Too Much for Kessel?

[Brew666]

Probably the worst move in the last few years. Especially seeing as Boston will probably getting another top 5 pick next year, too.

Worst move since Rask for Raycroft

[sh00n]

Probably the worst move in the last few years. Especially seeing as Boston will probably getting another top 5 pick next year, too.

Worst move since Rask for Raycroft

Yeah that was pretty awful, but not as bad as Bertuzzi for Luongo or Montreal pulling a Babcock and trading Roy for nothing.

[Relentless88]

Probably the worst move in the last few years. Especially seeing as Boston will probably getting another top 5 pick next year, too.

Worst move since Rask for Raycroft

Our management must love Boston.

Kadri/Schenn for Patrice Bergeron is coming.

[Relentless88]

I feel a little better with Boston's epic collapse.

[Ong_dynasty]

If people are using hindsight to criticise Kessel (as in the beginning of the season, most did not expect the Leafs to finish that bad).
Can you use hindsight to criticise Boston. I mean, at the very least Kessel would have been able to give them a better chance of beating a team like the flyers and a chance to play a 7th seed for a place in the stanley cup. ( i know there are more if's and but's, but is the 2nd pick worth that? )

[Mike Hunt]

If people are using hindsight to criticise Kessel (as in the beginning of the season, most did not expect the Leafs to finish that bad).
Can you use hindsight to criticise Boston. I mean, at the very least Kessel would have been able to give them a better chance of beating a team like the flyers and a chance to play a 7th seed for a place in the stanley cup. ( i know there are more if's and but's, but is the 2nd pick worth that? )

Even if you want to look at the deal as being bad for Boston, it's still much worse for the Leafs and that's really the point of this thread.

[kush-]

it's not just hindsight.

all the current great young teams today:

washington
pittsburgh
chicago

were made by years of drafting very high. Burke was an absolute moron to have traded away two 1st rounders when the team had already committed to a rebuild by trading away all their top6 forwards. For once, the leafs nation was ready to accept a few years of missing the playoffs to build a contender. Burke came in with no pressure to make the playoffs. With the Kessel trade, he has effectively destroyed any route to a rebuild a la washington/pittsburgh/chicago.

Boston was also against the wall with kessel. considering their cap situation, it was made clear kessel would HAVE TO BE traded. Burke got way too excited becuz he had the opportunity to nab one of the better american players in the NHL.

Burke is also an idiot for his whole "north american" centric philosophy. Kubina is a way better player than Komisarek, and I'm pretty sure he sacrificed the 2 first rounders cuz of his huge boner for kessel being one of the best young american players.

[James_Raptors]

I'm way late chiming in on this subject.
At the time of the deal I was completely shocked.
The price seemed steep and risky back then, and now, after finishing 2nd last, it feels like a punch to the gut. I've been a Leaf fan since the 60's and I was completely prepared for a slow build through the draft. In fact, in many ways i was looking forward to it. I've lived through too many years in Leaf Land expected to accept quick fixes and over-the-hill players "who wanted to be a Leaf!!" coming in to save the day. History will tell us whether the trade was worth it but as it stands right now I still don't like the move.