Bruins trade Kessel to Toronto for 2 firsts and a second

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Sep 18, 2009 8:44 PM EDT

Damien Cox of the Toronto Star is reporting via his Twiiter page that Peter Chiarelli and the Boston Bruins have reached an agreement to send Phil Kessel to Toronto in exchange for two first round picks and a second round pick. According to Cox, Kessel signed a 5 year deal with the Maple Leafs worth a reported $27 million. Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting that the Bruins would get a 1st and 2nd round pick in 2010 and another 1st rounder in 2011.

This means that those reports that were adamantly denied by the Kessel camp claiming he was seeking a contract worth upwards of $5 million per year were dead on. Kessel is a talented offensive player, but in the salary cap era, you just can't keep everyone. The Bruins obviously felt that there were other players that meant more to the future success of this hockey team.

This is a trade that we won't be able to fully evaluate for years. Those three picks could turn into three Phil Kessels...or three Johnathan Aitkens.

Tweet Comment 16 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

glad its over with and this deal is finally done………we will see what these picks turn in to……..

by timmorrison23 on Sep 18, 2009 8:51 PM EDT reply actions

It’s a shame that he’s gone, but… 5.4 million a year? So, he’d become the second-highest paid player (after Chara) on the team, getting more money than Savard or Thomas? That’s the type of money that contenders with a young core reserve for the true elite of those youngsters (Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Green territory). If that’s the territory where Kessel believes he belongs, good riddance. Especially since that would set a precedent that other Bruins youngsters could point to (that has happened with other franchises).

Really, just think how much we’d have to downgrade on other positions with such a deal. Obviously hoping that the picks pan out, but even if there’s no jackpot there I can’t help but think that I’d feel worse if the Bruins had signed him at 5.4 than I do now.

by Malurous on Sep 18, 2009 9:23 PM EDT reply actions

The amount of outdated merchandise that’s going to be put on the clearance racks tomorrow is staggering. If you don’t mind wearing a shirt for a player who’s no longer here, you’ll find some good deals.

My big concern with this trade isn’t that Kessel’s gone, but rather that Kessel’s gone to Toronto. Intradivision trading is a risky business, and if Kessel ever scores a dagger-in-the-heart goal against the B’s in the playoffs, then Chiarelli’s in big trouble. I’d be more comfortable with NSH or MIN, just because they’re out of the conference.

by Arenacale on Sep 18, 2009 9:30 PM EDT reply actions

I wanted Radulov to come back for under 1 million for ‘10-’11 from Nashville.

Don’t know what we would’ve gotten out of Minnesota (where’d that rumor come from, anyhow? I hadn’t heard it anywhere prior to yesterday) but I like the wild as well so it would have been…ok.

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

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Sep 18, 2009 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions

It probably would have been a player wearing 67 and 51 from the WIld.

by Eric B on Sep 20, 2009 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions

The Bruins had to think about not only this year but also next year, when they will have to make signing decisions about Lucic, Wheeler, and Savard …. This trade is just how the salary cap world is …. Hopefully things work out for the Bruins …. The Leafs have just supplanted the Habs as The Enemy!

by Mr Spock on Sep 18, 2009 9:46 PM EDT reply actions

Hear, hear, regarding both points. Add this to the Leafs signing Komisarek, and we could have two pretty heated rivalries. All the better for the fans.

by Malurous on Sep 18, 2009 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah because Lucic can pound on Mike Komisarek while he is wearing a Leafs Jersey, the results will be the same, Komisarek getting his ass kicked.

by Eric B on Sep 20, 2009 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions

The leafs haven’t supplanted the habs as rivals.

But they’re trying, and I respect that.

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

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Sep 18, 2009 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions

On Balance: B+ to B's

Deal favors Bruins. Kessel, I hope he does well in Toronto…nothing bad with ratcheting up an intradivision rival…and having another team to despise…but it will be interesting to see how young Phil fares without a Savardian-like center (to borrow a wonderful term from another blogger)…and with INTENSE media and fan pressure in the Mecca of hockey, Toronto. (Sorry, but it’s true due to the simple fact that Stanley’s permanent “home” is there…and many hockey pilgrimages are made to Toronto.)

Re Bruins…and comments that they should have received a body as well as draft picks…not to worry. If they’re in the running for Stanley this year…and who seriously expects them not to be…at the trade deadline those picks will go for a perfect piece or two. The Penguins found two perfect wings for Crosby at the trade deadline last year…look where they went. The Bs now have what it takes to shop well this time around.

by rattle6288 on Sep 19, 2009 10:56 AM EDT reply actions

What I didn't realize about this

Which is stated well in this article from SI.com:
is how well this trade positions the Pats…I mean B’s (it’s that kinda good):

1. Save cash for the RFA’s Lucic, Wheeler, B.Stuart & Raask + UFA Savard
2. Gives the B’s 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 8 picks in the 1st two rounds of the ’10 AND ’11 drafts.

As much as I like Phil and think at 21 he’s still growing as a player, this deal really helps the B’s try and secure long term success on some key levels

by JonnyNYC on Sep 19, 2009 2:59 PM EDT reply actions

8 picks in the first two rounds?

TAYLOR HALL!

Or maybe they’ll just trade at the deadline…

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

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Sep 20, 2009 1:56 AM EDT up reply actions

The fact that I know jack about the best junior players makes me wish NHL Net had a “CHL Game of the Week” to show more than just the Memorial Cup.

by Arenacale on Sep 20, 2009 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions

On the other hand, the Memorial cup is awesome. I agree, though, I wouldn’t mind seeing more Major Junior hockey.

VROOM!

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

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Sep 20, 2009 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions

I like the deal. It’s sad to see a talented young player go, but from what ive read he didnt want to play here. I think we got good value for him, and having that many picks gives us a lot of flexibility – we can can use them to add a key component at the trade deadline, package some together to move up in the draft if there’s a kid we really like, etc..

I agree with some of the posters above that it sucks moving him to a division rival – but at the same time we’re getting Toronto’s picks and keeping them from rebuilding the right way (i.e. from within, drafting). You simply cant build a deep team with free agents in the salary cap era…so yes, they get a talented goal scorer with a lot of upside, but they (likely) sacrificed the chance to add any major pieces to the depth of their organization for the next couple years.

Personally, I’ll take a talented, deep team (i.e. Boston, Detroit) over a top-heavy team with one all-star line (think Ottawa, Tampa) .

by Stza on Sep 19, 2009 3:23 PM EDT reply actions

Belichick makes deal with leafs

To hell with Kessel. Give me two first rounders and a second anyday. In 1966, Bobby Orr was great but he still didn’t make a championship team until Espo, Hodge and the Tooth(wayne cashman) came along. My first Bruins game was in 1959 when I was 7 yrs old. Clear the Track here comes Shack

Here we go Bruins Here we go

OB1

by OB1 on Sep 19, 2009 8:19 PM EDT reply actions