Kessel Blockbuster Likely

by Jeff Clark on Sep 17, 2009 10:29 AM EDT Comment 11 comments

Because of the looming threat the Bruins [team stats] will not be able to match an offer sheet for free agent Phil Kessel [stats], two well-placed sources in Toronto said the team is close to pulling off a blockbuster trade involving the 21-year-old sniper.

According to the sources, the deal likely will be finalized within the next week, as four teams are in the running. Toronto and Nashville have made the best offers in talks with B's general manager Peter Chiarelli. Minnesota and the New York Rangers also are in the mix.

The Bruins hoped all along to keep Kessel but could not re-sign him despite making a lucrative offer, so they are close to getting what they can for him and moving on.

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It does look like he wont be on our team this year, which is disappointing. I do think Chiarelli will get some value for him…you’d like to get at least two 1st round picks for him, in my oppinion. Kessel is basically a 5th overall pick that worked out, and you never have a guarantee with picks. Ideally he wouldnt go to a devision rival (leafs), and hopefully you could send him to the western conferance where he isnt helping another team battle you for a playoff spot.

Looks like the leafs are the front runners, however, which is not all bad:
-I don’t expect the leafs to do terribly well this year, which means a 1st round pick could be a top 10.
-Kessel probably wont help the leafs too much this year – wont be on the ice for at least the first month of the season, coming off of a shoulder injury it will likely take him a while to get his timing back once he does return, and he wont have anyone of Savard’s caliber centering his line and setting him up.

Still, I’d hate to see him go to a division rival. oh well, i’ll stop ranting.

by Stza on Sep 17, 2009 11:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’d hate to see him go… but its basically out of Boston’s hands. I hate reading this like “the Jacobs dont care and dont want to spend money, etc…” The Bruins have their backs against the wall. I have confidence that Chi has done everything he can w/out breaking up the core to keep Kessel.

by Lucic311 on Sep 17, 2009 12:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

In all honesty

The Jacobs’ have spent money, just in past years, it wasn’t smart spending.

How much was that contract for Marty Lapointe?

by 13_Legion on Sep 18, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They have to spend money with the salary cap. People that say that they don’t sign players now because Jacobs is cheap, don’t understand the salary cap. There are plenty of other reasons to fault the Jacobs family, but this isn’t one of them.

Stanley Cup of Chowder: A Hearty Serving of Hockey in The Hub

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Sep 18, 2009 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

People like Bill Simmons.

Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Sep 18, 2009 11:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Please, Simmons?

He likes to make it known every year that he’s given up on the Bruins but comes back at the playoffs or when it seems they’re a contender, but “isn’t ready to commit.” Go wear your Red Sox pink hat Bill.

I think it’s fair to say the majority of people who say that Jacobs is cheap say that because the last time they watched hockey was the late 90s early 2000s, and they still think they are making an actual point.

by 13_Legion on Sep 24, 2009 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What I’m saying is Bill Simmons showed himself to be nearly a complete idiot with one tweet saying that Jacobs was cheap, even though there is such a thing called a “salary cap” that he hadn’t heard of before.

And I don’t mind bandwagon fans. But he’d probably be surprised that Cam Neely now sits on the 9th floor instead of skates if he ever went to a game.

Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Sep 25, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I see what you are saying.

I just like the idea of the Bruins not becoming some “pink hat” team. But actually, I guess they truly won’t be. Casual people seem to not like watching the puck (is it that easy to see a baseball?), at least many that I work with, and there is not saturation of the NHL on ESPN, so maybe it really is just a lot of people coming out of exile.

by 13_Legion on Sep 25, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boston has been a big hockey town for a long time, but what people always told me was “If you want to see good hockey in Boston, go watch some college games.”

Now the pro team is back.

Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Sep 25, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs