Phil Kessel

[Corn Flake]

I may have said this before, but I've read a quote from Gretzky saying that if Lemieux didn't smoke (I guess a reference to his health) he would have beaten all of his records...

I don't know if Wayne specifically said "smoked".

Wasn't the quote more like, "If he took better care of himself..."

He's French Canadian... Of course he smoked! Jesus, they smoke in church for crying out loud! 

Mario was well known to smoke cigarettes during intermission in the locker room.

I think Guy Lafleur was too.

 

[lc9]

I think Guy Lafleur was too.

I mean, who doesn't love a little pick me up.

 

[Bullfrog]

It's so much nicer not having Howard Berger around.

Oh man, are you going to be disappointed.

 

[sneakyray]

don't know if its been mentioned yet as to lemieux v gretzky

wayne 6'  185lb
mario 6' 4"  200lb

so mario was definitely more physically "gifted".

 

[Kessel_81]

This thread is about Phil Kessel isn't it? anyway. SUPER FANTASIC game again by Kessel tonight, Player of the Week for the second straight week? Hopefully

 

[maplesyrup]

This thread is about Phil Kessel isn't it? anyway. SUPER FANTASIC game again by Kessel tonight, Player of the Week for the second straight week? Hopefully

Neal had a good week but not better than Kessel I don't think.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

This thread is about Phil Kessel isn't it? anyway. SUPER FANTASIC game again by Kessel tonight, Player of the Week for the second straight week? Hopefully

Neal had a good week but not better than Kessel I don't think.

The NHL's second POTW will be based on games from the 17th to the 23rd. Kessel has 2 goals and 4 points in 2 games during that span already while Neal only has a single goal in 2 games.

Considering the Leafs play 4 games this week, if Kessel can even kind of keep this up tomorrow and Saturday he'll have a pretty good shot at earning the title again.

 

[ZBBM]

This thread is about Phil Kessel isn't it? anyway. SUPER FANTASIC game again by Kessel tonight, Player of the Week for the second straight week? Hopefully

Neal had a good week but not better than Kessel I don't think.

The NHL's second POTW will be based on games from the 17th to the 23rd. Kessel has 2 goals and 4 points in 2 games during that span already while Neal only has a single goal in 2 games.

Considering the Leafs play 4 games this week, if Kessel can even kind of keep this up tomorrow and Saturday he'll have a pretty good shot at earning the title again.

He's on his way to earning the coveted title of Mr. October.  (I mean that in the Jacksonian sense of the phrase.)

 

[maplesyrup]

This thread is about Phil Kessel isn't it? anyway. SUPER FANTASIC game again by Kessel tonight, Player of the Week for the second straight week? Hopefully

Neal had a good week but not better than Kessel I don't think.

The NHL's second POTW will be based on games from the 17th to the 23rd. Kessel has 2 goals and 4 points in 2 games during that span already while Neal only has a single goal in 2 games.

Considering the Leafs play 4 games this week, if Kessel can even kind of keep this up tomorrow and Saturday he'll have a pretty good shot at earning the title again.

He's on his way to earning the coveted title of Mr. October.

I thought I was Mr. October.... Or Mr. Plow (I forget.)

 

[maplesyrup]

Quick!... If you could trade Kessel right now (offer expires in 5 seconds) for Seguin, Hamilton, and Knight, would you?

 

[Bender]

Quick!... If you could trade Kessel right now (offer expires in 5 seconds) for Seguin, Hamilton, and Knight, would you?

You'll always have someone who believes potential is the be all and end all, but I'm happy with the one in the hand mentality. With that said Seguin seems to be off to a better start this year.

 

[slapshot]

Now that we're firmly miles away from the topic, I'm a little startled by how, looking over the numbers, Mario Lemieux kind of stands head and shoulders above everyone else in the discussion.

If Mario had played the same number of games as Gretzky, decline phase and clutch and grab era taken into account, he'd have scored 1121 goals. At the age of 35 he scored 35 goals in 43 games. He's also significantly ahead of Bossy, Gretzky and Hull in terms of playoff GPG.

I actually have always thought that Lemieux was a better all around player than Gretzky was IMO. I'm sure a lot of people would disagree with that, but had he been healthy, as you say, I think Lemieux would have come close to the numbers that Gretzky put up. Lemieux was an awesome player to watch as well and probably makes it ahead of Gretzky on my all time list of favorites.

I may have said this before, but I've read a quote from Gretzky saying that if Lemieux didn't smoke (I guess a reference to his health) he would have beaten all of his records...

I'm a bigger Gretzky fan, but Lemieux's numbers are just ridiculous. IMO, he is the most talented hockey player I've ever seen play...

Yeah, I'd be hard pressed to come up with a better one talent-wise... That I've seen anyway.

Your guys obviously must be too young to have seen Bobby Orr in his prime. He was hands down the best in my opinion.
Skated better than anybody. Handled the puck and passed better than anybody. Had a hard low shot. Could get back into position because of his speed much like Gardiner. He could dyke opposing players rushing up the ice, equally well to left or right with ease. He ragged the puck almost at will on penalty kills. He played with a Bruins team that was mostly a bunch of grinders, unlike the Coffey, Messier, Kurri, Anderson and skilled players the Oilers had. He had a ridiculous plus minus and off course owned the Norris and redefined the game to a large degree.
I was not a Bruins fan - in fact I despised the fact the Bruins destroyed the Leafs when they faced them in the playoffs when Orr was there. However, there was no doubting his talents. Many people I knew at the time and went to school with became Bruins fans basically because of Orr. He was truly amazing to watch. I timed him blueline to blueline on some of his rushes in Youtube videos, and he did it better consistently than anyone. Too bad his career ended so soon. Oh, almost forgot, there a bunch of Youtube videos of his taking on the top fighters in the game, and for the most part, beating the crap out of them. How many superstars can you say that about? No one had to ride side saddle and fight his battles. He took care of business himself. A few years back, I was sitting in the press box in the old Boston Gardens and got his autograph. A class act all the way,

 

[hockeyfan1]

I still remember the chant...."...score!...number 4...Bobby Orr!...".

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't think it is a coincidence that Kessel has looked much more consistently dangerous with Lupul on his line and playing well.

 

[Rebel_1812]

kessel for mvp

 

[Tigger]

A couple little things strike me as being pretty positive changes in Kessels game. He's pushing deeper on the rush, he isn't caught standing still/not skating nearly as often and he is much more engaged at both ends of the rink.

Even just getting a little deeper on the wall on the PP seems to be helping or at least not hurting like it did last year when he seemed to get caught high near the blueline a lot with no speed which contributed to plays being broken up rather easily.

That one timer was nice to see too, maybe he took a little whip off his stick this year?

His skating is pretty impressive right now.

 

[Tigger]

Ha, just saw Phil has a 33.3 shooting percentage, yeah that's not going to last.

 

[bustaheims]

Ha, just saw Phil has a 33.3 shooting percentage, yeah that's not going to last.

No, probably not. However, if he keeps up with his current shots per game pace (which is not unreasonable - it's roughly where he's been the past 2 seasons) and has his shooting percentage drop to 12%, that's still a 41 goal season. That would be the 2nd highest shooting percentage of his career, but, it's not something he can't conceivably accomplish.

 

[Tigger]

Ha, just saw Phil has a 33.3 shooting percentage, yeah that's not going to last.

No, probably not. However, if he keeps up with his current shots per game pace (which is not unreasonable - it's roughly where he's been the past 2 seasons) and has his shooting percentage drop to 12%, that's still a 41 goal season. That would be the 2nd highest shooting percentage of his career, but, it's not something he can't conceivably accomplish.

I agree. With the way his game is going ( yeah it's early ) and the changes he's made I don't think it's a stretch to say he could accomplish that.

 

[sucka]

I don't think it is a coincidence that Kessel has looked much more consistently dangerous with Lupul on his line and playing well.

It certainly does seem like they're starting to click.  Not that he can't finish, but Joffrey could easily have twice the amount of goals he has now.