Kessel, JvR, and Kulemin in Sochi

[Havoc]

Could there be a real positive effect on the way that JvR and Kessel will play for the Leafs in the final 22 games if they win the gold medal? Or is it better if they get eliminated ASAP so that they get some extra rest?

The couple extra games won't make a difference. All the best players are there, not just our best. Kane and Toews for Chicago, Malkin and Crosby for Pittsburgh etc. The playing field in terms of games played will still even out more or less. The players who aren't in the Olympics are currently getting the same amount of rest.

 

[Pi]

Phil is flying under the radar. If Patrick Kane had 7 points right now and led the Olympics in scoring it would be all over the place in America because he plays for an American team.

Kessel gets 3 goals in a real game, no attention. Oshie scores a bunch of shoot out goals, blown out of proportion.

 

[RD616]

Phil is flying under the radar. If Patrick Kane had 7 points right now and led the Olympics in scoring it would be all over the place in America because he plays for an American team.

Kessel gets 3 goals in a real game, no attention. Oshie scores a bunch of shoot out goals, blown out of proportion.

Calm down now. They were facing Slovenia..

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Phil is flying under the radar. If Patrick Kane had 7 points right now and led the Olympics in scoring it would be all over the place in America because he plays for an American team.

Kessel gets 3 goals in a real game, no attention. Oshie scores a bunch of shoot out goals, blown out of proportion.

 

[Pi]

Calm down now. They were facing Slovenia..

Oh really? Was Patrick Kane playing some other team? I never knew that.

Canada played Norway, Austria and Finland...It's not easy to put up points at will.

If it were, don't you think Crosby, Malkin etc would be padding their stats?

Kessel has been ridiculous in this tournament...dangerous on every shift, blistering speed, rocket of a shot, great playmaking.

I wish Team Canada had a Kessel.

BTW, if you watched that game...Slovenia managed to shut down most of USA's forwards, except Kessel's line. USA stopped playing once they were up 2-0 and Slovenia controlled a good 15 minute of play before Kessel scored the hattrick and killed their momentum.

 

[Cor]

Remember when Kessel was considered the American Crosby around when he was drafted?

Every year it seems we see more and more of that

 

[garce]

I was wondering how much would it suck if it were Canada v USA in the final, Kessel scores the GWG to beat Canada and then under performs for the Leafs for the rest of the season.

Man the hate would pour.

The most Leafiest post of all time. This is what the last 40+ years has done.

 

[Mess]

I was wondering how much would it suck if it were Canada v USA in the final, Kessel scores the GWG to beat Canada and then under performs for the Leafs for the rest of the season.

Man the hate would pour.

Well you can rest easy knowing that outcome is impossible.

Because of the rankings and set-up brackets Canada/USA will play each other in the semi finals if they both win their next games.

There is no outcome by which these two teams can be in the final together.

 

[Sonny21]

Phil is flying under the radar. If Patrick Kane had 7 points right now and led the Olympics in scoring it would be all over the place in America because he plays for an American team.

Kessel gets 3 goals in a real game, no attention. Oshie scores a bunch of shoot out goals, blown out of proportion.

Agreed. I noticed it here on hf as well weeks before Olympics in USA thread where everyone was pumping all other American players tires and how they were scoring and how glad they were they were doing good and the ONLY people who brought up Kessel's name was a Leafs fan, Kessel was/is on his amazing run too.

Now Oshie deserved the attention for what he did but you're point still stands.

 

[WillNyeTheHockeyGuy]

Agreed. I noticed it here on hf as well weeks before Olympics in USA thread where everyone was pumping all other American players tires and how they were scoring and how glad they were they were doing good and the ONLY people who brought up Kessel's name was a Leaf fan, Kessel was/is on his amazing run too.

Now Oshie deserved the attention for what he did but you're point still stands.

Honestly, we can be Cup winners and Kessel win a Conn Smythe, but he'll never be the first person to come to be in the spotlight in the American media. And I can give less of a flying **** as long as he stays awesome.

 

[Peasy]

Agreed. I noticed it here on hf as well weeks before Olympics in USA thread where everyone was pumping all other American players tires and how they were scoring and how glad they were they were doing good and the ONLY people who brought up Kessel's name was a Leafs fan, Kessel was/is on his amazing run too.

Now Oshie deserved the attention for what he did but you're point still stands.

It's all Pavelski

 

[King85Kong]

Kessel seemed to have a great game today leading the USA Olympic team to victory, scoring 3 goals without Bozak on the world stage.

The authorities are still looking into this matter, and will be holding a press conference later today, to update us all on how this happened. They are calling this scandal "Tyler Gate".

 

[The Winter Soldier]

It's all Pavelski

Leafs fans should come to the Pavelski Kessel Olympic thread. Sharks fans are increasingly annoying. I wanted to have civil conversations with them, but now it's all about Pavelski making Kessel or so it seems. And that Bozak who has played 264 less games than Pavelski couldn't give Kessel the puck like he did today, and let Phil do his thing. Very amusing stuff.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Leafs fans should come to the Pavelski Kessel Olympic thread. Sharks fans are increasingly annoying. I wanted to have civil conversations with them, but now it's all about Pavelski making Kessel or so it seems. And that Bozak who has played 264 less games than Pavelski couldn't give Kessel the puck like he did today, and let Phil do his thing. Very amusing stuff.

Lol.

Cause, y'know, Phil hasn't ever scored a hat-trick with Bozak as his centre.

 

[WilliamNylander]

I don't even think its a stretch anymore to call Kessel a top 5 player in the entire league

 

[Leafidelity]

Lol.

Cause, y'know, Phil hasn't ever scored a hat-trick with Bozak as his centre.

I just realized that's his second hattrick this month

 

[The Thin White Duke]

I don't even think its a stretch anymore to call Kessel a top 5 player in the entire league

Who is he displacing out of:

Crosby
Malkin
Stamkos
Ovechkin
Weber
Towes
Getzlaf
Kane
Keith
Datsyuk
Chara
Tavares
Kopitar
Doughty

And that's just off the top of my head, AND not counting goalies. Phil's a top 5 winger, no doubt. Top 5 player? Not even close.

 

[Pi]

Who is he displacing out of:

Crosby
Malkin
Stamkos
Ovechkin
Weber
Towes
Getzlaf
Kane
Keith
Datsyuk
Chara
Tavares
Kopitar
Doughty

And that's just off the top of my head, AND not counting goalies. Phil's a top 5 winger, no doubt. Top 5 player? Not even close.

If you are going to put players like Kane, Tavares, Kopitar on there then Kessel is certainly on that list.

 

[Metal God]

"The speed and the shot from the player is elite," U.S. coach Dan Bylsma said of Kessel. "He can put teams in trouble with that speed and to finish it with the shot that he has, it's one of the more dangerous weapons out there. We have great determination through our lineup, but that's the type of speed and skill that we need and he's shown it through games one, two and three."

http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2013090017&navid=DL|NHL|home

Yup. Pretty much nailed the type of player Phil is.

 

[WilliamNylander]

Who is he displacing out of:

Crosby
Malkin
Stamkos
Ovechkin
Weber
Towes
Getzlaf
Kane
Keith
Datsyuk
Chara
Tavares
Kopitar
Doughty

And that's just off the top of my head, AND not counting goalies. Phil's a top 5 winger, no doubt. Top 5 player? Not even close.

hes in that 2nd tier...better than Getzlaf Kane Tavares etc. and right under Crosby/Malkin/Ovechkin IMO

His stats back this up

 

[Glenn Isildur Healy]

Remember when Kessel was considered the American Crosby around when he was drafted?

Every year it seems we see more and more of that

I think Kessel is already at Crosby's level.

What has Crosby done in the Olympic games and look at what Kessel has done

I think Kessel is vastly underated. Honestly, Crosby is lucky he gets to play with better linemates

 

[ConnorTO]

Crosby hasnt done much so far

i mean he's just trying to setup plays and stuff
but nothing really going for him

the States have produced points

 

[FlareKnight]

If Kessel can't get a certain amount of appreciation with his play in the Olympics will be hard to ever get it. Really took a step forward with that series against Boston and has played really well this season.

Is nice to look at how well he's playing here and be able to say "this time we've got someone special."

Looking forward to seeing how the rest of the tournament goes for him. Would be something if he could keep this up and finish on the top of the scoring race.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I just realized that's his second hattrick this month

Holy crap, you're right - he smoked Ottawa with that hattrick.

You know, he's going to be deadly in the playoffs. you can tell.

 

[Durrr]

I think Kessel is already at Crosby's level.

What has Crosby done in the Olympic games and look at what Kessel has done

I think Kessel is vastly underated. Honestly, Crosby is lucky he gets to play with better linemates

Crosby:

1. Olympic Gold, Scored Game winner of Gold metal game.
2. Stanley Cup
3. Multiple 100+ point seasons, 50 goal season, some individual hardware.

Kessel:

1. Olympic Silver, was young, didn't contribute that much.
2. 1 playoff series win.
3. 5-6 30+ goal seasons (lock out adjusted), career high of 82 points.

Kessel is pretty underrated, but he isn't near Crosby at all. He's excelling this olympics because he has become a unreal player, who's skill set is heightened on the bigger ice surface. Maybe Kessel ends up having a way better tournament then Crosby, but Crosby is still the best player around, even if he gets much better line mates.