[Trade] Kessel ,Biggs, & Erixon to Pens for Spaling, Kapenen, Harrington and 2 picks

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

1) it's $6.8M, not $5M

2) how will it not be a 1st? Do you think Pitt misses the playoffs each of the next 2 years?

Nah, you're right. It'll be a first. I'd bet Toronto would have rather had one this year though. Next year's will be a lot more mediocre.

[Hugh Jahrmes]

How many 1sts have the Pens traded in the past decade?
The fact they even have a prospect pool is amazing


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[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

The starting point for franchise centres is now 10.5 million. He's actually paid like Rick Nash.

No, that is the high end of the scale, not the starting point. And Kessel is no Johnathan Toews.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jahrmes

How many 1sts have the Pens traded in the past decade?
The fact they even have a prospect pool is amazing

It's going to get worse under Rutherford. By the time he's done, the Penguins are going to have a smoking crater for a future. Which is why they need this gamble of Kessel to pay off now.

[sureLoss]

Pens 1sts in the Crosby era

2016: likely traded to Toronto
2015: Traded to Edmonton
2014: drafted Kapenen - traded to Toronto
2013: Traded to Calgary
2012: drafted Pouliot and Mattaa
2011: drafted Morrow - traded to Dallas
2010: drafted Bennett
2009: drafted Despres - traded to Anaheim
2008: traded to Atlanta
2007: drafted Esposito - traded to Atlanta
2006: drafted Staal - traded to Carolina

[SuperMatt18]

Think is if they really need picks and futures at some point they can probably just shop Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Kessel, Hornqvist, and recoup some of those lost picks.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by OzSome

Toronto fans was ticked off that they didn't get enough for Phil Kessel. I tend to disagree since I never even thought someone will even trade for him because of his outrageous contract. I thought if he ever got traded, Toronto will have to retain big chunks of his contract and they'll also get a bad contract in return. They received a 1st round pick from last year's draft in Kaperis Kapanen, D Scott Harrington, veteran Spalling(was decent in Nashville) and some draft picks. All they did was retained 15% of contract, got rid of a prospect Biggs who doesn't seem to fit in and much travelled D Tim Erixon, whom they picked up free on waiver last season. Now the Leafs will have cap space to sign another player. So if another team is willing to do the same thing for Phaneuf, Brendan Shanahan will be laughing.
As for Kessel, i think he is lucky that he won't get picked on by Toronto media as much anymore. He won't be the go-to-guy in Pittsburgh and he'll even play with either Crosby or Malkin. That's like winning the lottery.

They traded their best player and 'elite' goal scorer, who is 27 years old - and retained part of his salary.

In return, they got a forward prospect that has a chance of becoming a top 6 (Poirier as a comparable?), a defense prospect with a mediocre ceiling who is a couple years away from the NHL (somewhere between Rafikov and Hickey?), and the picks (net of the 2nd they give back) that equate to an early 2nd.

Let's call it Poirier + Wotherspoon + 2nd (minus $1.2M for 7 years)

[Vinny01]

Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Hornquivst, Perron are 5 very solid top 6 forwards

Sid and Phil should be a fun duo to watch next year. This was a good love for Pitt and Toronto gets a nice haul of young talent in return.

Toronto likely got more for Kessel tha the Bruins got for Seguin and Hamilton

[Roof-Daddy]

The Pens top 6 is pretty stacked.

...but what about that atrocious D?

It's way too young and inexperienced, and if Letang were to get hurt again they're in real trouble.

[GreenLantern]

Late to the party here but hell of a trade for Toronto, they got a great return on a player they didn't even want. If this is an indication of their future moves then the franchise is moving in the right direction.

The icing on the cake is watching Tom move teams yet again, hahahah. Not signing with the Flames was the worst decision of his life, and it might have been one of the best decisions the Flames never made.

[LChoy]

Can Tom crack the line up on the Penguins D?
Would like to see his career continue in the minors

[GreenLantern]

I honestly have a feeling this is the year Tom heads to the KHL.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Chris Nichols ‏@NicholsOnHockey
Dreger says #Pens were 'pretty much' only player on Kessel trade. "The Calgary #Flames kicked tires, but that's really all it was."

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Rutherford taking some shots from his former boss.

In speaking to reporters in Raleigh, N.C., Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos Jr. directed incendiary comments at Rutherford, his former general manager and team president, as well as the Penguins.

“Jim liked to talk about the fact that we're a budget team. I'm not sure what that ever meant,” Karmanos said. “Every team has a budget. That means that we had a budget until Jim needed a player, and I said, ‘OK.' Then we would have a different budget.”

Karmanos called current GM Ron Francis “more inclusive” than Rutherford and said Francis is “far more astute on the financial end of the game.”

“Pittsburgh has no first-round picks anymore,” Karmanos said. “They traded their first round pick from the year before. They traded their first-round pick this year, and they traded their first-round pick for next year. But they do have Kessel, who may score as many goals as Alex Semin did. All right? And I don't have to take credit for that.”

Karmanos also saw it fit to address the Penguins' ownership situation.

“I think they'll sell that team for between $700 (million) to $800 million in Pittsburgh,” Karmanos said. “The cupboard will be pretty bare by that time.”

http://triblive.com/sports/penguins/...#axzz3ejo4Edoq

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Karmanos sure comes off sounding unprofessional and bitter there. Not sure what the point of that was other than to have his reputation take a hit.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Pens 1sts in the Crosby era

2016: likely traded to Toronto
2015: Traded to Edmonton
2014: drafted Kapenen - traded to Toronto
2013: Traded to Calgary
2012: drafted Pouliot and Mattaa
2011: drafted Morrow - traded to Dallas
2010: drafted Bennett
2009: drafted Despres - traded to Anaheim
2008: traded to Atlanta
2007: drafted Esposito - traded to Atlanta
2006: drafted Staal - traded to Carolina

Yeah, but thats pretty par for the course when you're a team gearing up to 'Win now' all the time.

[BigTuna]

Can people tell me since Kessel has such an outrageous contract what he should be making?

[BigTuna]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Kessel maay not be in as good of shape due to his cancer treatments from years ago.

That doesn't mean that he isn't a 1 dimensional forward.

But statistically he seems in fine shape.

[BigTuna]

Originally Posted by transplant99

No....10.5 is the starting point for young multiple cup winning centers.

You think the Flames are paying a dollar over 6 million for Monahan next summer?

Monaghan isnn't UFA. Kessel has been. Apples&Orancges.

Kane makes 10.5 million. Nash just shy of 8.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

Can people tell me since Kessel has such an outrageous contract what he should be making?

Around 6 mill. Kinda what Pit made his salary to be in order to fit him in. Anything less then 7 mill is solid for him. Biggest kicker is the term. Salary is not the issue. He has 7 years left, thats an issue for most teams.