Kessel Ranked 47th on TSN "Top 50 List"

[ktownguy31]

its obviously because he was picked last in the all star draft that one yr

[jrice9]

They could be wrong?

The guys at TSN aren't exactly the end all be all of hockey intelligence.

[Eagles4Lyfe]

About time he finally got a top 50 mentioning for once.
But still pathetic he gets no love.

I guess TSN thinks consistent 30 goal scorers grow on trees ..

The hate this guy gets is absolutely pathetic and that shouldn't happen because he plays for Toronto, were supposed to overrate our players not underrate the crap outta them.

[BigStat$54]

As has already been stated, TSN is not the be all end all of hockey knowledge. If anything they WAY overdo the hockey coverage, a list like this should be nothing more than a website article let alone an hour long TV special. But I guess they gotta reach for programming when there's no actual games being played, it's not like there's other sports or anything. /End rant about TSN.

As for their ranking of Kessel, if that's their opinion than so be it. I think it's wrong, he was a point a game player last year, has 4 straight 30 goal years, has international experience and the medals to prove it and he's only 25. I would say that he's at least top 35. Being able to do what he's done playing on such a bad team in Toronto, where he's viewed as the only offensive threat and teams top defense's focus on shutting him down is pretty spectacular. The only knock against him is his defensive play. He's shown flashes of playing pretty decently defensively but he's not consistent enough and that's the only thing that really hurts him.

[Tito Santana]

How sad is it that the Leafs only have 1 guy on the list.

[Ninjago]

Man, I'm not a huge fan of Kessel, and I hated the trade because of what we gave up (and especially the timing), but the kid takes A LOT of crap. 6th in the league in points, 6th in goals, top 20 in assists, least PIM's in the top 10 scorers, and the second lowest amount of TOI of the top 6. I don't know how much more you can ask... back-check? Who cares, get him some decent all round line-mates and a decent goaltender and I can live with his current level of d. So he's not overly physical... at least he's not getting injured (he isn't exactly huge). The trade is done, and if anyone really thinks that in his young career Seguin has surpassed Kessel in terms of proven value, their wrong... or at the very minimum biased. This is Sundin hate all over again.

Imagine what his numbers would have been like if he had a legit first line C to play with.
This list is a joke!!

[jrice9]

That's the main problem.

Lupul is the only other guy worthy of being in the top 100. Phaneuf is a stretch imo for that role.

Kessel is decent enough as a franchise player (not good enough but close) but the problem is the utter lack of other star power

[LuckyLuke2]

I still am in disbelief that Jordan Staal is ahead of Kessel.
Forget him playing with his brother his skill is NOWHERE close to Kessel's, and if you wanna go by stats... well... yeah. Kessel is definitely ahead.

[Miltstar]

Who really cares where they rank him? Its surprising that so many people undervalue him but in the long run its just a list and it doesn't make a difference to anyone

[lobster]

Are you serious? Kessel has more offensive flash but thats it. In the playoffs Staal would be twice as valuable as Kessel. There is few players in the NHL softer on the puck than Phil Kessel. I like Kessel but you could poll 30 GM's and all of em would trade Kessel straight up for Staal.

[LuckyLuke2]

Are you serious? Kessel has more offensive flash but thats it. In the playoffs Staal would be twice as valuable as Kessel. There is few players in the NHL softer on the puck than Phil Kessel. I like Kessel but you could poll 30 GM's and all of em would trade Kessel straight up for Staal.

I don't know if they would trade them straight up but you make good points.

[KingerSox]

How sad is it that the Leafs only have 1 guy on the list.

It is sad Tito. Damn sad. One look at the standings the last decade almost and you can see why there's only 1 guy.

Are you serious? Kessel has more offensive flash but thats it. In the playoffs Staal would be twice as valuable as Kessel. There is few players in the NHL softer on the puck than Phil Kessel. I like Kessel but you could poll 30 GM's and all of em would trade Kessel straight up for Staal.

I don't know if all 30 would. Well maybe now since Burke's not a GM anymore lol. I don't think Staal will ever score as many points as Kessel, but his offence is going to shoot up now that he'll at the very least be a 2nd line centremen with some nice wingers to boot. Hello Jeff Skinner, hello Alex Semin maybe. I sure as hell know I'd trade Kessel for Staal straight up. Wouldn't have to think long about it.

[jrice9]

Without his extension, I doubt that's true.

Staal is a valuable player but he's not really in Kessell's class offensively.

Unless you think giving the opportunity he'd be a #1 center, I don't see how you take Staal

[jrice9]

It is sad Tito. Damn sad. One look at the standings the last decade almost and you can see why there's only 1 guy.



I don't know if all 30 would. Well maybe now since Burke's not a GM anymore lol. I don't think Staal will ever score as many points as Kessel, but his offence is going to shoot up now that he'll at the very least be a 2nd line centremen with some nice wingers to boot. Hello Jeff Skinner, hello Alex Semin maybe. I sure as hell know I'd trade Kessel for Staal straight up. Wouldn't have to think long about it.

I would trade Staal for Kessel just because of Staal's contract being guarenteed.

Leaving that aside, I wouldn't. Staal hasn't shown he can be a focal point of an offense at all.

He has routinely been Pitt's 3rd or 4th best forward and while he may be good enough to be a prime offensive player no one really knows.

He also has had injury problems the last two years.

[KingerSox]

Depends what you want. Obviously we're in fantasy world right now but if a Kessel/Staal deal ever did happen we're still missing something. Right now we're missing a big stud 2 way centremen but if we trade Kessel for that then we need a guy like Kessel for that centremen lol. I think Staal can be 1b/#2 centremen that if given an ENTIRE season in a top 2 role could net near to a point a game. 75pts/80pts range. He's gotten bits and peices of seasons on the top 2 lines but never enough. Can't chastize a guy because he's behind the two best players in the world in terms of depth on his own team before the Canes trade. He's got skill offensively too and plays the boards and a cycle game that'd have Randy Carlyle grinning ear to ear. Definitly a better fit on Randy's team than Kessel. Maybe not on a Ron Wilson team.