Quote:
Originally Posted by Resolute 14
Yes, he was.
Kessel always was a one dimensional shooter - definitely an elite one - but he was never the kind of player that could lead a team anywhere. You are going to argue that he was underrated because of how often Simmons and the like trashed him. But the simple truth is that he got trashed so much because he couldn't live up to the unreasonable expectations that very same media set for him. And those expectations existed entirely because he was a Maple Leaf. Toronto expected a complimentary player to be an all-around star leader and treated him like he was.
|
But that was reported by everyone and agreed, so where was he overrated? No one thought he was anything better than you just described.
Before Kessel arrived the media said he'd never score without Marc Savard, So was the expectations really that high? I'd argue by being a PPG player for 3 and a half years with Bozak, he easily exceeded expectations.
Things like him being the poster boy for "Streakiness" was complete B.S and would not have existed in any other market.
Bryan McCabe is another great example of being underrated in Toronto.