Kessel Traded To Penguins

[LLJ]

I don't think this deal is that bad. A couple of early picks and a few players. The salary there eating is marginal. The one guy there getting back is a former first round pick, and though the other two guys are likely 3rd and 4th liners of which the leafs don't need anymore of, there at least solid players with still some upside left. Gotta pay the price to change the culture. In that vein, the leafs are doing fine.

Lack of culture = lack of talent.

I hate it when the media blames character and culture change when the Leafs are constantly rolling out scrub lines out there and trying to compete with them.

[metafisical]

The Kessel trade (bringing him to Toronto) set us back many seasons. The Kessel trade (shipping him away) sets us back even more seasons. Barf!

[whysoserious]

The Kessel trade (bringing him to Toronto) set us back many seasons. The Kessel trade (shipping him away) sets us back even more seasons. Barf!

While i actually do agree that trading for Kessel was a mistake but not for trading for him but the fact that Burke had the perfect opportunity to rebuild the team from the ground up and some good picks coming up. Instead he targetted a guy that is pretty talented overall and can score. The challenge once again though is making him the face of the franchise and then not giving him enough talent around to actually win.

Once again, we have a top scorer like Kessel and we play him with lesser talent like Bozak as his C. Not meant as disrespect for Bozak, a fine NHL player but playing in a role way above his talent and then assuming you'd win with a number 2/number 3 centre playing as your number 1 center. This is typical Leafs.

Anyways, I'm glad to see Kessel is gone, I think this relationship needed to end for both parties and so we move on.