Phil Kessel continued to be a offensive force for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday, as the former Leafs winger registered a pair of assists in a 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.
In 22 playoff games, Kessel leads the Penguins with 21 points and may be the leading contender for the Conn Smythe Trophy over teammates Sidney Crosby and rookie goaltender Matt Murray.
It is possible that Crosby (with 17 points and a solid post-season) or Murray (14-5, 2,09 GAA and .925 save %) win the award for playoff MVP, but a Kessel win will likely focus some criticism on Toronto for dealing the 28-year-old winger for a package of prospects and draft picks.
Kessel was expected to be an impact player when the trade was consummated last July.
Pittsburgh was in desperate need of a trigger man to replace James Neal (traded to Nashville in 2014) to play with Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby after the Penguins slipped to the bottom-half of the league in scoring in 2015.
GM Jim Rutherford knew that his club had a narrowing window of opportunity, with Malkin, Crosby, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury nearing or passing the age of 30 and Kessel’s speed and scoring touch outweighed concerns of him being effective four or five years down the road, when his eight-year, $64 Million contract was still in effect.
The deal from the Toronto point of view was considered necessary, not only because Kessel’s departure signalled the start of a significant organizational restructuring under Brendan Shanahan, but also because the presence of Kessel on the roster would have made finishing at the bottom of the standings nearly impossible.
Phil. The Thrill. Kessel. https://t.co/XISBk0tr4X #StanleyCup
— #StanleyCup Final (@NHL) June 6, 2016
If the Penguins are victorious tomorrow, the end result of the trade will still be considered a win for both clubs, though most outside of Toronto will not see it that way. Pittsburgh celebrates their first championship since 2009 and Kessel recoups some of the reputation he lost with the Leafs.
Toronto has 85% of a $8 Million mistake made by former GM Dave Nonis freed up, which could be made quite useful when the Leafs pursue free agent center Steven Stamkos next month.
The Leafs will also continue to add young assets, with the Pens selection at the end of the first round, New Jersey’s 3rd rounder, prospects Kasperi Kapanen and Scott Harrington, a future second-round pick acquired from San Jose for Nick Spaling and let’s not forget some kid named Matthews with their top selection at the NHL Draft in Buffalo.
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