Non Leaf Fans Opinion of Phil Kessel

[BondraTime]

Like someone else said, he is a better "gaborik" as in he is an elite scorer you can't build around, but is ideal in a support role to put a team over the top.

Adding him to a Getzlaf/Perry, Kopitar/Carter, Kane/Toews, or other similar situations would get the most out of him.

He can score and skate like the elite in the league, thus he will be paid. He isn't insulated in Toronto, and his flaws are made more noticeable as if he isn't scoring, nobody else really is, and then his defensive shortcomings are brought to the light.

Would love him on the Sens, but I'm not sure his situation would be much different there.

He would have Bobby to play with, but Turris and Zib are not #1 centers.

 

[velodim]

He is a clown. But would fit perfectly with Panthers

 

[MAHJ71]

Definitely would not mind having him on the Blue Jackets.

 

[qc]

He's an elite scoring winger that makes any team exponentially better. He is not however a player that can singlehandedly make a sucky organization into a contender.

 

[capebretoncanadien]

Think he's a great player with too many expectations placed on him in TO.

Would do much better as a complimentary player not as the main guy IMO.

I would take him on the Habs in a flash he can wheel and snipe with the best of them.

 

[BanditKeith99]

Pure goal scorer but not a game breaker

 

[11Goat11]

One of the best goal scorers in the league but that's it. Take him on my team in a heartbeat as he would be a support player and not expected to be a leader, which is what Phil needs imo.

If he hustled in his own zone to backcheck like he breaks out for goals he'd be as good as Pacioretty

 

[Russian Factor]

Love him because he is good and makes me laugh to look at. Would take him on the Pens in a heartbeat. Pretty much sums up how I feel about Phil

 

[ARSix]

Would trade literally any player on the Canucks for him. Not sure if that's saying much. Feel he gets a terrible rap considering he's one of the best pure scorers in the league and for $8M does more than enough to carry his weight.

 

[FlaPantherSwe*]

He is a clown. But would fit perfectly with Panthers

Pass we need more character aka Bolland so rather take on Clarkson

 

[Dampland]

im a kessel fan. Always have been, always will be. all you hear is negativity and bashing because they want this unbelieveable offensive/defensive player.

I just am curious what other fan bases (preferably no one who lives in Toronto) opinions are of Kessel.

If this has been done before my bad.

My opinion of Kessel, after watching him regularily at U-M, is that he is a talented player, with a low work ethic. Much like Thomas Vanek (another U-M), who rely on natural talent, yet could be so much more, if they would train and be in shape like the other stars. If Kessel or Vanek had Zach Parise's drive and desire, they would both be the best in the league.

 

[ps241]

He's a gifted offensive producer, an underrated play-maker and a complete gong-show in pretty much every other facet of hockey.

He's the guy you add towards the end of a build to put a team over the top. He's not the guy you build around.

In a non-cap world, would be happy to take him on the Blackhawks, where he'd have plenty of possession drivers to insulate him and afford him the best matchups.

could have almost gone thread after this post!

As a Jets fan I wouldn't want him on our team as it is currently constructed. Maurice has picked a direction and style for the team to play and as long as everyone is on board it is really functional. Kessel wouldn't fit into that style and Winnipeg is a fishbowl too. I also want to see how the post Kane fiasco plays out so I can judge whether our leaders can rise to the challenge or not.

Now as far as Phil goes see JaegerDice's great post above with that set of strengths an weaknesses how do you maximize Phil's value? As other posters have said you have to drop him in a Gabby to LA scenario where the team needs elite scoring and nothing else to give them that tiny edge in a 7 game series.

I have zero doubt Phil could be part of a championship team whereas I don't think a guy like OV will ever be part of a championship team and before I get flamed on that hear me out . I think Phil has the perfect personality to be a complimentary player. I think he would kill to be on a team where he wasn't the leader and didn't have to face the spotlight. I think if you dropped him down into a great team structure he would be a difference maker doing exactly what he does but surrounded by guys who offset his deficiencies.

OV on the other hand is an elite scoring winger but he is also a very charismatic and kind of needs to be centre stage and have the team built around him. He is always going to win out in the power battle with the coaches and inevitably the team is going to be a reflection of Alex. Hunter can come in and win the battle but the war will go to Alex and for better or worse the team will tilt towards and be built around a one way scoring winger who can flash all the other attributes from time to time but at the end of the day he is a scoring winger.

Phil is being forced to be "The man" even though his skill set is complimentary and that is the roll I believe he would love on and off the ice. OV is an elite player but unfortunately his talent and force of personality demands he is the man when his skill set is complimentary.

I will say with Stamkos they are 3 of the only players that come into MTS centre where I hold my breath when they have the puck on their stick in our end of the ice.

[mod]

 

[KrisLetAngry]

An elite point producer.

Can score goals at a high rate while also being an excellent playmaker.

He's weak on defense. But he's the type of player you give high offensive zone starts to. His sole job is to be the offensive catalyst.

I'm not going to find stats.

But I imagine if Phil Kessel doesn't get a point in a game the leafs probably lose that game at a high rate. Similar to Crosby for the penguins this year and Last year

 

[gphr513]

I have a biased opinion of him, because ever since he scored the goal in Madison against Wisconsin, and did the "Can't hear you" cele, I've loved the guy

But isn't he like 3rd in the NHL for points in the last 5 years? The dude can put the puck in the net.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs a Canadian team that hasn't won a Stanley Cup in almost 50 years and has had failures after failures to make the playoffs in a salary cap league being poorly constructed team that lacks enough good defensive players with a crazy media and he was traded for pair of 1st round picks that turned out to be 2nd overall (Tyler Seguin) and a 9th overall (Dougie Hamilton) has put this introvert American player in the absolute worst possible situation he could be in. Despite this he has had multiple elite offensive seasons and even with that being said and that he has fought and beat cancer he get little respect from so many people. I would love to see him traded to a better team and not have to deal with this toxic environment.

In defense of Kessel I don't recall the Toronto media using him being American along with Seguin and Hamilton as excuses.

Yes Boston did win a Stanley Cup in 2011 with Seguin, however he was not a major reason why they won it that year. In 2013 when they were in the Finals again with Seguin having more of a major role, he only managed 1 goal and 7 assists in 22 playoff games when they lost in the Finals. As for Seguin's play this season if anyone should get criticized and second guessed for giving up on him it should be the Bruins for actually trading him. All the Leafs did was trade their 1st round pick that only turned out to be Seguin.

As for Dougie Hamilton I remember reading comments on here from several Bruins fans saying how he was a future Norris Trophy winner and etc. Honestly so far I can't see anything special about Hamilton and I think at this stage in his career it's not leaps and bounds ahead of other young Defenseman like Morgan Rielly, Jacob Trouba or Olli Maatta.

 

[tony d]

He's a good player for sure but he needs a good #1 centre to get the best out of him.

 

[dingbathero]

I have always said, he can skate and shoot.

Other than that he reminds me of a chipmunk who hurries around and always looks like he has his mouth stuffed with nuts for winter. Those jowls!
Full of butter:

 

[haveandare]

Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs a Canadian team that hasn't won a Stanley Cup in almost 50 years and has had failures after failures to make the playoffs in a salary cap league being poorly constructed team that lacks enough good defensive players with a crazy media and he was traded for pair of 1st round picks that turned out to be 2nd overall (Tyler Seguin) and a 9th overall (Dougie Hamilton) has put this introvert American player in the absolute worst possible situation he could be in. Despite this he has had multiple elite offensive seasons and even with that being said and that he has fought and beat cancer he get little respect from so many people. I would love to see him traded to a better team and not have to deal with this toxic environment.

Kind of my feelings too. He's a flawed player who is excellent at certain aspects of the game. Nothing wrong with that in and of itself - many players who are great at one side of the game flounder a bit on the other. However, Kessel is in a really rough situation being on the Maple Leafs with their media and their flawed team building strategy.

He'd be more effective overall and received way more positively if he were a complimentary piece on a well built team rather than being looked to to lead a deeply flawed team to the cup.

 

[Jot]

Can people elaborate on calling him "selfish"?

-lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure.

So.... doesn't care about teammates and team, only himself? Any evidence to support this claim?

 

[Intoewsables]

Incredible player who gets crapped on way too much. How many players could produce as much as he does while being strapped to a boat anchor like Bozak? Respect.

 

[11Goat11]

Can people elaborate on calling him "selfish"?

-lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure.

So.... doesn't care about teammates and team, only himself? Any evidence to support this claim?

It's probably because it appears to those of us on the outside, that he only cares about scoring goals and not really helping his team on the defensive side, which is required in today's NHL. That, and he looks like he does not really take the best care of himself physically. Not saying that these are necessarily true but he definitely gives off these impressions.

 

[Sleepy]

Incredible player who gets crapped on way too much. How many players could produce as much as he does while being strapped to a boat anchor like Bozak? Respect.

Totally agree. Having to carry both Bozak and Carlyle wasn't a recipe for success.

We saw what happened to Ovechkin 5v5 when he was getting centered by Beagle and coached by Oates.

 

[Lurked4Yearz]

If Toronto retained some salary I'd absolutely have him on the Habs

 

[Aceboogie]

Near Elite, one of the best wingers in the game. Overrated at times. Not sure hes a "coach killer" but prone to long cold streaks and seems to have a calm attitude that gets mistaken as lazy. Could put a team over the top if traded at TDL

 

[Hawksfan2828]

I think Kessel is a great player, but I also think he will be playing 3rd or 4th line duty by the time he is 35 given his conditioning - similar to a Heatley to some extent.