Here's how you trade Kessel....

[princedpw]

http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/787925

Phil Kessel's offseason could include a Gary Roberts' workout plan

This persistent talk of Kessel not being in shape Really seems to miss the mark. The end justifies the means.  Whatever Kessel does, it results in him being one of the most explosive skaters in the NHL, a persistent top-10 scorer (largely because of his speed), a guy that is typically pretty close to league leaders at his position in ice time per game and a guy that has almost never been injured since he became a Leaf.  Whatever he is doing in the off-season is working as well as can realistically be expected.

 

[princedpw]

http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/787925

Phil Kessel's offseason could include a Gary Roberts' workout plan

This persistent talk of Kessel not being in shape Really seems to miss the mark. The end justifies the means.  Whatever Kessel does, it results in him being one of the most explosive skaters in the NHL, a persistent top-10 scorer (largely because of his speed), a guy that is typically pretty close to league leaders at his position in ice time per game and a guy that has almost never been injured since he became a Leaf.  Whatever he is doing in the off-season is working as well as can realistically be expected.

But if he is no getting older and feels he needs a different kind of workout and can get that from Roberts then great.

Also, if this is just a PR stunt to get people off his back then good for him too.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/787925

Phil Kessel's offseason could include a Gary Roberts' workout plan

This persistent talk of Kessel not being in shape Really seems to miss the mark. The end justifies the means.  Whatever Kessel does, it results in him being one of the most explosive skaters in the NHL, a persistent top-10 scorer (largely because of his speed), a guy that is typically pretty close to league leaders at his position in ice time per game and a guy that has almost never been injured since he became a Leaf.  Whatever he is doing in the off-season is working as well as can realistically be expected.

I saw a comment to someone on Twitter who asked what more do we want from Kessel and someone replied "elite scorer who is good in his own end" - so just an elite scorer with good defensive play.  Dime a dozen really.

 

[hobarth]

Roberts is also apart of Pittsburgh's conditioning team, coincidence?

 

[caver]

and his fitness centre is also in Toronto......

 

[Joe S.]

Roberts is also apart of Pittsburgh's conditioning team, coincidence?

Yes.

 

[hobarth]

I understand that many are disenchanted by Kessel's efforts basically since he became a Leaf but TO now has a real coach, I think Kessel has far more to give but he's never truly been directed properly. I remember reading that both JVR and Kessel approached RC about killing penalties, JVR became a penalty killer but not Kessel, why?

I think TO has a humongous source of untapped potential in Kessel and with the proper coaching and motivation Kessel can and would deliver. I actually get excited over the prospect of Marner and Kessel playing together, I know those 2 would bring out far more from JVR as a linemate, that would be a killer line. I read somewhere that Bozak didn't have a single primary assist on any of JVR's goals his first year as a Leaf, to me that says a lot. Marner and Kessel killing penalties together seems to me would be awesome, their speed and puck control combined would probably equal most other team's offensive ability. I know that most think penalty killers need to be willing to block shots, I think penalty killer's, like all players at all times, priority should be getting the puck out of TO's zone and keeping it out.

Wilson preached a puck possession game but TO didn't have the right players so the possession game he endorsed wasn't something TO could capitalize on. Wilson's teams were far better defensively than any of RC's teams because he endorsed and encouraged his players to play to their strengths, RC wanted the players to conform to his preconceived notion of how the game should be played, he was actually stifling the players, detracting from their strengths but he allowed the 1st line to play without proper integration into a team game.

I'm hoping Babcock will be able to unleash the beast that Kessel can be by first getting him to show up in shape and motivated then utilize him to get greatest return on his talent without any preconceived notions passed down by previous coaches, I'm sure he will, the Leafs and their fans will be surprised and excited, this should be the challenge of a superior coach, maximizing return.

I don't think trading Kessel will solve any problems unless his return is maximized, paying part of his contract is not maximizing his return. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Roberts is also apart of Pittsburgh's conditioning team, coincidence?

I don't believe that he's working with the Pens in any official capacity. He just opened up a new training facility/program over there. But he still spends most of his time at the one in Toronto I think, particularly in the summer time.

 

[Kin]

Really good discussion about the Kessel to Pittsburgh stuff on Marek vs. Wyshinski yesterday with Chris Johnston from Sportsnet. First of all, they all seemed to think the meat of the rumour put forth here was pretty credible with the Pittsburgh package being Scuderi, Kunitz, a first and a prospect(although whether it was Pouliot or Kapanen wasn't clear).

Other things they mentioned:

- Toronto apparently turned the deal down
- Toronto may have made the deal if Pittsburgh had their first this year
- Pittsburgh's draft table stayed seated for an hour or so after the draft, apparently having some pretty heated conversations

 

[ZBBM]

Really good discussion about the Kessel to Pittsburgh stuff on Marek vs. Wyshinski yesterday with Chris Johnston from Sportsnet. First of all, they all seemed to think the meat of the rumour put forth here was pretty credible with the Pittsburgh package being Scuderi, Kunitz, a first and a prospect(although whether it was Pouliot or Kapanen wasn't clear).

Other things they mentioned:

- Toronto apparently turned the deal down
- Toronto may have made the deal if Pittsburgh had their first this year
- Pittsburgh's draft table stayed seated for an hour or so after the draft, apparently having some pretty heated conversations

You know, their offer may be about what you'll get for him.  Some teams have to look at his scoring this season and wonder if he's really a 60ish/70ish guy rather than 80+, as well as whether 25 goals is an anomaly or the beginning of a trend.

 

[Kin]

You know, their offer may be about what you'll get for him.  Some teams have to look at his scoring this season and wonder if he's really a 60ish/70ish guy rather than 80+, as well as whether 25 goals is an anomaly or the beginning of a trend.

I think the structure there will probably resemble more or less what the return is but I do think there's some wiggle room in terms of the quality of the pick and prospect coming back. Not to the point where it'll be a super valuable pick or A+ grade prospect but maybe a bit more mid-round than that.

 

[ZBBM]

You know, their offer may be about what you'll get for him.  Some teams have to look at his scoring this season and wonder if he's really a 60ish/70ish guy rather than 80+, as well as whether 25 goals is an anomaly or the beginning of a trend.

I think the structure there will probably resemble more or less what the return is but I do think there's some wiggle room in terms of the quality of the pick and prospect coming back. Not to the point where it'll be a super valuable pick or A+ grade prospect but maybe a bit more mid-round than that.

I agree, and that's what I hope Shanahan & team can maximize.  Then we can argue next year over what constitutes "mid-round."  8)

 

[Zee]

We need Burke to trade for Phil again.  I'll take 2 firsts and a 2nd.  Thanks Burkie.

 

[skrackle]

Really good discussion about the Kessel to Pittsburgh stuff on Marek vs. Wyshinski yesterday with Chris Johnston from Sportsnet. First of all, they all seemed to think the meat of the rumour put forth here was pretty credible with the Pittsburgh package being Scuderi, Kunitz, a first and a prospect(although whether it was Pouliot or Kapanen wasn't clear).

Other things they mentioned:

- Toronto apparently turned the deal down
- Toronto may have made the deal if Pittsburgh had their first this year
- Pittsburgh's draft table stayed seated for an hour or so after the draft, apparently having some pretty heated conversations

That is interesting, especially the part about the Leafs apparently turning the deal down.

I can understand a deal not getting done at the draft. I'm sure there's always a poker game going on with trade talks and I get that NHL GMs are likely seeing if they can put one over on the Leafs rookie management.

Add to that the pressure point of the draft, the fact that it's the Leafs and the 10 Kessel stories per day in the various Toronto sports media leading up to draft day. Expectations do get built up, whether they should or not.

Maybe Shanahan keeping his cool and downplaying the Kessel trade is the right move. It's probably worth waiting to see if the UFA market changes the dynamic. If nothing changes with the Penguins offer and no other teams jump in, I think the Leafs should make the trade.

 

[Jolly good show chaps]

Pierre LeBrun reporting that Kessel is due a ?4million signing bonus on July 1 - so perhaps we'll see a (better) deal done tomorrow once the Leafs have paid that.

 

[Kin]

Pierre LeBrun reporting that Kessel is due a ?4million signing bonus on July 1 - so perhaps we'll see a (better) deal done tomorrow once the Leafs have paid that.

I mean, it can't hurt but I have to figure that if you're going to balk at paying Kessel 56 million over the next 7 years as opposed to 52 million....you're not that excited about him to begin with.

 

[Jolly good show chaps]

Pierre LeBrun reporting that Kessel is due a ?4million signing bonus on July 1 - so perhaps we'll see a (better) deal done tomorrow once the Leafs have paid that.

I mean, it can't hurt but I have to figure that if you're going to balk at paying Kessel 56 million over the next 7 years as opposed to 52 million....you're not that excited about him to begin with.

I agree...I can't see the offers being hugely better but it will help when it comes to the teams that were already interested in him.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I mean, it can't hurt but I have to figure that if you're going to balk at paying Kessel 56 million over the next 7 years as opposed to 52 million....you're not that excited about him to begin with.

I can see some teams using that as part of their negotiations, "We'll give you this and this but we want you to pay that $4mil so let's wait until after July 1st". But no team that was previously uninterested is going to suddenly change their minds over this. And I would imagine that basically every that that inquired about Kessel was aware of the signing bonus.

 

[Kin]

I can see some teams using that as part of their negotiations, "We'll give you this and this but we want you to pay that $4mil so let's wait until after July 1st". But no team that was previously uninterested is going to suddenly change their minds over this. And I would imagine that basically every that that inquired about Kessel was aware of the signing bonus.

I mean, maybe? But those teams would have to be pretty lukewarm to risk losing him over that. Or they know that nobody else is really interested. Either way, it wouldn't bode well.

 

[Supernova]

I can see some teams using that as part of their negotiations, "We'll give you this and this but we want you to pay that $4mil so let's wait until after July 1st". But no team that was previously uninterested is going to suddenly change their minds over this. And I would imagine that basically every that that inquired about Kessel was aware of the signing bonus.

I mean, maybe? But those teams would have to be pretty lukewarm to risk losing him over that. Or they know that nobody else is really interested. Either way, it wouldn't bode well.

Prediction. Kessel gets traded to Vancouver.