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Phil Kessel

Erndog said:
Zee said:
He's on pace for 94 points.  I love this new Kessel.  It's amazing how well him and Lupul are playing together.
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I don't know how much of it is "new" Kessel vs. having someone to play with.

Last year, he played with Crabb and Bozak on his line for much of the season and everyone said 'Imagine if he had true linemates!!!'  Perhaps all he needed was that one other guy to excel?  To really take him to that next level that we are seeing this year.  Most players can't do it on their own.  He was still scoring 30 with an AHLer and a 3rd liner. 

I've always loved his game, always.  I don't care he doesn't punish anyone.  In fact, I like that.  Won't suffer as many injuries or break down as fast. 

Imagine what he and Lupul could do with Getzlaf in the middle?  ;D
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I think it's a bit of both having someone better to play with in Lupul and also maturing more as a player.
 
Corn Flake said:
Normally I never watch an All Star game, but I'm kind of giddy at who might end up in the middle between those two at the game just to see what they can do.
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Not to point out the obvious but there's no guarantee that Lupul and Kessel are on the same team at the all-star game.
 
Saint Nik said:
Corn Flake said:
Normally I never watch an All Star game, but I'm kind of giddy at who might end up in the middle between those two at the game just to see what they can do.
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Not to point out the obvious but there's no guarantee that Lupul and Kessel are on the same team at the all-star game.
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I'm going out on a big limb here.
 
Corn Flake said:
Saint Nik said:
Corn Flake said:
Normally I never watch an All Star game, but I'm kind of giddy at who might end up in the middle between those two at the game just to see what they can do.
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Not to point out the obvious but there's no guarantee that Lupul and Kessel are on the same team at the all-star game.
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I'm going out on a big limb here.
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I don't know.  They are going to be the last 2 picked so they will go to different teams.
 
Corn Flake said:
I'm going out on a big limb here.
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Just sayin'. Last year the Sedins got split as did Stastny/Duchene and Toews/Sharp. It seems just as likely that teammates aren't together in the all-star game as they are.
 
Anyone want to start a rumour that Ovie chickened out of the All Star Game because he was afraid that he would be picked last and Kessel would be snapping his photo with his cell phone?
 
From Elliotte Friedman:

Opponents on why Phil Kessel's having a better season: he's doing a much better job of getting back, which allows him to break out of the Toronto zone with speed. Before, it was easier for defencemen to close in on him. By the time he's in proximity, he's coming at them faster than ever. Now, teams (the Rangers especially) have adjusted, getting their forwards to muck up his timing in the Maple Leafs' zone. It will be up to Kessel to adjust back.


http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/opinion/2012/01/thomas-white-house-snub-all-star-game-30-thoughts.html
 
groundskeeper willie said:
From Elliotte Friedman:

Opponents on why Phil Kessel's having a better season: he's doing a much better job of getting back, which allows him to break out of the Toronto zone with speed. Before, it was easier for defencemen to close in on him. By the time he's in proximity, he's coming at them faster than ever. Now, teams (the Rangers especially) have adjusted, getting their forwards to muck up his timing in the Maple Leafs' zone. It will be up to Kessel to adjust back.


http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/opinion/2012/01/thomas-white-house-snub-all-star-game-30-thoughts.html
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Translation.  We get to interfere with him away from the puck, and that's fair game because the NHL doesn't call that kind of interference.
 
groundskeeper willie said:
From Elliotte Friedman:

Opponents on why Phil Kessel's having a better season: he's doing a much better job of getting back, which allows him to break out of the Toronto zone with speed. Before, it was easier for defencemen to close in on him. By the time he's in proximity, he's coming at them faster than ever. Now, teams (the Rangers especially) have adjusted, getting their forwards to muck up his timing in the Maple Leafs' zone. It will be up to Kessel to adjust back.


http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/opinion/2012/01/thomas-white-house-snub-all-star-game-30-thoughts.html
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Yeah, especially. They won 1 game where the entire Leaf team played extremely poorly.
 
Potvin29 said:
From Cox' article ranking the best players at each position this season.

18. Phil Kessel (TOR): Explosive as there is. Still streaky.
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Agree or disagree based on this season?
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What's interesting is that he had Lupul 12th, which I think might be too high. Other than that, I don't strongly disagree or anything. Seems fairly accurate.
 
What's Kessel had, a pointless streak of 5 games max this season?  If he's streaky this season, I don't know which player isn't.

Unless he was trying to say he is streaky in a positive way, like lots of sustained periods of offensive production, but then it wouldn't probably be a Cox article then.
 
Potvin29 said:
What's Kessel had, a pointless streak of 5 games max this season?  If he's streaky this season, I don't know which player isn't.

Unless he was trying to say he is streaky in a positive way, like lots of sustained periods of offensive production, but then it wouldn't probably be a Cox article then.
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Longest pointless streak was 3 games, which just happened recently. Other than that he hasn't gone back-to-back games without picking up a point. He does have a 6-game and two 4-game goal-less streaks though, but that's hardly worthy of calling him a streaky player.
 
A couple of Kessel-related articles from the Boston media on All-Star weekend:

Seguin, Kessel get their wish to skate on All-Star line

Tyler Seguin joked a couple of days ago about possibly playing on an All-Star line with the player he essentially ?replaced? in Boston, and it made all kinds of sense to have the 19-year-old actually skate with Phil Kessel in Sunday?s All-Star game at Scotiabank Place.

So Claude Julien apparently heard Seguin?s request, liked it, and will go with the forward combination suggestion in Sunday?s game. After taking part in the shooting accuracy competition and shootout elimination on Saturday evening, Seguin confirmed he?ll be centering a line with Maple Leafs Kessel and Joffrey Lupul.
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Julien, Kessel bury hatchet

It might have been a bit surprising Team Chara captain Zdeno Chara okayed the All-Star draft selection of Phil Kessel for the weekend?s All-Star events at Scotiabank Place. It was Joffrey Lupul?s pick, to be sure, but Chara signed off on a player that memorably bolted out of Boston three years ago.

But it clearly speaks to the ten tons of water now under the bridge when it comes to the messy divorce between Kessel and the Bruins. Kessel, the natural born goal-scorer, crafted an escape route to Toronto and he?s been looked at as a weasely villain ever since.

It?s been three long years since Kessel left Boston for bluer pastures with the Maple Leafs, and both sides have clearly moved on.
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Kessel really seems to have lost his scoring touch the last while.  I can't think of the last sniper type goal that he has scored in a long time....all his goals lately seem to be tap-ins or loose plays from in close.  When was the last time that he blew a shot clean past a goalie upstairs?
He also has not been dangerous in shootouts, I would rather see his linemate Lupul getting more opportunities.
 
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