20 Mar 2015 23:42:25
I wonder if this rumor is true but I just read this morning that if the Leafs draft Connor McDavid they will keep Phil Kessel. Do you guys think that this is a good idea? In my personal opinion I think so. Phil Kessel will finally have the number 1 center he can play with and McDavid isn't bad at defense either. A line up of JVR, McDavid and Kessel could be very fearsome.
21 Mar 2015 13:38:47
No I think the leafs need to rebuild with or without mcdavid.
The leafs roster is not built to sustain success even if you add mcdavid to it IMO.
Maybe kessel stays for now and plays with a talented center for once(in toronto) so that his trade value can go back up before dealing him.
If toronto management is smart this team will rebuild, no more band aids I want a competitive team and that means bye bye kessel, bozak, phaneuf etc ASAP IMO
21 Mar 2015 16:22:21
You didn't read that 'rumour' this morning because it is not a rumour from a legit source. What it is is a thread over at HF boards asking if the Leafs should keep Kessel. That isn't a rumour. Do you not understand what a rumour is (many here don't and think stuff they make up qualifies as rumours)?
21 Mar 2015 22:26:39
Dude this rumor came from ESPN Craig Custance, I read it from my nhl trade rumors.com. The rumors I read was not from a stupid thread over at HF boards it was from a reporter. Maybe before attacking someone about their information maybe you should research yourself? I respect leafhate_fo_losers opinion but why should we trade Kessel if we finally have a franchise center man in McDavid who many scouts say can surpass Crosby and can even be as great as Gretzky? Of course, there is no question the Leafs will need more than McDavid to compete but Kessel is a 26 years old and has scored 30 goals for 6 straight seasons and was averaging near to point per game pace for the last 3 years. I will say this and I will say it again guys like JVR, Kessel and Phaneuf are supporting casts not players we build around, but if we do get the players we can build around why trade those supporting casts? As you said, it is clear the value of Kessel is an all time low and perhaps making him play with McDavid to increase his trade value could be a good option but I seriously doubt we could ever get a player of Kessel's caliber if not even greater if we trade Kessel to any team. It is possible the Leafs can rebuild quickly on the fly like the Montreal Canadiens, Floria Panthers (leap and bounds better than last season), the Colorado Avalanche (making the playoffs right away after drafting Mackinnon) and perhaps the Tampabay Lightning. Stuck with the core even after drafting Steven Stamkos and became a great team.
22 Mar 2015 06:37:47
Just because Toronto is rebuilding doesn't mean they have to clean house this summer and get rid of kessel for nothing.
If they draft mcdavd they will absolutely keep kessel, at least for a little while and see if he turns his game around.
Who are they going to trade him for that is equal value?
22 Mar 2015 14:32:34
^ the leafs don't need equal value back in a kessel deal(which the leafs don't need to rush into) the leafs need young assets back in a kessel trade(picks or prospects would be ideal IMO)
22 Mar 2015 21:46:01
"who are they going to trade him for of equal value" - do you really thikn a kessel trade is going to be a 1 for 1 deal? c'mon.
23 Mar 2015 13:04:33
If the Leafs draft McDavid, maybe they don't trade anyone? But, the Leafs are likely going to draft Strome of Marner, at which point you could make a sound argument that they should keep Kessel anyway.
Is it a good idea? Depends on how you're looking at it. Kessel's value is not going to get better as he ages, so if they decide a year from now he's not a good fit, they will be getting less for him. And his presence on the team impacts their ability to really bottom out. With this said, he has generally made the players around him better (offensively anyway), so playing with any young player is likely going to have a positive offensive influence.
Either way, I think Kessel goes if TO gets a "good" offer for him, regardless of who they draft.
24 Mar 2015 13:16:34
Lightning didn't stick with their core after drafting Stamkos to become a great team. In fact nobody currently on the Tampa roster was there when Stamkos was drafted. Since he was drafted everyone has been moved.
24 Mar 2015 16:58:56
thats also almost 10 years ago .
27 Mar 2015 23:54:04
you are telling me when Stamkos was drafted they removed guys like Marty St Louis and Vinny Lecaviller?