Leave Kessel alone.

All the guy did was finish 6th in NHL scoring with Tyler F-ing Bozak as his centre.

If he goes it would have to be for a first overall pick or a proven young centre with size.
- Rang

Or for nothing.

Bey Bey Phil Kessel - as soon as he learned on the Burke firing he was like"Get me outta here, the guy that makes all the excuses for me is gone'
- tuna99

?

Hes the only Leaf thats played at a consistently high level. He'll be gone alright, but as UFA so that he can remember what a playoff game is like.

These rankings are accurate, but not as accurate as the SI rankings.
- robin_steele264

Bey Bey Phil Kessel - as soon as he learned on the Burke firing he was like"Get me outta here, the guy that makes all the excuses for me is gone'
- tuna99

Kessel is a top notch goal scorer. His defensive play is suspect, at best. If the Leafs are to become a perennial playoff team, they need to have players that play both ends of the ice. Kessel is a dynamic skater, but is a perimeter player. The Leafs have him for two more years. His cap hit is reasonable at 5.4 million dollars. Now is the time for the Leafs to move him, for a significant asset. If Kessel were to bring a top notch goaltender, a first line center, or a top 5 draft pick, in this years draft, then move him.

?

Hes the only Leaf thats played at a consistently high level. He'll be gone alright, but as UFA so that he can remember what a playoff game is like.
- sanfordnson

Do the Oilers remember what a playoff game looks like?

Or for nothing.
- robin_steele264

Too early to make that deal. Maybe in the spring of 2014

Kessel is a top notch goal scorer. His defensive play is suspect, at best. If the Leafs are to become a perennial playoff team, they need to have players that play both ends of the ice. Kessel is a dynamic skater, but is a perimeter player. The Leafs have him for two more years. His cap hit is reasonable at 5.4 million dollars. Now is the time for the Leafs to move him, for a significant asset. If Kessel were to bring a top notch goaltender, a first line center, or a top 5 draft pick, in this years draft, then move him.
- PrinceLH

Wrong to a top 5 draft pick

Do the Oilers remember what a playoff game looks like?
- faceto27

Horcoff and Hemsky do. They went to game 7 of a SCF in 2006.

lockout to lockout.

Horcoff and Hemsky do. They went to game 7 of a SCF in 2006.

lockout to lockout.
- sanfordnson

So your saying no Leaf players have been to the playoffs?

These rankings are accurate, but not as accurate as the SI rankings.
- robin_steele264

Yah, what were those guys thinking...Oilers at #3?

He said the same thing here when the Canucks chose not to renew his contract, essentially firing him.
- LeftCoaster

It's not really the same thing, though. In one situation you are just fulfilling a term you agreed to with someone else and then you both go your seperate ways, no real surprises. In the other the person is basically saying "I dislike you so much that I am going to pay out the rest of your contract and a person to replace you instead of having you in the building."

Huge, huge difference.

So your saying no Leaf players have been to the playoffs?
- faceto27

the currnt team remembers the playoffs about as well as the current Oilers team does. dont get all defensive because i pointed out the truth

The Kessel trade was a bad one. But that doesn't mean Kessel is a bad player - it just means the Leafs overpaid to get him. People who don't know hockey so well get confused by this. If everyone played as hard as Kessel does this team would be a playoff team. Watch that guy after every shift - he's on the bench dying trying to catch his breath, bent over huffing and puffing. The rest of the Leafs are taking casual drinks and making jokes.

Do the Oilers remember what a playoff game looks like?
- faceto27

I do... I was at this one.

It's not really the same thing, though. In one situation you are just fulfilling a term you agreed to with someone else and then you both go your seperate ways, no real surprises. In the other the person is basically saying "I dislike you so much that I am going to pay out the rest of your contract and a person to replace you instead of having you in the building."

Huge, huge difference.
- deerow84

Yes obviously different, this time he deserved to get fired for lack of results in a results driven league.

I do... I was at this one.



- robin_steele264

Which one are you?

Yah, what were those guys thinking...Oilers at #3?
- BoBBeR56

Those ones are 100% accurate.

Yes obviously different, this time he deserved to get fired for lack of results in a results driven league.
- LeftCoaster

Sam Pollock couldn't have gotten results with the team that Burke inherited.

Period.

Yes obviously different, this time he deserved to get fired for lack of results in a results driven league.
- LeftCoaster

I don't disagree.

Robin....even that run seems very far away now. good memories but..

Which one are you?
- faceto27

Robin....even that run seems very far away now. good memories but..
- sanfordnson

Sorry, I'll forget.

- robin_steele264

Sam Pollock couldn't have gotten results with the team that Burke inherited.

Period.
- faceto27

That team had a higher point total than any of the last 4 years if im not mistaken.

I don't disagree.
- deerow84

I'd say this is more about his personality than his performance. Although the Leafs didn't improve their on-ice product during his time there.