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 | The NHL Trade deadline is Monday March 2nd and there continues to be lots discussion about which players will be shipped out. What is the price for Phil Kessel? Is there an NHL Team willing to pay a big enough price to pry number 81 out of Toronto? Going back to the 2010-11 season, only Steven Stamkos, Alex Ovechkin and Corey Perry have scored more goals than Kessel. | | Windsor - February 28, 2015 - As the NHL Trade Deadline approaches on March 2nd, we asked the HometownHockey.ca Toronto columnists to give their opinion on the trade value of various Toronto Maple Leafs. Today, in part three of our five part series Tim Cornett, Will Cornett, Rob McPhee and Chris Savard will discuss Phil Kessel.
For each player, our columnists were asked - Would you trade him? If so, for what price? If not, why not? Then provide your prediction on what will actually happen.
T. Cornett - Where do you start with Phil the Thrill? When Brian Burke obtained the talented right winger from the Bruins, the critics said the Leafs paid too dearly. But the fact that he has consistently put up 30 goals a seasons (the exception being 2012-13 when he was hurt) proves that Burke was right. It’s hard to believe he is in his sixth season with the Leafs, and as much as I like the guy, I think it’s time he was moved. Constant knocks on his conditioning, and the fact that he is viewed as a one dimensional player make it hard for him to concentrate on hockey in the three ring media circus that is Toronto. I think if the price is right, he will be traded. If that’s the case, I’d like to think he is worth a high first round pick, as well as a solid second liner and a prospect.
W. Cornett -
Phil Kessel is essential to the future success of the Toronto Maple Leafs. If he is traded, the return the Leafs would get for the move would be massive, mainly because every team in the league would welcome the stellar goal scorer to their roster. A Kessel trade that happens before Monday’s deadline would have the Leafs acquiring a handful of picks, including a future first rounder, as well as a prospect. It would also include the Leafs sending away a rental, whose contract expires in the offseason. More than likely, Nonis will not see a trade proposal involving Kessel worth executing before the deadline. If Kessel is going to be traded, it will happen before July 1st. This will allow teams to evaluate their position in the offseason, and then provide appropriate and realistic trade requests for Kessel. Due to the unconventional season the Leafs had this year it is easy for fans to criticize Kessel’s play, and deem him unfit to wear the Leafs’ uniform. However, his stats for the past six years speak for themselves, as he has led the team in points every season since ’09, providing 1 point per game in the 2012/13 season, and 30+ goals in four of the last five seasons. The one season he did not achieve the 30-goal mark was the year of the lockout. He still managed 52 points in 48 games, with 20 of those points being goals. With the lost season upon us, it is understandable to approach the trade deadline with a “trade everybody” attitude. Trading Kessel would provide the Leafs with pieces that will significantly improve the organization; however, if he stays, he will prosper as a veteran player leading a rebuilt team to the playoffs.
Bold Prediction: Phil Kessel traded to New York Islanders in exchange for Ryan Strome, a 1st round pick in 2015 and a 4th round conditional pick in 2016.
McPhee - Don’t trade Phil, there is no reason to. If you do trade Phil, you do not retain a penny of his salary. William Nylander said Kessel was the biggest help to him in his inaugural training camp and he’s a prolific scorer. You want Kessel if you’re rebuilding, however if you have to trade him there’s only one acceptable move in my mind. (Don’t you dare say the name Domi.)
To Winnipeg: RW Phil Kessel
To Toronto: Prospect F Nikolaj Ehlers, 2015 1st round pick
Ehlers looks to be the real deal, and the addition of the 1st round pick is enough to make me okay with shipping out the the third highest scoring player since the start of 2011/12 season.
Savard - Unless the return is too hard to resist, the Toronto Maple Leafs would be making a mistake in trading Phil Kessel. Going back to the 2010-11 season, only Steven Stamkos, Alex Ovechkin and Corey Perry have scored more goals than Kessel. Based on that, I can quickly think of 26 teams that would covet the services of this sniper. Recently, TSN’s Jonas Siegal wrote, “Kessel didn’t botch draft picks, signings or trades. Nor did he fail behind the bench.” The Kessel scorn has gone too far. He was brought to Toronto to score goals and he has delivered. While is not the best leader or the media personality, he can put the puck in the net – a tough commodity to find in an NHL player these days.
If the Leafs do move him, I think they need to sell him for more than they paid for him. Two unproven first round picks, wont cut it. What about a deal to the Islanders that would see Ryan Strome and prospect Michael Dal Colle and Josh Ho Sang returned to Toronto?
What do you think HometownHockey.ca readers – does Phil Kessel stay or does he go? You can post your comments below.
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