2017/2018 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[Strange Brew]

Trading Kessel seems to defy logic. Why mess with a winning combination and IMO the guy made meaningful contributions both years.

But it's a very New England Patriot kind of approach. Never fall in love with your own players unless their name is Brady (or Crosby/Malkin) and better to cut bait a year too early than a year too late.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Trading Kessel seems to defy logic. Why mess with a winning combination and IMO the guy made meaningful contributions both years.

But it's a very New England Patriot kind of approach. Never fall in love with your own players unless their name is Brady (or Crosby/Malkin) and better to cut bait a year too early than a year too late.

Malkin looked ready to murder him during this year's playoffs.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Malkin looked ready to murder him during this year's playoffs.

Yeah, Malkin was making beautiful plays/passes but Phil couldn't bury them for a while there...

[flamesfan1297]

Just seen that Bollig signed with the Sharks

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by flamesfan1297

Just seen that Bollig signed with the Sharks

[ComixZone]

It's Albertanglish. Glencross, Russell, flamesfan1297....we seen it before, we gon' seen it again

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

It's Albertanglish. Glencross, Russell, flamesfan1297....we seen it before, we gon' seen it again

Specially down at the auction mark.

Now quit jabbering and warsh those badehders so we can cook them.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Malkin looked ready to murder him during this year's playoffs.

It looked like the feeling was mutual

Phil was 1st then 3rd in Pens playoff scoring for their two recent cups

They really don't win it without him

[savemedrzaius]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

Malkin looked ready to murder him during this year's playoffs.

Kessel and Russians just don't get along all thanks to Ovechkin.

[blender]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Well it was spelled out in the quote. Because he's a one-dimensional scoring winger who has average size, is non-physical and doesn't excel without the puck. If he's not scoring he's not helping. Almost 50% of his points came on the powerplay.

IMO this is the type of player that is most overrated in the NHL. A lot of fans love flashy scorers, the types of player that make the highlight reels. But unfortunately NHL forwards often get paid on points and one-dimensional scoring wingers are therefore usually overpaid in comparison to their value to the team.

It's why a lot of GM's talk about building through the middle. Emphasizing goaltending, defense and centres. Those are the most critical positions in hockey. Goal scoring wingers basically compliment your centres but they rarely drive the play themselves. Very few teams built around goal scoring wingers as their franchise player or most expensive player go anywhere. An elite centre can make a 20-30 goal scorer out of a variety of wingers (see Lemieux, Gretzky, Crosby, etc.) An elite goal scoring winger doesn't usually elevate the play of his linemates in the same way (see Iginla, Nash, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, etc). In fact they often depend somewhat on having a good playmaking centre to get them the puck. Wingers have less impact in your own zone because centres are relied on much more heavily for defensive assignments.

Kessel isn't looking like an elite goal scoring winger anymore. You'd think if he could get 40 in TOR he would easily repeat that on a team with Crosby and Malkin but he's failed to elevate his game playing on a team that has some of the best centres in the league. His cap hit means he should be one of the most important players on the team but his value to their team lags behind the goalie, the top 4 defense and the centres.

I'd say in short that the reason they're looking to move him is because they believe he's overpaid in comparison to his value to the team. And IMO that happens often with one-dimensional goal scoring wingers. Bet you every team in the league would rather have a Wayne Simmonds on his contract than Phil Kessel on his contract. You'd rather pay for an elite centre and then get them a nice complimentary power forward who can do the dirty work along the boards and in front of the net. There's danger in committing too much of the cap to one-dimensional goal scoring wingers.

And this is why you saw NJ buyout Cammalleri IMO.

I think we get your point of view on Kessel!
No offense intended at all; you're a good poster, but couldn't resist.

[Wastedyouth]

[Erick Estrada]

Not a big fan of the player due to him likely never being the player he could be due to his laziness and poor conditioning but I have to give the guy props for being pretty clutch in the playoffs. There's no doubting he's got incredible talent.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Not a big fan of the player due to him likely never being the player he could be due to his laziness and poor conditioning but I have to give the guy props for being pretty clutch in the playoffs. There's no doubting he's got incredible talent.

So how does a lazy player with poor conditioning perform like that in the playoffs? After the long grind of the season, it's usually only the most highly conditioned athletes that can continue to perform when the heat is turned up.

This is a guy who can crank it up in the playoffs. Sort of like Brouwer, except with actual hockey skills.

Edit: Also with the ability to actually perform in the playoffs for more than one year.

[RoughRiderRowdy]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

So how does a lazy player with poor conditioning perform like that in the playoffs? After the long grind of the season, it's usually only the most highly conditioned athletes that can continue to perform when the heat is turned up.

This is a guy who can crank it up in the playoffs. Sort of like Brouwer, except with actual hockey skills.

Edit: Also with the ability to actually perform in the playoffs for more than one year.

Playing with elite linemates, great team where he can get good matchups against weaker d.

[Demetric]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

So how does a lazy player with poor conditioning perform like that in the playoffs? After the long grind of the season, it's usually only the most highly conditioned athletes that can continue to perform when the heat is turned up.

This is a guy who can crank it up in the playoffs. Sort of like Brouwer, except with actual hockey skills.

Edit: Also with the ability to actually perform in the playoffs for more than one year.

Soooo nothing like Brouwer then ....

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

So how does a lazy player with poor conditioning perform like that in the playoffs? After the long grind of the season, it's usually only the most highly conditioned athletes that can continue to perform when the heat is turned up.

This is a guy who can crank it up in the playoffs. Sort of like Brouwer, except with actual hockey skills.

Edit: Also with the ability to actually perform in the playoffs for more than one year.

Kind of makes sense in a way doesn't it?

Lets say most guys give 80-90% during the regular season and go up to 100% in the playoffs.

If you are a very talented play giving 75% or less in the regular season, you have more room to crank it up in the playoffs.

I see Getzlaf like this a bit. The guy is dangerous during the regular season, but he is just terrifying in the playoffs. Maybe it's just me, but I don't recall him ever physically dominating games in November.

[FlamesAddiction]

Kevin Klein signed in Switzerland. I didn't think he fell that far out of the picture. I assume there is an NHL escape clause still.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Kevin Klein signed in Switzerland. I didn't think he fell that far out of the picture. I assume there is an NHL escape clause still.

He retired from the NHL: https://www.nhl.com/news/kevin-klein...rs/c-290321048

If you want to put a tin foil cap circumvention hat on, he retired while $2.75 million in salary was still owed to him. Good bet he returns to the Rangers front office in some capacity in a couple of years ala Chris Drury.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

Kind of makes sense in a way doesn't it?

Lets say most guys give 80-90% during the regular season and go up to 100% in the playoffs.

If you are a very talented play giving 75% or less in the regular season, you have more room to crank it up in the playoffs.

I see Getzlaf like this a bit. The guy is dangerous during the regular season, but he is just terrifying in the playoffs. Maybe it's just me, but I don't recall him ever physically dominating games in November.

Unless you're McDavid, in which case you get worse during the playoffs. #saviour

[TheScorpion]

Just heard this from a buddy of mine who knows the Pascall family. Apparently Treliving and Jagr have been talking for the past little while. Jagr wants upwards of $4 million.