Kessel debut
- Thread starter stang
- Start date
Kessel played well
He looked like the Leaf's fastest skater and I believe he had 8 shots on goal.He has an eye for the net.Let's hope it continues.
However another one point night for the Leafs.That will not get them to the playoffs.
He looked like the Leaf's fastest skater and I believe he had 8 shots on goal.He has an eye for the net.Let's hope it continues.
However another one point night for the Leafs.That will not get them to the playoffs.
He certainly had the jump, but do not expect that every night. He will improve his aim and the goals will come.
He took a big hit and was OK.
He took a big hit and was OK.
DJ, for a non-Leaf fan you are obsessed with the Leafs.Yeah no pressure on him at all.
I think I'll save this thread and see what all the fans are saying about him in April.
Someone needs to teach the Monster how to handle the puck. I'm not a leafs fan but I thought Kessel was one of the best players out there and that's pretty sad considering it was his first game in 6 months. Why is it you never see tape to tape passes like the 80's and 90's is it because there is so much spring in the composite sticks as compared to wood?
Three big reasons:
I live in a dark hole called Leaf Nation and can't get away from them either on TV or newspaper.
I work with too many Leaf fans.
I live with too many Leaf fans.
I basically live in hockey hell everyday. TERB is an outlet for me.
I agree with DJ. I'm stuck here too. Most of my friends are leafs fans, some of my family too. can't help but share an opinion of them... and I like DJ's pov.
ahhh. he was rusty, imo. capable of much more, but also keep in mind that he looked pretty good mostly because he's the only 1st line player on that roster.
as the season goes on, the competitiveness increases... he'll unfortunately probably re-injure himself trying to be everything to this team. This team in this city could also very well ruin him. We've ruined many very good talents over the last few years. Look how long it took Raycroft to re-establish himself, or Hal Gil, or Nik Antropov (above 1 pt/gm).
He would look very nice with 2 other world class forwards, though. Just imagine what he could do with a Patrick Kane or such equal talent!
ahhh. he was rusty, imo. capable of much more, but also keep in mind that he looked pretty good mostly because he's the only 1st line player on that roster.
as the season goes on, the competitiveness increases... he'll unfortunately probably re-injure himself trying to be everything to this team. This team in this city could also very well ruin him. We've ruined many very good talents over the last few years. Look how long it took Raycroft to re-establish himself, or Hal Gil, or Nik Antropov (above 1 pt/gm).
He would look very nice with 2 other world class forwards, though. Just imagine what he could do with a Patrick Kane or such equal talent!
Kessel just needs somebody to pass him the puck.
He's a sniper. 100% sniper. He's capable of a 50 goal season easy.
Put him on a line with a pure passer/assist-machine/gamemaker like Thornton, Lecavalier, Spezza, Toews, Backstrom, Stastny, or Getzlaf, to name but a few in the NHL right now.
He just needs someone capable to pass him the puck.
There is no one on the Leafs right now who can do that consistently.
He's a sniper. 100% sniper. He's capable of a 50 goal season easy.
Put him on a line with a pure passer/assist-machine/gamemaker like Thornton, Lecavalier, Spezza, Toews, Backstrom, Stastny, or Getzlaf, to name but a few in the NHL right now.
He just needs someone capable to pass him the puck.
There is no one on the Leafs right now who can do that consistently.
waduyamean...
he needs someone to pass him the puck???
Sheesh....he was given the puck all night in his first game and in fact HAD 10 shots on goal!!!
The highest in his career....
he needs someone to pass him the puck???
Sheesh....he was given the puck all night in his first game and in fact HAD 10 shots on goal!!!
The highest in his career....
I'm sorry.
I didn't see him score a goal.
Obviously in your universe he did score in that game vs. Bolts.
Must have missed that.
Try to remember "close" is only good with horseshoes and hand grenades.
He got 10 shots against a week defensive team, the TB goalie was very good and lucky at the same time. He may finaly get one against Carolina Friday but SAT against a tighter checking team like Detroit, he may only get 3 shots.
not only that, it's not like he had a Crosby or Thornton dishing nice passes to him
10 shots is good, but properly placed passes makes for some goals. just ask Brett Hull about that one.
10 shots is good, but properly placed passes makes for some goals. just ask Brett Hull about that one.
Jim Develano said the Leafs should have kept Nazem Kadri in the NHL this season because he was their best forward in pre season.
Looking at how this team can't figure out how to put the puck in the net it might be true and would have been interesting to see Kadri play on a line with Kessel.
Also think Leafs should re think team policy of investing expensive contracts in stay at home defencemen who generate no offence.
Think Leafs would have been better off spending 5 years 30 mil on this guy:
http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8469500
rather than 5 years 22M on this guy:
http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8469460
Looking at how this team can't figure out how to put the puck in the net it might be true and would have been interesting to see Kadri play on a line with Kessel.
Also think Leafs should re think team policy of investing expensive contracts in stay at home defencemen who generate no offence.
Think Leafs would have been better off spending 5 years 30 mil on this guy:
http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8469500
rather than 5 years 22M on this guy:
http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8469460
Thornton - Though I like him, he is too old. I would rather have a player closer in age to grow with Kessel.
Lecavalier - Too expensive, both in what it would cost to get him out of Tampa(unless they got desperate) and the cap hit.
Spezza - NO ! Too expensive cap hit, and for the return ... please, it is an easy call. He is far too soft in my opinion.
Backstrom - Is Ovechkin making him look better then he is ?
Stastny - Cost too much in trade to get.
Toews - I would love to get him out of Chicago and the Hawks are going to have cap issues. Both Toews and Kane are RFAs at the end of the season.
Getzlaf - My first choice and I do not think it would be as difficult to get him from the Ducks as one may think. I am not suggesting anything or dreaming, just financial reality with US based teams.
It will probably never happen.
