Phil Kessel

[GhostofPotvin29]

sunhornby Lance Hornby
According to Leaf media guide, Kessel is their first player of the month since Felix Potvin in Oct./93. This is Leafs' 2nd best start since.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

This has also been going on kind of quietly:
Leafs D last year 139 points (including Kaberle & Beuachemin)

This year, they're on pace for 246 points. I would suggest that certainly has been assisted by Kessel's hot line and quick start but I think they deserve some credit themselves.

Further to the above, I haven't check the numbers myself, but I think Leafs TV said the Leafs D was the second highest in points in the league so far in this young season.

But.....but there's no way to replace an elite offensive d-man like Kaberle. Where will the goals come from?

 

[Optimus Reimer]

This has also been going on kind of quietly:
Leafs D last year 139 points (including Kaberle & Beuachemin)

This year, they're on pace for 246 points. I would suggest that certainly has been assisted by Kessel's hot line and quick start but I think they deserve some credit themselves.

Further to the above, I haven't check the numbers myself, but I think Leafs TV said the Leafs D was the second highest in points in the league so far in this young season.

But.....but there's no way to replace an elite offensive d-man like Kaberle. Where will the goals come from?

Phaneuf, Liles, Franson, just to name a few names.  Gardiner also looks very good out there.  What the Leafs got for trading Kabs and Beauch was well worth making those two trades.  The Leafs weren't going anywhere with those two guys and the upswing will be big for the Leafs.

 

[Redleaf]

sunhornby Lance Hornby
According to Leaf media guide, Kessel is their first player of the month since Felix Potvin in Oct./93. This is Leafs' 2nd best start since.

This is all very encouraging news. Without getting ahead of myself too much, I really don't see the team going into a major tailspin like they did last year. There just seems to be a totally different dynamic to the squad this season. We could quite easily get careers bests from the likes of Kessel, Phanuef, and Reimer to name a few. I think we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel after so much darkness the past 7 or 8 years here in Leafland

I give most of the credit to the job Brian Burke's done since his arrival. From his front office moves, to his picks and especially his trades, he's really been the major contributing factor to this dramatic turnaround. Like Burkie said when he took over as GM, there are 4 stages in a teams evolution to success. Crawl, Walk, Run, then Sprint. I would say we have clearly run out of the gate so far, and I hope we see a sprint to the finish of the season, and into the playoffs! Yes. I said Playoffs

 

[Corn Flake]

sunhornby Lance Hornby
According to Leaf media guide, Kessel is their first player of the month since Felix Potvin in Oct./93. This is Leafs' 2nd best start since.

DOMINOES!

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

The Leaf sniper was so embarrassed by the award he erased its announcement from the team?s white board while admitting he may now have to buy dinner for his teammates.

?It?s a team effort,? he said. ?You can?t do it without your teammates, your linemates. They make great passes. Without them, you can?t score goals. They went in the first month.?

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/article/1079318--kessel-named-nhl-s-player-of-month?bn=1

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Kessel is sporting a 29.4 shooting %, and already has 3 GWG (he had 6 all of last season, and 6 is his career-high).

The only thing I don't like about high shooting percentages like that is that it's almost impossible to keep that rate up over an extended period of time. But that's a problem to worry about for another day. And with Kessel's newly discovered dedication to the '200-foot game' then it might not even be an issue.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Kessel is sporting a 29.4 shooting %, and already has 3 GWG (he had 6 all of last season, and 6 is his career-high).

The only thing I don't like about high shooting percentages like that is that it's almost impossible to keep that rate up over an extended period of time. But that's a problem to worry about for another day. And with Kessel's newly discovered dedication to the '200-foot game' then it might not even be an issue.

Oh yeah, it was posted more for a 'that's a crazy percentage so far' stat, than any inkling of it continuing like that.

 

[L K]

Kessel is sporting a 29.4 shooting %, and already has 3 GWG (he had 6 all of last season, and 6 is his career-high).

The only thing I don't like about high shooting percentages like that is that it's almost impossible to keep that rate up over an extended period of time. But that's a problem to worry about for another day. And with Kessel's newly discovered dedication to the '200-foot game' then it might not even be an issue.

Oh yeah, it was posted more for a 'that's a crazy percentage so far' stat, than any inkling of it continuing like that.

All the same, his shots have mostly been of the "quality" variety so it's not like his shooting percentage is buoyed by freebie goals....which he is sure to get at times too.  His percentage will likely drop 15-20% by years end, but hopefully his shooting volume goes up too.

 

[dappleganger]

Luckily for us Leaf fans Kessel takes a ton of shots so even as his shooting comes down the goals will still come. He prolly won't lead the league is all.

 

[Zee]

With this hot start, it'll be a disappointment if Kessel fails to hit at least 40 goals this season.  That's more than within reach now. I expect 45-50

 

[Deebo]

With this hot start, it'll be a disappointment if Kessel fails to hit at least 40 goals this season.  That's more than within reach now. I expect 45-50

50 would mean he'd have to score 40 goals in 71 games, which is a 45+ goal pace over 82 games and for him to finish with 45 he'd have to score at a 40 goal pace for the rest of the season.

I wouldn't expect that kind of production out of anyone, alot will still have to go right for Phil to score 50.

 

[Zee]

With this hot start, it'll be a disappointment if Kessel fails to hit at least 40 goals this season.  That's more than within reach now. I expect 45-50

50 would mean he'd have to score 40 goals in 71 games, which is a 45+ goal pace over 82 games and for him to finish with 45 he'd have to score at a 40 goal pace for the rest of the season.

I wouldn't expect that kind of production out of anyone, alot will still have to go right for Phil to score 50.

35 goals in the next 71 games is very reachable for Kessel.  He's shown he can score > 30 each year he's been with the Leafs, and he's playing far better now than he ever has before.  If he tails off and only scores 20-25 goals over the next 71, the Leafs are in big trouble.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

He scored 36 in 70 games in his last season in Boston, so it's definitely something he can do.

 

[Deebo]

He scored 36 in 70 games in his last season in Boston, so it's definitely something he can do.

It is, he'd have to miss very few games and avoid prolonged scoring slumps, so like I said a lot would have to go right.

 

[bustaheims]

For Kessel to hit 40 goals, if he continues at his current shot per game pace, he'll need a shooting percentage of 12.3% the rest of the way - above his career numbers but a good 3 percent lower than his career high. For 45, he'll need 14.3% - also below his career high - and, for 50, he'll need 16.3%, which would exceed his career high by almost a full percentage.

I'd say 40 goals is a very reasonable target - one that I'd say he's more than likely to reach. After all, he's done 30+ in 70 games twice in his career already. More than that might be pushing it, but, at the same time, in 39 games with Lupul on the Leafs, Kessel has scored 23 times with a shooting percentage of 17.1%, so, with that in mind, pushing 50 is not out of the question at all.

 

[Zee]

For Kessel to hit 40 goals, if he continues at his current shot per game pace, he'll need a shooting percentage of 12.3% the rest of the way - above his career numbers but a good 3 percent lower than his career high. For 45, he'll need 14.3% - also below his career high - and, for 50, he'll need 16.3%, which would exceed his career high by almost a full percentage.

I'd say 40 goals is a very reasonable target - one that I'd say he's more than likely to reach. After all, he's done 30+ in 70 games twice in his career already. More than that might be pushing it, but, at the same time, in 39 games with Lupul on the Leafs, Kessel has scored 23 times with a shooting percentage of 17.1%, so, with that in mind, pushing 50 is not out of the question at all.

My big hope is he doesn't "cool off" to last year's pace, but keeps playing at a higher point pace.  If he does that 40+ is a given.

I'm trying to be realistic here, and given that he's gotten off to such a great start with 10 goals already, 40 is within reach.  Let's say he cools off to *only* last year's production for the rest of the 71 games remaining.  He scored 32 in 82 games last season, or 0.39 goals per game.  Take that pace for the next 71 games and he scores an additional 27.7 goals (call it 28), so that gives him 38 on the year.  Very reachable.

Mine (and every Leafs fan hope I assume) would be that he continues his elevated play for most of the rest of the season.  In that case 40+ goals would be a given.

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

For Kessel to hit 40 goals, if he continues at his current shot per game pace, he'll need a shooting percentage of 12.3% the rest of the way - above his career numbers but a good 3 percent lower than his career high. For 45, he'll need 14.3% - also below his career high - and, for 50, he'll need 16.3%, which would exceed his career high by almost a full percentage.

I'd say 40 goals is a very reasonable target - one that I'd say he's more than likely to reach. After all, he's done 30+ in 70 games twice in his career already. More than that might be pushing it, but, at the same time, in 39 games with Lupul on the Leafs, Kessel has scored 23 times with a shooting percentage of 17.1%, so, with that in mind, pushing 50 is not out of the question at all.

My big hope is he doesn't "cool off" to last year's pace, but keeps playing at a higher point pace.  If he does that 40+ is a given.

I'm trying to be realistic here, and given that he's gotten off to such a great start with 10 goals already, 40 is within reach.  Let's say he cools off to *only* last year's production for the rest of the 71 games remaining.  He scored 32 in 82 games last season, or 0.39 goals per game.  Take that pace for the next 71 games and he scores an additional 27.7 goals (call it 28), so that gives him 38 on the year.  Very reachable.

Mine (and every Leafs fan hope I assume) would be that he continues his elevated play for most of the rest of the season.  In that case 40+ goals would be a given.

Does that include four rounds of play-offs?

 

[Zee]

For Kessel to hit 40 goals, if he continues at his current shot per game pace, he'll need a shooting percentage of 12.3% the rest of the way - above his career numbers but a good 3 percent lower than his career high. For 45, he'll need 14.3% - also below his career high - and, for 50, he'll need 16.3%, which would exceed his career high by almost a full percentage.

I'd say 40 goals is a very reasonable target - one that I'd say he's more than likely to reach. After all, he's done 30+ in 70 games twice in his career already. More than that might be pushing it, but, at the same time, in 39 games with Lupul on the Leafs, Kessel has scored 23 times with a shooting percentage of 17.1%, so, with that in mind, pushing 50 is not out of the question at all.

My big hope is he doesn't "cool off" to last year's pace, but keeps playing at a higher point pace.  If he does that 40+ is a given.

I'm trying to be realistic here, and given that he's gotten off to such a great start with 10 goals already, 40 is within reach.  Let's say he cools off to *only* last year's production for the rest of the 71 games remaining.  He scored 32 in 82 games last season, or 0.39 goals per game.  Take that pace for the next 71 games and he scores an additional 27.7 goals (call it 28), so that gives him 38 on the year.  Very reachable.

Mine (and every Leafs fan hope I assume) would be that he continues his elevated play for most of the rest of the season.  In that case 40+ goals would be a given.

Does that include four rounds of play-offs?

We'll see in June. 

 

[Tigger]

Yeah, with that kick start Kessel should hit 40, if he can really push who knows how many, maybe 50 but that old 'consistency' question will have to be mitigated some to achieve that.