Phil Kessel

[cw]

Ive been a Kessel supporter since he arrived here. The trade that brought him here just happened to be a fluke that the leafs ended up where they did in the standings that year. This year Kessel just seems disinterested on whats going on, the offside last night was a perfect example of him skating around with his head in the clouds. If he's no longer motivated to play here than its time to trade him, an annual 30+ goal scorer will get you a Nash type deal. Not to mention its a strong draft year.

I don't see Kessel as being disinterested at all. If anything, he's trying too hard to put the puck in the net. He needs to get back to playing his game, the goals will come, and everyone will be happy with his production again.

Kessel often scores off the rush. He did so in Boston and he has in Toronto. Carlyle's system and their efforts to learn to it has reduced Wilson's run & gun and their quick transitions that provided those rushes. I think that's part of the reason for his struggles so far this season.

 

[Courtnall]

Ive been a Kessel supporter since he arrived here. The trade that brought him here just happened to be a fluke that the leafs ended up where they did in the standings that year. This year Kessel just seems disinterested on whats going on, the offside last night was a perfect example of him skating around with his head in the clouds. If he's no longer motivated to play here than its time to trade him, an annual 30+ goal scorer will get you a Nash type deal. Not to mention its a strong draft year.

I don't see Kessel as being disinterested at all. If anything, he's trying too hard to put the puck in the net. He needs to get back to playing his game, the goals will come, and everyone will be happy with his production again.

Kessel is the softest player in the NHL. He only tries when he has the puck. If the guy tried in both ends of the rink I'm sure he would be one heck of a player. As it stands he digs it 70% of the time and skates like the wind the other 30% of the time. Would be nice if he understood that if you played good defence your usually on offence more.

 

[Jalili]

The trade that brought him here just happened to be a fluke that the leafs ended up where they did in the standings that year.

It really wasn't a fluke that a team with Vesa Toskala as its #1 goalie finished the year in the basement.

Damn, beat me to it.

That's not mentioning that Stajan was the 1st line center, Ponikarovsky was #1 LW, etc.

Vesa had a 22 win season prior to the trade and had 33 wins the year before. I still blame Allaire for Vesa's demise but had a few of the free agents panned out and had Wilson's defensive schemes he preached worked then the leafs although not a play-off team were also not supposed to be as bad as they finished.

A few things I'd add for context would be that Toskala's save % the year before was .891, so they're banking on him rebounding from what was already a pretty bad season the year before.

Then one of the key free agents was Komisarek who had a brutal season the year before and had already gained the reputation of riding Markov's coat-tails in a sense.

So from the get-go, they're banking on 2 key players completely rebounding from very poor seasons, which probably wasn't a smart thing to gamble with.

 

[Bullfrog]

Kessel is the softest player in the NHL. He only tries when he has the puck. If the guy tried in both ends of the rink I'm sure he would be one heck of a player. As it stands he digs it 70% of the time and skates like the wind the other 30% of the time. Would be nice if he understood that if you played good defence your usually on offence more.

Someone should have taught Jagr that. Just imagine how much he would have scored!

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Kessel often scores off the rush. He did so in Boston and he has in Toronto. Carlyle's system and their efforts to learn to it has reduced Wilson's run & gun and their quick transitions that provided those rushes. I think that's part of the reason for his struggles so far this season.

I think it's a good point, I notice this as well. He's not getting to the net near as quick within this system, but I also think he'll figure out a way to score within it. I'm sure we'll play a relaxed system at some point and he'll score a few and then they will come quick for a while.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Ive been a Kessel supporter since he arrived here. The trade that brought him here just happened to be a fluke that the leafs ended up where they did in the standings that year. This year Kessel just seems disinterested on whats going on, the offside last night was a perfect example of him skating around with his head in the clouds. If he's no longer motivated to play here than its time to trade him, an annual 30+ goal scorer will get you a Nash type deal. Not to mention its a strong draft year.

I don't see Kessel as being disinterested at all. If anything, he's trying too hard to put the puck in the net. He needs to get back to playing his game, the goals will come, and everyone will be happy with his production again.

Kessel is the softest player in the NHL. He only tries when he has the puck. If the guy tried in both ends of the rink I'm sure he would be one heck of a player. As it stands he digs it 70% of the time and skates like the wind the other 30% of the time. Would be nice if he understood that if you played good defence your usually on offence more.

A good chunk of the league must be soft and not very good if they're allowing the softest player in the league to put up multiple 30+ goal seasons and play at a PPG last season.

 

[Leaflifer]

Kessel often scores off the rush. He did so in Boston and he has in Toronto. Carlyle's system and their efforts to learn to it has reduced Wilson's run & gun and their quick transitions that provided those rushes. I think that's part of the reason for his struggles so far this season.

I think it's a good point, I notice this as well. He's not getting to the net near as quick within this system, but I also think he'll figure out a way to score within it. I'm sure we'll play a relaxed system at some point and he'll score a few and then they will come quick for a while.

Also agree. More north/south and less east/west is Kessel's game.

This may be more than a slump if Carlyle doesn't devise a plan to get Kessel playing a rushing, quick transition game.

...and trying to change PK's game makes no sense at this point.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

This may be more than a slump if Carlyle doesn't devise a plan to get Kessel playing a rushing, quick transition game.

...and trying to change PK's game makes no sense at this point.

I think it'll be more Kessel figuring out how to score in Carlyle's system, rather than Carlyle having to change anything. Last game I saw him turn quick to the inside and drive the net straight on and get a good shot on goal. If he keeps taking the chance to do that, it's only a matter of time before he scores.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

FWIW...

Jonas Siegel ‏@jonasTSN1050

Randy Carlyle called Phil Kessel's 26-minute effort in Buffalo the strongest work ethic game he'd seen from Kessel while coaching the Leafs.

 

[Courtnall]

Kessel is the softest player in the NHL. He only tries when he has the puck. If the guy tried in both ends of the rink I'm sure he would be one heck of a player. As it stands he digs it 70% of the time and skates like the wind the other 30% of the time. Would be nice if he understood that if you played good defence your usually on offence more.

Someone should have taught Jagr that. Just imagine how much he would have scored!

Are you seriously comparing Kessel to Jagr?

 

[Courtnall]

Ive been a Kessel supporter since he arrived here. The trade that brought him here just happened to be a fluke that the leafs ended up where they did in the standings that year. This year Kessel just seems disinterested on whats going on, the offside last night was a perfect example of him skating around with his head in the clouds. If he's no longer motivated to play here than its time to trade him, an annual 30+ goal scorer will get you a Nash type deal. Not to mention its a strong draft year.

I don't see Kessel as being disinterested at all. If anything, he's trying too hard to put the puck in the net. He needs to get back to playing his game, the goals will come, and everyone will be happy with his production again.

Kessel is the softest player in the NHL. He only tries when he has the puck. If the guy tried in both ends of the rink I'm sure he would be one heck of a player. As it stands he digs it 70% of the time and skates like the wind the other 30% of the time. Would be nice if he understood that if you played good defence your usually on offence more.

A good chunk of the league must be soft and not very good if they're allowing the softest player in the league to put up multiple 30+ goal seasons and play at a PPG last season.

I did say he skates like the wind and at times has a good shot. He's just one dimensional which I'm not a big fan of at all. Nothing drives me more nuts then watching someone start gliding to the bench with 40-50ft to go.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Probably lots of things in hockey that should drive you more nuts than that aspect of the game, but to each their own.

 

[Bullfrog]

Kessel is the softest player in the NHL. He only tries when he has the puck. If the guy tried in both ends of the rink I'm sure he would be one heck of a player. As it stands he digs it 70% of the time and skates like the wind the other 30% of the time. Would be nice if he understood that if you played good defence your usually on offence more.

Someone should have taught Jagr that. Just imagine how much he would have scored!

Are you seriously comparing Kessel to Jagr?

Yes. Have you ever seen Jagr, especially a younger Jagr play? Once the puck started going south he'd make a b-line right to the bench.

 

[nutman]

Even the gods will be hoping he nets a goal sat. this has to end..

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I remember last season Kessel was among the league leaders (or losers) in 5-on-5 goals against. He had some pretty good company at the top of that list in St. Louis, Stamkos, Tavares, and Staal, but it still wasn't really something to be proud of obviously. So I was curious to see how he was doing in that regard this season, especially considering his lack of goals.

Last season, Kessel was on the ice for 76 even-strength goals in 82 games. This season he's been on the ice for 4 even-strength goals in 7 games. Over an 82 games season that would average out to be 47 goals against. That's a small sample size for sure, but still it's nice to see a change there.

Stats like that aren't exactly a perfect indicator of a players defensive ability, but it's a little more simple than going into all of the corsi stuff.

 

[Edeagle]

He's playing well. Would feel differently if he was bad out there. Lots of chances keeping the other teams on their toes. Making some good passes, back checking well. I hope he scores soon, but he's still one of our best players.

 

[sampson]

3-0 Leafs vs Boston on Saturday.

Kessel with the hat trick? 

 

[Justin]

3-0 Leafs vs Boston on Saturday.

Kessel with the hat trick? 

Maybe the Leafs could lose a close game against Boston instead of losing in a blowout. That would be a start.

 

[Fanatic]

3-0 Leafs vs Boston on Saturday.

Kessel with the hat trick? 

Because Phil always does well against Boston...... ???

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I remember last season Kessel was among the league leaders (or losers) in 5-on-5 goals against. He had some pretty good company at the top of that list in St. Louis, Stamkos, Tavares, and Staal, but it still wasn't really something to be proud of obviously. So I was curious to see how he was doing in that regard this season, especially considering his lack of goals.

Last season, Kessel was on the ice for 76 even-strength goals in 82 games. This season he's been on the ice for 4 even-strength goals in 7 games. Over an 82 games season that would average out to be 47 goals against. That's a small sample size for sure, but still it's nice to see a change there.

Stats like that aren't exactly a perfect indicator of a players defensive ability, but it's a little more simple than going into all of the corsi stuff.

And to add in some corsi stuff, his Corsi REL coming into the game tonight was 18.6.  So he's driving possession quite well when he's on.

EDIT: TSN says he attempted 15 shots against Washington.  They're gonna start going in.