Phil Kessel

[Bullfrog]

Malkin's deal is worth $9.5M a year. Kessel at $8.5M is about right. If Crosby's deal was to begin at the same time as Kessel's new deal, it'd be north of $10M I'm sure.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I just hope that anybody who has problems with Kessel at $8mil almost jumped off a cliff when they saw Clarkson's contract.

 

[bustaheims]

I don't know how a guy who has finished inside the top 8 in league scoring in back to back seasons wouldn't be considered to be one of the top 20 players in the league.

 

[BrownRolo]

I don't know how a guy who has finished inside the top 8 in league scoring in back to back seasons wouldn't be considered to be one of the top 20 players in the league.

But his interview skills have to be in the bottom bracket. So i would say 6 mil tops.

 

[Deebo]

Malkin's deal is worth $9.5M a year. Kessel at $8.5M is about right. If Crosby's deal was to begin at the same time as Kessel's new deal, it'd be north of $10M I'm sure.

Without the 3 years at 3M at the end of Crosby's deal, its 10.5M AAV.

 

[Bender]

Double yuk.

What's worse? Kessel at ~$8.5M or the Leafs without Kessel? It's a pretty clear answer to me, because, even if the Leafs trade Kessel, they'll almost certainly end up being a worse team without him than they are with him. Talent of Kessel's calibre just doesn't come cheap and it certainly ain't plentiful.

Agreed. It's silly to get bent out of shape about the $$$ of a deal that at worst will probably be a bit of painful cap hit in year 1 and then fit well within the cap structure as it rises.

For the Phil Kessel we've seen in the last 2 seasons and that 7 game playoff, I gladly pay him top dollar.

Yeah, I mean I just think it's odd NOT to budget that much for a premier scorer in the league. But, you know, he's a bad interview soooo... LOWBALL!

 

[Bender]

Double yuk.

What's worse? Kessel at ~$8.5M or the Leafs without Kessel? It's a pretty clear answer to me, because, even if the Leafs trade Kessel, they'll almost certainly end up being a worse team without him than they are with him. Talent of Kessel's calibre just doesn't come cheap and it certainly ain't plentiful.

I realize he's showing signs of being a more complete player, but regardless of whether the team would be worse off if they traded him (which is not a foregone conclusion), he is simply not an elite player ("elite" defined here as top 10 or even top 20 in the league).  $8M+ is the kind of money Crosbys and Malkins make.  Kessel is a good, but he's not that good.  I wouldn't pay him that much, and if he holds out for it, I'd trade him.

The cost of elite players ebbs and flows. It's not like in five years $8m will be the cost of an elite player if the cap goes up - an elite player is probably better represented as a percentage of budget space.

In the future I think this would be a pretty good contract.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Malkin's deal is worth $9.5M a year. Kessel at $8.5M is about right. If Crosby's deal was to begin at the same time as Kessel's new deal, it'd be north of $10M I'm sure.

Without the 3 years at 3M at the end of Crosby's deal, its 10.5M AAV.

If you just looked at the first 8 years of Parise's contract his AAV would be $10mil.

Now, here's what I don't get. I don't think there's a single person here who is going to suggest that Kessel isn't worth at least $7mil. Are we really going to walk away from arguably a top-5 goal scorer in the league over $1-1.5mil?

 

[Joe S.]

I realize he's showing signs of being a more complete player, but regardless of whether the team would be worse off if they traded him (which is not a foregone conclusion), he is simply not an elite player ("elite" defined here as top 10 or even top 20 in the league).  $8M+ is the kind of money Crosbys and Malkins make.  Kessel is a good, but he's not that good.  I wouldn't pay him that much, and if he holds out for it, I'd trade him.

Name 20 better wingers in the league.

 

[Leafaholic99]

8 years at $8,100,042 per year !!

$8,100,043 or no deal.

But Kessel's BFF is Bozak, not Kadri haha

 

[maplesyrup]

Double yuk.

What's worse? Kessel at ~$8.5M or the Leafs without Kessel? It's a pretty clear answer to me, because, even if the Leafs trade Kessel, they'll almost certainly end up being a worse team without him than they are with him. Talent of Kessel's calibre just doesn't come cheap and it certainly ain't plentiful.

It's goes without saying that these current Leafs are a wreck without Kessel.

 

[bustaheims]

It's goes without saying that these current Leafs are a wreck without Kessel.

Okay, so, with that in mind, what's more palatable - paying Kessel a little more than you're comfortable with and building around an elite offensive player or another attempt at a rebuild?

 

[maplesyrup]

It's goes without saying that these current Leafs are a wreck without Kessel.

Okay, so, with that in mind, what's more palatable - paying Kessel a little more than you're comfortable with and building around an elite offensive player or another attempt at a rebuild?

Well, I might take this year to see if Kessel can be at least as good as he was last year and if not, I either sign him to a reasonable deal or make another attempt at a rebuild.

 

[ZBBM]

I just hope that anybody who has problems with Kessel at $8mil almost jumped off a cliff when they saw Clarkson's contract.

I did, but my bungee held just in time.

 

[ZBBM]

I don't know how a guy who has finished inside the top 8 in league scoring in back to back seasons wouldn't be considered to be one of the top 20 players in the league.

THN had him 45th or something.  FWIW, which may not be much I realize.  But I don't think he's top 20.

 

[Deebo]

I don't know how a guy who has finished inside the top 8 in league scoring in back to back seasons wouldn't be considered to be one of the top 20 players in the league.

THN had him 45th or something.  FWIW, which may not be much I realize.  But I don't think he's top 20.

This player poll conducted by the hockey news has him voted 16th by his peers, in 2011-2012

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/45156-THNs-Top-50-NHLers-as-voted-by-the-players-3531.html

 

[ZBBM]

Malkin's deal is worth $9.5M a year. Kessel at $8.5M is about right. If Crosby's deal was to begin at the same time as Kessel's new deal, it'd be north of $10M I'm sure.

Without the 3 years at 3M at the end of Crosby's deal, its 10.5M AAV.

If you just looked at the first 8 years of Parise's contract his AAV would be $10mil.

Now, here's what I don't get. I don't think there's a single person here who is going to suggest that Kessel isn't worth at least $7mil. Are we really going to walk away from arguably a top-5 goal scorer in the league over $1-1.5mil?

See, that kind of argument always sounds irrefutable, but cap space is cap space.  Money does matter, and if Kessel is worth only $7-ish (as I would think) and he demands say, $8.5M, then yeah, that extra $1.5 is important.  Look at the potential squeeze on Kadri.

 

[ZBBM]

I don't know how a guy who has finished inside the top 8 in league scoring in back to back seasons wouldn't be considered to be one of the top 20 players in the league.

THN had him 45th or something.  FWIW, which may not be much I realize.  But I don't think he's top 20.

This player poll conducted by the hockey news has him voted 16th by his peers

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/45156-THNs-Top-50-NHLers-as-voted-by-the-players-3531.html

Are you saying they know more than I do?  That their opinion is worth more than mine??

 

[Deebo]

I don't know how a guy who has finished inside the top 8 in league scoring in back to back seasons wouldn't be considered to be one of the top 20 players in the league.

THN had him 45th or something.  FWIW, which may not be much I realize.  But I don't think he's top 20.

This player poll conducted by the hockey news has him voted 16th by his peers

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/45156-THNs-Top-50-NHLers-as-voted-by-the-players-3531.html

Are you saying they know more than I do?  That their opinion is worth more than mine??

Yes, the results of a poll of 5 players on each NHL team, players who play against him, is worth more than the opinion of one hockey fan, IMO of course.

 

[Bender]

I don't know how a guy who has finished inside the top 8 in league scoring in back to back seasons wouldn't be considered to be one of the top 20 players in the league.

THN had him 45th or something.  FWIW, which may not be much I realize.  But I don't think he's top 20.

Fo me I'd compare apples to apples here. In terms of being a pure goal scorer I don't think there are many better than him. I don't think I could list 20 guys who are better from that perspective.