he is 5th in NHL points, you do realize points only tell part of the story when evaluating a player's value.
Do you understand how big the gap is between 35 and 72 points?
Unbelievable that you don't understand what we're talking about. Are Nash,Richards and Weber top 10 in scoring right now?
Again,
Seems like points is a major requirement in evaluating a player. If you are consistent, than Jason Spezza must be better than 98% of players in the NHL, better than Toews and Datysuk.
Everytime Kessel is discussed you or someone else will readily cite he is 5th in NHL points, you do realize points only tell part of the story when evaluating a player's value.
Satisfied or not with how any of your players are playing, a GM has to consider every way to improve his team. Kessel has had a very good season, his value has never been higher. If you think he isn't the type of player your newly hired coach can work with, there's no better time to move that player than after his best NHL season.
Most NHL coaches find a way to work with their most talented players. Certainly that's what happened with Wilson and Kessel especially this season. That didn't happen in Boston with Julien and Kessel.
And as usual with Leafs' fans versus Damien Cox, the Leafs' fans want to shoot the messenger.
I agree with your first point, but your second? Not so much.
While it's true that a Head Coach should work with his most talented players, he cannot at the same time ignore/pay less attention to the rest of the players if he expects the team, as a whole, to win on a regular basis.
Wilson's use of the "run-and-gun" offensive game was to maximize Kessel's (and perhaps a few other players") offensive talents, but it also caused more problems than it solved.. which is one of the prime reasons why the team continues to be a bottom-feeder.
If Carlyle and Kessel cannot find a way to work together for the betterment of the whole team, then Kessel should be traded for assets who can.
Phil Kessel is the type of player who can help a team who just needs one more piece to get them over the hump, not for a team like the Leafs who haven't even really started to climb the hill yet.
.
Unfortunaely though, I can't see Burke be willing to sell his prized pig to the highest bidder, even though it would be the best thing him to do to legitimately improve the team for now and in the future.
Leaf fans. Hahahahaha. Blame Cox. Blame Simmons. Blame the fans. Blame TSN or Sportsnet. Blame Don Cherry and Ron MacLean. Blame Doug MacLean or Nik Kypreos. Blame the newspapers. Blame Ron Wilson. Blame James Reimer or Jonas Gustavsson. Blame anyone and everyone except those who have the immediate responsibility and power to shape and mold the team. Those in charge are completely without blame or responisibility.
What a gong show. What a joke.
Seems like the tank is having negative effects on you. Keep strong, trooper,you wanted this.
Should the Leafs, or some other team, decide to sign Kessel to an offer sheet, Chiarelli made it clear that he had the support of the organization in making his decision.
"You do have the right to first refusal and the right to match and I have the full endorsement of ownership to do that."
Kessel no-trade clause dosent kick in until later in his contract which will be difficult trading him then. Yzerman traded Downie and he was playing some of the best hockey in his career and TB got a 1st round pick for him. Kessel is way better than Downie and with the type of hockey he's playing right now we can get soooo much more than a 1st round pick. Switching to baseball Jays traded Marcum when he was pitching the best he ever pitched and we got Brett Lawrie for him who has been a saviour. I'm just saying it makes sense to trade Kessel now.
