Pittsburgh Penguins: Kessel Primed to Shine vs. Leafs
Phil Kessel and the Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. And, while most would expect a fairly uneventful game against a rebuilding Leafs team, this tilt will be much, much different for obvious reasons.
The Leafs acquired Kessel from the Boston Bruins in a blockbuster trade in 2009. Toronto sent a first and second round draft pick in the 2010 draft, along with a first round pick in 2011 to Boston for his services. They viewed him as the future face of the franchise and their ticket to turning around a struggling Maple Leafs organization.
Since then, despite being Toronto’s leading scorer over the past six years, Kessel has been labeled a failure by many in hockey’s hot bed. To be fair, that label was mainly issued by members of Toronto’s media, known to be arguably the toughest group of reporters in the league. Though tough may not be the right term, as controversial may be more fitting. They’re a group that looks to create headlines and Kessel was their opportunity to do so.
Kessel was widely viewed as a coach killer, a cancer in the locker room and a poorly conditioned, unmotivated player. But, no one in that market wanted to talk about the real issues with that organization, which was poor management, a sub par supporting cast and completely unrealistic expectations. It’s safe to say things are much different for Kessel in Pittsburgh.
Phil Kessel: Then Vs. Now. pic.twitter.com/dZT5WnZqyH
— Mike Necciai (@Michael29Angelo) September 10, 2015
The Pittsburgh Penguins are off to a slow start. There are questions about their head coach’s job security and the team’s inability to score goals. It may sound like Kessel is having a terrible case of deja vu but there’s a huge difference between the two scenarios. Pittsburgh will likely figure things out. With this cast of all-world talent, they have to.
How will the Maple Leafs approach tonight’s matchup? After a surprising 6-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, will they enter Consol Energy Center looking to make a statement?
The Leafs are a team on the right path within their rebuild. While I do believe there are players that will look to show they’re ready to step up in Kessel’s absence, I think their lineup understands that there’s simply no replacing a guy like 81. The player I look for to prove a point in Kessel himself.
Kessel’s last season in Toronto went something like this…
The Pittsburgh Penguins provided Phil with a fresh start. A fresh start that includes a high-powered offense and line mates unlike anyone he has flanked in his entire career. Tonight, he’ll want to show Toronto what could have been if they had surrounded him with the necessary talent to exploit his unique scoring ability and blazing speed.
The following quote from Chris Kunitz tells you everything you need to know about how Kessel approaches the game…
Chris Kunitz on what he's learned about Kessel off the ice: "Just that he tells guys that he'll beat 'em at whatever sport they pick."
— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) October 17, 2015
He may be shy. He may not be the prototypical professional athlete. But, Kessel possesses a drive and a subtle confidence like very few others in the NHL. He’ll look to call upon that drive tonight with all of Toronto watching his every move.
Next: Pens Losing at Their Own Game