Kessel Traded to Pittsburgh

[pixburgher66]

The return isn't bad, but it's less than they could've gotten, is essentially the point. If they've already set that the next few years are rebuilding years, hold that guy until you get the most value out of him. It comes down to a cap crunch mostly. Only ever heard Preds as another team being interested, and that was at the last minute. I see the point though about him decreasing his value... Pens have work to do...mostly need to drop Scuderi if in any way possible.

 

[Cobiemonster]

The rest run isn't bad, but it's less than they could've gotten, is essentially the point. If they've already set that the next few years are rebuilding years, hold that guy until you get the most value out of him. It comes down to a cap crunch mostly. Only ever heard Preds as another team being interested, and that was at the last minute. Pens have work to do...mostly need to drop Scuderi if in any way possible.

I know the Kings have to be looking for someone better than Scuds but I wonder if they'd come back to him at some point

 

[pixburgher66]

I'm really sick of the crap circulated about him and the weight. Watch the guy play, pretty sure that's no issue. Simmons article was pathetic garbage.

 

[pixburgher66]

I know the Kings have to be looking for someone better than Scuds but I wonder if they'd come back to him at some point

For a long time I didn't think it was possible, but with many teams looking for cap floor help, it feels more possible.

 

[DragonfromTO]

I don't disagree, but what if he got in the habit of not playing how Babcock wanted? You know Babs would have no problem nailing his ass to the bench or dropping him to the 4th line. If that happened, the return would probably be even worse.

Keep him or trade him, Leafs were gambling either way. Just gonna have to see how this plays out.

They painted themselves into a corner, and then they used being in that corner as an excuse. They've lost whatever goodwill they had with me.

 

[DragonfromTO]

The return isn't bad, but it's less than they could've gotten, is essentially the point. If they've already set that the next few years are rebuilding years, hold that guy until you get the most value out of him. It comes down to a cap crunch mostly. Only ever heard Preds as another team being interested, and that was at the last minute. I see the point though about him decreasing his value... Pens have work to do...mostly need to drop Scuderi if in any way possible.

Um yeah, I'm going to respectfully disagree. They basically got a 3rd rounder, a 30 spot upgrade and a possible future 2nd line winger. That ain't sheeeeeet. Hell, I'm not sure that Erixon isn't the second best player in the deal!

I saw it put this way on PPP: "If you find yourself accepting a deal where you have no leverage, it might be a good time to consider whether you need to make the deal in the first place". Fucking A, man.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

They painted themselves into a corner, and then they used being in that corner as an excuse. They've lost whatever goodwill they had with me.

What corner?

I'm not blaming him for being craptacular on a craptacular team but 3 goals in 3 months doesn't exactly give your team a whole lot of leverage.

 

[Cobiemonster]

What corner?

I'm not blaming him for being craptacular on a craptacular team but 3 goals in 3 months doesn't exactly give your team a whole lot of leverage.

Even though the team isn't going to be any good again next season, I think under a year with Babcock, either he could have been great and they could have kept him or they could have cut the cord after that and gotten a return that was similar to this one - it's not like the return would have gotten worse if they waited a year to move him

 

[thedddd]

Huge positive for the Penguins is they finally got a top forward that doesn't miss games!

Or...eh...wait he is a Penguin now so he is guaranteed to miss his first game in 6 years.

 

[BGDave]

Dragon: I am sorry you dont like the deal. I know you to be a strong supporter of the Leafs. But this really is a good deal. As good as the Leafs were going to get, and there is a strong possibility it is better than the deal the Leafs would get next year at the trade deadline.

Trading Phil is a gamble, sure. Could you always do better, maybe, maybe not. Market value is what teams are willing to pay, not what we want them to pay. And Phil, by his play last year, reduced that value. Dont hate on the team, hate the playa.

Would Phil have had a better season under Babcock? Definitely. But as BBB points out, there is also a very likely scenario that Phil continues that funk/pout/lack of effort he showed from Jan 1. What does the team then have? A guy who had a couple of good years, but none in the past 15 months, who is arguably lazy and doesnt take his profession seriously, is underproducing and is making 8 mil. What is the market value for that next Feb?

IMO, Phil showed his true colours this year. I dont think the team could trust him to man up and perform like the elite professional he could be. Also, you can be darn sure that Babcock signed off on this. I am confident that Babs had already spoken to Phil, and had his own warning signs.

This had the potential to be another sideshow distraction, and the team chose to deal with it this way. Honestly, I cant fault them for it.

Did they get enough? I still say they picked up 2 first round picks, and the rest is insignificant (with apologies to the Harrington family). You may be right that Kapanen is a second line winger. OK, maybe so, but isnt that the norm for late first round picks? And yes, the 2016 or 2017 pick will also be towards the bottom of the first round. OK. You say they "only moved up 30 spots". Think about it though. Is it worth nothing to you to move from #50 to #20? Are you saying a late second rounder is more or less equal to a late first rounder to you? I know you know better.

As others said, the Leafs biggest problem was there was only one real interested trade partner. Sounds like they tried to get Calgary and Nashville and maybe others interested, but it wasnt happening.

And lets not forget the Cap situation. What if the Canadian dollar continues to drop as the "experts" are saying? What if the Cap in future seasons is no higher, or even lower? Even if Phil performs at his peak level, the good teams generally dont have cap space to take on, so wont be able to look at adding Phil in February. So the offers wont be that good in any event.

To summarize, the Leafs were in a crap position. They had a very well paid player who grossly underperformed last year, and has shown nothing but disdain for being a professional. There was a very real risk that Phil would mail it in again in 2015-16 and further depreciate in value. Then everyone would be crapping on them for not trading him "last July".

The only thing I would have liked to see in the deal was to take on a bad PIT contract (which might help them with CAP issues) and get more in return.

I have no problem with the trade. But then again, I am by nature "a bird in the hand" kinda guy.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Even though the team isn't going to be any good again next season, I think under a year with Babcock, either he could have been great and they could have kept him or they could have cut the cord after that and gotten a return that was similar to this one - it's not like the return would have gotten worse if they waited a year to move him

I think the return definitely could've gotten worse. It also definitely could've gotten better.

Like I said, it's a gamble they're taking. If it pans out, great. If not, it's not the first blockbuster a team has lost.

 

[BGDave]

Even though the team isn't going to be any good again next season, I think under a year with Babcock, either he could have been great and they could have kept him or they could have cut the cord after that and gotten a return that was similar to this one - it's not like the return would have gotten worse if they waited a year to move him

Respectfully disagree. Another 12 months of Phil mailing it in will have a huge negative impact on his market value. See my essay to Dragon

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I like Harrington, but I have no idea how this defence works now - everybody is a lefty!

If they do go with an all-lefty defensive corps, Harrington may eventually be an excellent second-pair partner for Dion.

 

[BGDave]

Maybe this article is crap. But it is one reporter's insight into the sideshow that was Phil. I do not think Rosie DiManno knows much about hockey (and she doesnt pretend to, heck I first remember her covering the Paul Bernardo trial) but her slant is on "the room". She makes the compelling argument that Phil had to go, and I agree.

Phil Kessel simply didnt mesh with Shanahans Leafs: DiManno | Toronto Star

PIT fans probably should not read it, you might get depressed.

"And thats all I have to say about that"

 

[Cobiemonster]

Leafs were sick and tired of Phil Kessel | Simmons | Toronto Maple Leafs | Sport

What a shocker, Steve Simmons with another rip job!

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Leafs were sick and tired of Phil Kessel | Simmons | Toronto Maple Leafs | Sport

What a shocker, Steve Simmons with another rip job!

HOT TAKE!

 

[Cobiemonster]

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...-and-Penguins-current-GM/stories/201507020185

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

That's...a perplexing interview. If he thinks that badly of Rutherford, how much worse does it reflect on him that he employed him for 20 years?

 

[dash]

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...-and-Penguins-current-GM/stories/201507020185

That's some Hall of Fame worthy whining from Karmanos...

 

[Cobiemonster]

That's some Hall of Fame worthy whining from Karmanos...

The worst part is that he kept him for so long - so if you didn't like what he did then why didn't you can him sooner?