I'm sure an opportunity will present itself where a contender needs a scoring winger to be a complimentary player and they are willing to give up a few 1st round picks and top prospects. The Kings did it with Carter and Richards.
- Unholy_Goalie

So the plan is to give up a 24yr old 80pt man to hopefully one day draft and develop another 24yr old 80pt man?

Sorry....

But Burke didn't know!!! Does that help?

Seriously though, the Kessel trade turned out to be not as good in hindsight, but nobody could honestly predict we'd give Boston a lottery pick, #2 overall especially. Lest we forget we still came out with the current best player. We still came out of it with a 24-year-old sniper, top 10 in the league in scoring. Woulda, coulda, shoulda is besides the point now. Move on and deal with what we have. Nobody will know the true outcome of that trade for another 10 years, so everyone should just shut up about it already.
- Phenom

Yep we've gotta move on. I don't care for Kessel either. I don't mind him but if you have the chance to move him then you do so. But if we keep drafting better players and find the gems then you keep him.

Some people have guzzled the Kool-Aid pretty hard huh?
- Unholy_Goalie

looks to me like he's guzzled more than your kool-aid.

Chuck Norris what?
- robin_steele264

When Chuck Norris goes to sleep at night, he checks under his bed for Phaneuf.

Who would you trade Kessel for, realistically?
- Tee-Dot

That's a very interesting question actually. For all the million miles of talk about the Kessel deal from Leaf fans and all other fans, you don't hear a lot of theories about his value. I suppose this is because everyone assumes Kessel is going nowhere for at least this year.

But it's an interesting hypothetical. Let's say Burke just sends a message to all GMs, Kessel is available and starts taking bids, which teams are interested? What does he get? Kessel just finished having a pretty deadly year. In my opinion Kessel is an elite all world skilled forward with a great contract. I wouldn't trade him right now but if I did would be asking for at least two firsts. It would have to be a very solid young prospect already in the NHL and a first and second.

As much as I hate the Kesel trade, I think we should avoid going there because it causes as Leafs fans nothing but headaches. Time we move on and hope that whoever we draft 5th this year is going to address our issues at 1C and Grigs fits the bill and also whoever we get in the top 3 next year also fits the bill. Let's move on people, nothing can be achieved by crying about this over and over. Come on all!
- TML4Life85

this, I will have to agree with, no point in crying over the past I suppose

So the plan is to give up a 24yr old 80pt man to hopefully one day draft and develop another 24yr old 80pt man?
- Pen15

I doubt you'd want to draft a 24 year old.

Some people have guzzled the Kool-Aid pretty hard huh?
- Unholy_Goalie

What kool-aid you waste of space?!

Their production on this team speak for itself...

Your wanting to deal them to hopefully one day develop players as good as them is the definition of moronic!

The point of trading is to try to acquire as many assets as you can without giving up your own

How can someone be so stupid?
- jbold

Honestly, all joking aside, he can't be serious about all that......can he???

I doubt you'd want to draft a 24 year old.
- robin_steele264

Meant to develop into another 24yr old 80pt man...

I'm sure an opportunity will present itself where a contender needs a scoring winger to be a complimentary player and they are willing to give up a few 1st round picks and top prospects. The Kings did it with Carter and Richards.
- Unholy_Goalie

i can't even begin to count how many times burke has been a moron for giving up 2 1sts, and a second for kessel.

but, in your professional opinion, you're assuming that there's a GM out there who's going to be dying to give up a "few 1st round picks and top prospects" for kessel? so confident, you've actually decided you're "sure an opportunity will present itself"..?

epic.

That's a very interesting question actually. For all the million miles of talk about the Kessel deal from Leaf fans and all other fans, you don't hear a lot of theories about his value. I suppose this is because everyone assumes Kessel is going nowhere for at least this year.

But it's an interesting hypothetical. Let's say Burke just sends a message to all GMs, Kessel is available and starts taking bids, which teams are interested? What does he get? Kessel just finished having a pretty deadly year. In my opinion Kessel is an elite all world skilled forward with a great contract. I wouldn't trade him right now but if I did would be asking for at least two firsts. It would have to be a very solid young propsect already in the NHL and a first and second.
- Zezel

Didnt you say you wouldnt do Kessel for Ovechkin straight up?

I doubt you'd want to draft a 24 year old.
- robin_steele264

Doesn't matter. As long as he wears a Leafs jersey, he'll be the best.

Define a greater return?

Will we get a 90pt man for Kessel?

Or a 70pt man for Lupul?

Maybe we'll get a 65pt dman that's already won a Norris for Dion....
- Pen15

It's hard to make a trade scenario for Kessel because you know what you are giving up and not sure what you are getting back. Unless you are given the player like Kane, which would be Kessel +, or or or..I don't know. I don't mind keeping him as long as we keep on getting good drafts. Lupul you can move him after this year for a good young roster player and possibly a prospect. Dio in my opinion doesn't have a good defensive mindset and if you can land a shutdown dman for him then you do so.

Didnt you say you wouldnt do Kessel for Ovechkin straight up?
- robin_steele264

Yeah, I wouldn't.

Didnt you say you wouldnt do Kessel for Ovechkin straight up?
- robin_steele264

I think if we traded Kessel we could match what we paid for him pretty easily. He's only shown that he is a very good winger in this league, and he is just entering his prime. But for the reasons I just mentioned we will not be getting rid of him any time soon. As much as I dislike the trade that brought him here, he is one of the better goal scoring wingers in the league - now it's a matter of getting him a centre

Doesn't matter. As long as he wears a Leafs jersey, he'll be the best.
- Unholy_Goalie

suicidal much?

He's got a backing....

Optimus-reim seems to be on his page.

These boards are filled with teenagers I tell ya!
- Pen15

I back what he says most of the time because it actually has logic and sense in it.

Meant to develop into another 24yr old 80pt man...
- Pen15

I know Im being super funny!!!




At least you arent in the Flames position, where you have a 35 year old guy you dont wanna move, and refuse to rebuild.

Meant to develop into another 24yr old 80pt man...
- Pen15

It's Robin..easy on him.

looks to me like he's guzzled more than your kool-aid.
- joel878

Explain how I've guzzled the kool-aid...

Am I incorrect about any of the 3 players current & potential production?

I'm still waiting for the 10% (as optimus-reim puts it), to put me in my place...

Yeah, I wouldn't.
- Zezel

I find that a little odd.

I think if we traded Kessel we could match what we paid for him pretty easily. He's only shown that he is a very good winger in this league, and he is just entering his prime. But for the reasons I just mentioned we will not be getting rid of him any time soon. As much as I dislike the trade that brought him here, he is one of the better goal scoring wingers in the league - now it's a matter of getting him a centre
- Nastradamus

agreed. probably not in straight up gambling of draft picks like burke did, more so in recently drafted first round players.. or similiar..

but definitely agreed.

I don't mind keeping him as long as we keep on getting good drafts.
- TML4Life85

That defeats the purpose of acquiring Kessel in the first place. The whole of acquiring him was to make the playoffs. And they've failed miserably at doing that.

Fact is, Kessel helps the Leafs get worse draft picks. Without him, they'd draft higher. Plus, he's a UFA in 2 years and his "pay me or I'm gone attitude" will force the Leafs to either overpay to keep him or watch him walk for nothing.