Phil Kessel, leave the guy alone?

Thank you!

I was starting to think that I was the only one that cut the guy some slack. He's 23 years old and already has back to back 30 goal seasons and is on pace to make it 3 seasons in a row, not to mention that he's already beaten cancer in this short life.

Sure, he got picked last in the All-Star fantasy draft but he made it. Not all teams were even represented in the game.

Plus, why is everybody calling him fat? He's 6 feet tall and weighs 202 lbs. That's a person in pretty good shape if you ask me.

He's a good goal scorer and he is one dimensional. He is not well liked in dressing rooms either. He is also making 6MM this season.

Some facts-

*Cammalleri wanted to play in Toronto during the same time (as a UFA) and if they had signed him (he is a similar skillset, probably a little better) then they would have had him (same salary neighbourhood) AND their 1st and 2nd round picks last year and their 1st pick this year. Look, if this deal was two 20th overall picks then it could be debated. Brian Burke misevaluated his team. He would take it back if he could-he won't admit this and he shouldn't.

* Phil Kessel came on board Toronto as this much heralded scorer and led them to a 29th place finish and it's looking like another lottery finish this year. They weren't ready to win, why give up potential franchise players in this situation?

* Phil Kessel is not a franchise player.

* There is a reason that Boston didn't have him fitting in their plans aside from not being able to afford him, they could have afforded him but they chose Marc Savard, Zdeno Chara, Tim Thomas, Milan Lucic, David Krecji, Patrice Bergeron et al ahead of him. There was a reason that those players better fit their plans and that they chose to afford them instead.

* Comparing Kessel's stats this season to Seguin's is foolish. By that logic, the Devils could trade Kovalchuk to the Panthers tomorrow for their next twenty 1st round picks and next year Panthers fans could stick us with the "fact" that Kovalchuk is outscoring whomever the Devils drafted next year so they are winning the deal. I just don't get it.

As far as giving Kessel a break....he's a douche anyways.

I know I'm gonna get thumbs down for this, but I don't really care.

The fact is that Kessel is not well liked in the league. His peers and teammates do not respect him.

He's a floater, he gives half hearted effort and plays soft. He won't play thru minor injuries and his game falls apart if you get physical with him.

In short, he has no heart. Which is a tough thing to think about someone that fought thru cancer, but playing a game and wanting to LIVE are two different things.

The reason why he gets so many people dumping on him, is that he has TALENT. He has potential, and he's not willing to put in the effort and work to be the player he should be. His teammates, coaches and peers in the league can all see this. Eventually, so will the fans in Toronto. Trust me, it took a while for Boston to realize who he really was as well.

If the guy had any heart, he would have stepped up after being the last pick and done something in the game. Instead, he put up ZERO goals, ZERO assists and ZERO points. He lived up to his billing as the last pick.

Now if only the Genii who write for the four Toronto Dailies and report on the three sports TV networks and four all sports radio stations would turn their attention elsewhere. Phil could go back to what he is being paid to do. Just play hockey.

I find some of the comments on the Kessel trade interesting. I guess trading four first rounders and a third rounder for a 34 year old defenseman is a better trade than two first rounders and a second for a 21 year old 30+ goal scorer.

It's an era previous problem that a lot of bettors are plagued with almost all their lives. When you can afford to keep losing month following month, then at the least you can keep trying. But in fact, you're only trying in the useless hope that one day you'll seize that large win and everything will be okay again and this you can just produce it just happened here https://tr.im/qwXTx with Zcodes System.

The help team rocks!; they keep the info new and updated! This is not anything some body only whipped together and determined to market to whomever. This is supposed for sure sports investors and you can find 27 actual people behind that computer software that may always answer your support seats within 24 hours.

Agreed. This guy has done nothing to warrant all this **** being thrown at him. Ok, so he wasnt happy in Boston and requested a trade, it happens, lots of people quit their jobs because they aren't satsitfied, it's human nature to look out for yourself, he wasnt trying to screw the bruins over.

At worst he's a 30g/60pt player, and thats still a very decent total amount. Given a top line centre/powerforward this guy has it in him to be a 50 goal/90pt player. He's got amazing speed, one of the best wristers in the game, his release is sick, and he's not the puck hog people make him out to be, if anything he's a very underrated passer.

Just because he's in Toronto he's getting this negative spotlight. So what, he was picked last, someone was bound to. I guarantee you if Statsny got picked last, there wouldnt be a peep about it from any of the media. Torontoians like to blame Kessel because he 'cost us" a slew of picks. I have no issue with giving up picks, it was worth it in this case.

The only issue I have with Kessel is he's soft, stops skating, and is inconsistent. However as he matures, all those areas will improve.

It's an era previous issue that most bettors are affected with almost all their lives. When you can afford to help keep losing month after month, then at the least you get to keep trying. But in fact, you're just seeking in the useless wish this one time you'll get that big gain and everything will undoubtedly be all right again and that you are able to just make it simply happened here https://tr.im/jFuWB with Zcodes System.

The support team rocks!; they keep the data new and updated! That is not anything somebody just whipped together and determined to market to whomever. That is intended for real sports investors and there are 27 true persons behind that software that'll always answer your help passes within 24 hours.

The problem is how overhyped the guy is. He's not a bad player but for whatever reason people expected him to carry the Leafs to the playoffs. Burke tried to make him the cornerstone of the Leafs and it failed miserably. Kessel is a great player when he has good support. He's not a franchise player and never will be. Unrealistic expectations are to blame.

I agree. Burke made the move, Kessel was just the chest piece.

People jump on the maple-leaf hating bandwagon any chance they get.

I help out part-time as a contributor for an independent Leafs site (I write pithy articles sprinked with statistical analysis).

This is now a topic that is no longer up for discussion and the people who run the site have effectively banned further discussion about it since there's nothing new to discuss. There's nothing about the trade that hasn't been said already.