Posts About "Phil Kessel"
Today in Hockey History: Sept. 18
September 18th, 2020 This has been a very important date in the history of the National Hockey League. In addition to two franchise playing in their first games, Sept. 18 has been the birth date of four members of the Hockey Hall of Fame; three great players and one legendary coach. A Pair of NHL Debuts The Los Angeles Kings were one of six teams who...
Did the Bruins Lose the Kessel Deal?
September 15th, 2020 Public opinion of the Phil Kessel trade has swung back and forth dramatically over the years. Dealing a 22-year-old potential superstar, fresh off of a 36-goal season, initially received a lukewarm reception. Faced with a trade request, and staring down a potential cap crunch, Boston Bruins’ general manager (GM) Peter Chiarelli made...
Stanley Cups, NHL Awards & Hot Dogs - Phil Kessel is Hall of Fame Worthy
September 3rd, 2020 Phil Kessel has won two Stanley Cups. He's had six seasons of 30-plus goals, and had a streak of 11 years at 20 or more broken by the COVID-19 shutdown. He was a highly touted Boston Bruins draft pick at fifth overall in 2006 and was traded for multiple first-round picks when the transaction that moved him to Toronto occurred. A...
Penguins' Best and Worst Trades of the Decade
August 29th, 2020 The Pittsburgh Penguins have spent the last decade with higher expectations than almost any other NHL squad. Stacked with high-end talent and depth to make deep playoff runs, the team has constantly been in win-now mode throughout Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin's primes. Part of the reason the Penguins have been competitive for so...
Coyotes Need More Offense from Ekman-Larsson, Kessel
August 17th, 2020 The Arizona Coyotes have put up a tenacious fight against a heavily-favored Colorado Avalanche team in the first round of the NHL Playoffs. But some of the players who looked indispensable in their qualifying round series against the Nashville Predators have disappeared in the first three matchups against Colorado. Specifically, the...
Coyotes Split Back-to-Back, Stay Alive vs Avs
August 16th, 2020 On Saturday afternoon in Edmonton, the veterans came through for the Arizona Coyotes, as the club picked up a huge 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round to cut their series deficit to 2-1. It was the Coyotes' first Stanley Cup playoff victory since Game 4 of the Western Conference Final...
Penguins Have Mastered the Art of Trading 1st-Round Pick
August 5th, 2020 The modern NHL has taught us that first-round picks are as valuable as gold, but the Pittsburgh Penguins don't see it that way. Instead, they've seen their first-round picks as important trade chips to acquire veteran talent either at the NHL Trade Deadline or during the offseason. The Penguins may not have won a Stanley Cup every...
Phil Kessel - Alex Galchenyuk Trade Revisited
July 9th, 2020 Over the many years of a legendary career, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford has shown he does not shy away from making massive trades to make his team competitive. On July 30, 2019, he proved that again by trading away a star player who was crucial to the back-to-back Stanley Cup-winning playoff runs in 2016 and...
Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Kessel, Marner, Matthews & Salary Cap
July 7th, 2020 In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumors, I want to review Phil Kessel’s time with the team. I also want to share speculation about which Maple Leafs are likely to make Team Canada for the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games. Related: Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Hyman, Robertson, Tavares & Matthews Third, I want...
Today in Hockey History: July 1
July 1st, 2020 July 1 has been a big news day for the National Hockey League in recent years thanks to the start of free agency. In addition to some big contracts getting signed, this date has also seen the birth of three different Hall of Fame forwards. Free Agency Frenzy July 1 has been the opening of free agency across the NHL for some time...
NHL Rumors: Penguins, Sharks, Red Wings, Maple Leafs, More
June 29th, 2020 In today's NHL rumor rundown, would the San Jose Sharks expose defenseman Brent Burns in the expansion draft? Are the Detroit Red Wings rethinking their draft strategy after falling to the fourth spot? What kind of money will Sam Reinhart make on his next contract, and what really happened between the Penguins and Phil Kessel that saw...
5 Best US National Team Development Program Graduates
June 22nd, 2020 The United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) was formed in 1996 by the U.S. Hockey Federation as a way to identify top players under the age of 18 and centralize their training in order to develop talent more effectively. The program going towards its 25th year has produced its fair share of NHL stars, and this...
Classic Draft Day Quotes
June 12th, 2020 One of the most exciting days of the hockey calendar comes near the end of every June, Draft Day. It’s a time where teenagers dreams are met, teams stock their metaphorical cupboards with prospects and look to the future of their organizations. In most cases, it’s a day filled with happy prospects and happy general...
