For the record, Brett Hull used a 65 flex stick.

The kids that will be staying up are 22+. Kapanen is 19. Nylander will be sent back down in a couple of days. Let them win a championship with the Marlies. Kapanen was very impressive during his 4 game run and has been awesome on the marlies. We'll see what happens...
- domi_legend

I watched him when he was up... if you thought he was awesome then steve downie is godlike

As terrible as he might be...he's still better than anyone on the Leafs. Its a funny thing, a Leafs fan thinking he knows what a hockey team needs. Especially one that thinks Tie Domi is a legend.
- MattStrat

Well I mean, I think anyone with half a brain and a spec of hockey knowledge could see that Kessel is not what you needed. Regardless, glad he's far away from the Leafs and not influencing our young guys. Seems like he's on a fast decline too...not surprised with a player with that dedication. Anyways, good luck with him and I'm very happy that both sides seem to be happy with the trade.

Oh and Domi was great and entertaining as (frank), what's your prob dude

The kids that will be staying up are 22+. Kapanen is 19. Nylander will be sent back down in a couple of days. Let them win a championship with the Marlies. Kapanen was very impressive during his 4 game run and has been awesome on the marlies. We'll see what happens...
- domi_legend

He was sent down Sunday. He has 22 points in 33 AHL games.

The kids that will be staying up are 22+. Kapanen is 19. Nylander will be sent back down in a couple of days. Let them win a championship with the Marlies. Kapanen was very impressive during his 4 game run and has been awesome on the marlies. We'll see what happens...
- domi_legend

Its a sensitive bunch here. They want a safe place to be separated from negative comments and reality. If something contradicts the kool aid they've been drinking here, chaos ensues and it breaks down pretty quickly.

It really shouldn't take 7 more years of rebuilding before the Leafs make the playoffs again. But maybe...
- jfkst1

Pens have been mediocre since '09. Perpetual mediocrity is the worst place to be in, trust me weve been there. Such a shame that one of the best players in the league is wasting away there.

Well I mean, I think anyone with half a brain and a spec of hockey knowledge could see that Kessel is not what you needed. Regardless, glad he's far away from the Leafs and not influencing our young guys. Seems like he's on a fast decline too...not surprised with a player with that dedication. Anyways, good luck with him and I'm very happy that both sides seem to be happy with the trade.

Oh and Domi was great and entertaining as (frank), what's your prob dude
- domi_legend

No real prob...just dealing with yet another delusional Leafs fan. So many of you out there...a lot of my friends are them. Leafs have sucked a very long time yet they have some of the most pompous fans.

Pens have been mediocre since '09. Perpetual mediocrity is the worst place to be in, trust me weve been there. Such a shame that one of the best players in the league is wasting away there.
- domi_legend

No you haven't. Leafs have plain sucked. One playoffs in 11 or 12 years and the biggest playoff collapse of all time in game 7 of that one and only appearance/series.

I watched him when he was up... if you thought he was awesome then steve downie is godlike
- martox

I don't think some of you Pens fans understand just how spoiled you've been in terms of the talent you've gotten to watch for the past 5-10 years.

Its a sensitive bunch here. They want a safe place to be separated from negative comments and reality. If something contradicts the kool aid they've been drinking here, chaos ensues and it breaks down pretty quickly.
- sammy87

I've spoke out about Kessel too. The thing is this guy comes over here bragging like they fleeced the Pens and after only 60ish games of Kessel there's no way he'll pick up the pace. After 60 games with a ton of new players and injuries plus two different coaches. You need to take that into consideration too....or become a Leafs fan.

For the record, Brett Hull used a 65 flex stick.
- PepinoPamplemousse

And slap shots were not as popular back then dude.

I've spoke out about Kessel too. The thing is this guy comes over here bragging like they fleeced the Pens and after only 60ish games of Kessel there's no way he'll pick up the pace. After 60 games with a ton of new players and injuries plus two different coaches. You need to take that into consideration too....or become a Leafs fan.
- MattStrat

Leafs will always be a bottom dweller. They are too hard on their players, who would want to play there? There was an article of like 10 NHL agents and they said getting players to sign in Canada and waive a NTC to there is near impossible, but yeah lets put more teams up there brilliant!

And slap shots were not as popular back then dude.
- Guile

Thats a bold statement with nothing to support it.

I don't think some of you Pens fans understand just how spoiled you've been in terms of the talent you've gotten to watch for the past 5-10 years.
- PepinoPamplemousse

Goes back to the 90'sreally. Had some dark years but we've been extremely lucky. I know it will end soon so I'm just enjoying the ride

And slap shots were not as popular back then dude.
- Guile

I don't know man... every road trip we took in college the first movie on the bus was Slapshot.... it was pretty popular

Pens have been mediocre since '09. Perpetual mediocrity is the worst place to be in, trust me weve been there. Such a shame that one of the best players in the league is wasting away there.
- domi_legend

Mediocrity is way above what the Leafs have been and below what the Pens have been.

Goes back to the 90'sreally. Had some dark years but we've been extremely lucky. I know it will end soon so I'm just enjoying the ride
- dbell646

Went to a game a couple weeks ago and couldn't believe how much more talented the Penguins are than other teams I've seen live.

It's like watching Madden vs an actual NFL game. Madden is so much faster, more entertaining...

Went to a game a couple weeks ago and couldn't believe how much more talented the Penguins are than other teams I've seen live.

It's like watching Madden vs an actual NFL game. Madden is so much faster, more entertaining...
- PepinoPamplemousse

That was my problem with Johnson we weren't even fun to watch. I've enjoyed the Sullivan coached team. We might not win a round in the playoffs but at least they're fun to watch again.

I don't think some of you Pens fans understand just how spoiled you've been in terms of the talent you've gotten to watch for the past 5-10 years.
- PepinoPamplemousse

I always take away crosby and malkin when mesuring how good a player is.

I never believed that he wasn't physically capable of performing a one timer like some claimed. I assumed it was because his stick makes it too inefficient to perform. Ergo, a different stick would make that skill more efficient. And IF he is gonna stay on the 1PP in that configuration he has to be able to one time the puck. That's completely illogical to have a player with such an egregious technical flaw in that position.
- jfkst1

That makes more sense, I was just going off of your previous comment of him being incapable of 1-timing the puck which wasn't accurate. Will a stiffer stick make him more proficient at that 1 particular skill, more than likely but how will that stiffer stick affect his other skills and is it worth it to potentially effect multiple skills just to get a bump in 1 particular skill? Even just changing it for powerplay use has the same drawback of is it worth it to potentially affect his ability to play pucks along the boards and make or receive passes just so that he can hopefully 1-time better, especially when those clips showed he is more than capable of making that 1-time shot with his current stick? Then you also have to factor in the need to adjust to changes to the stick multiple times throughout the game every time they get a powerplay. It just seems that the cons far outweigh the potential pros of Kessel changing sticks. There's many factors involved in Kessel's struggles finishing 1-timers than just the flex of his stick like puck luck, low success rate of the shot in general and the fact that some/many of the plays fans think he should have 1-timed really weren't 1-time opportunities to reduced it down to just switching sticks.

Leafs will always be a bottom dweller. They are too hard on their players, who would want to play there? There was an article of like 10 NHL agents and they said getting players to sign in Canada and waive a NTC to there is near impossible, but yeah lets put more teams up there brilliant!
- sammy87

The media is brutal in TO man and to make it worse a majority of the fans buy into the media circus. Kessel was crucified there because he was the highest paid player but the team still sucked. He was their best player. I have many, many friends who are die hard Leafs fans and most of them wanted nothing to do with trading Kessel. A few thought it was necessary in order to rebuild but not a single one were happy with the return they received for him from the Pens.

Pens have been mediocre since '09. Perpetual mediocrity is the worst place to be in, trust me weve been there. Such a shame that one of the best players in the league is wasting away there.
- domi_legend

How is making the Conference Finals(2013) mediocre? If being 1 of the final 4 teams left in the playoffs is mediocre then there are only 2-3 non mediocre teams in the entire league.

Thats a bold statement with nothing to support it.
- sammy87

Yeah... not really. Pretty common knowledge that slap shot usage was not as high in the past. But just whine and moan over everything you dislike bud.

How is making the Conference Finals(2013) mediocre? If being 1 of the final 4 teams left in the playoffs is mediocre then there are only 2-3 non mediocre teams in the entire league.
- jaydogg1974

The cup is the goal. You guys have 2 of the best C's in the league. But your team is aging, youve traded away all your prospects and picks. Your time is running up, maybe a couple more years of compete left at most, so time to pick it up! Sadly most other 6.8 million dollar player would have helped you a lot more than Kessel.

How is making the Conference Finals(2013) mediocre? If being 1 of the final 4 teams left in the playoffs is mediocre then there are only 2-3 non mediocre teams in the entire league.
- jaydogg1974

Its not mediocre... but the realistic way of looking at this is if you cannot win the cup, you'd have been better off losing in the 1st round or not even making the playoffs to get a better draft pick and build to the future.