[Rumour] - Phil the thrill linked to Canucks

[MeanSeanBean]

11 hours ago, Jeremy Hronek said:

Yeah I don’t know….

 

I mean what is he now, 38?

 

He was a healthy scratch when Vegas won the cup (a sub-par performance in the first round earned him a first class trip to the press box to play with boners and eat chicken wings).

 

Speaking of boners, I’d be excited if Kessel was joining us in 2014…..but it’s 2024 now. I’m just not sure what Kessel will be able to do at this point.

 

Daniel Sedin would have been more useful than Phil Kessel in my opinion.

36. While he's not spring chicken, there is a significant difference between 36 and 38 in sports years

[Provost]

5 hours ago, theochar said:

 

Are you all out of your fkn minds???? Check out the date on the tweet sparky its 2014. There is no way in hell kes suits up for us, we shipped kuzmenko out for being lazy. Tocchet would have to go against everything hes been preaching all year if we sign him. If JR loves him so much he can host him in the suite and they can watch the games together with hot dogs and beers cos thats where hed be anyway. Saves a couple of million as well

Read the other link, it is from 2022.

 

Kessel isn’t lazy, nor did we ship out Kuzmenko for being lazy.

 

Tocchet knows this player inside out and has a great relationship with him.  

[aGENT]

8 hours ago, Mike Vanderhoek said:

Disappointing to see a lot of people not understanding what Mikheyev brings to the lineup and how soon he got on the ice after a major injury and surgery.

 

He is a top nine the Canucks will need. He's also nowhere near running at top speed right now and will have a decent production number by end of year.

 

1 minute ago, Provost said:

Ya, we have just seen a few bursts of his top speed.  There is no reason so believe with routine ACL surgery that he will have any permanent effects.  The Mikheyev you will see after a full offseason is going to have two extra gears and ability to create separation.

 

He is literally one of the very fastest players on the planet at full health, and for a team that lacks speed overall that is a good guy to have around.

 

The fact he is still playing a solid game is a testament to his intelligence as a player.  

 

 

 

It's crazy!

 

Guy's coming off surgery that takes the better part of a year (or more) to come back from, has good size, speed, still putting up "ok" numbers despite that injury (and him and Petterson dragging Kuz around most of the year), plays both special teams, excellent defensively. Generally just a really good, 2 way, complementary top 9 guy.

 

Trading him would be short sighted ignorance.

[Bob Long]

3 minutes ago, aGENT said:

 

 

It's crazy!

 

Guy's coming off surgery that takes the better part of a year (or more) to come back from, has good size, speed, still putting up "ok" numbers despite that injury (and him and Petterson dragging Kuz around most of the year), plays both special teams, excellent defensively. Generally just a really good, 2 way, complementary top 9 guy.

 

Maybe a maintenance day or two could help.

 

3 minutes ago, aGENT said:

Trading him would be short sighted ignorance.

 

Unless it's for a big piece like Guentzel, yep.

[OldFaithfulcap]

22 minutes ago, DeNiro said:

What are you talking about?

 

Lindholm replaced Kuzmenko. Kessel would be a depth signing at league min.

 

And I imagine they’re looking to add another replacement so that Suter isn’t in the top 6.

 

Lots of people are talking about kessel being top six so that's why i made the kuz-kessel comparison there if you look at both of them being top six wingers. I don't see him being top six myself.

 

Bottom six maybe, but hopefully depth as i like the physical aspect of the current guys.

 

[The Lock]

17 minutes ago, OldFaithfulcap said:

 

Lots of people are talking about kessel being top six so that's why i made the kuz-kessel comparison there if you look at both of them being top six wingers. I don't see him being top six myself.

 

Bottom six maybe, but hopefully depth as i like the physical aspect of the current guys.

 

 

Kessel's not really the style of play that's likely to work bottom 6. If anything, I'd likely see him as strictly depth for the top 6, perhaps replacing Suter as DeNiro mentioned.

 

Where in Kessel's playing style would make you want him in the bottom 6? What would make you prefer him over someone like Aman for that specific role? Think about the player and where he's going to fit. He's more of a top 6 style right? So he's unlikely to be bottom 6.

Edited February 14 by The Lock

[Rip The Mesh]

It's hockey; SPEED MEANS EVERYTHING;

 

 

 

If Kessel can't keep up to hard fought, playoff hockey, what's the point?

The recent pics we've seen, don't look encouraging. Mother time catches up to everyone. 

My intuition says it's caught up to Phil. I don't care who he's friends with.

we guys in Abbotsford that are as good as he is now...

Edited February 14 by Rip The Mesh

[OldFaithfulcap]

4 minutes ago, The Lock said:

 

Kessel's not really the style of play that's likely to work bottom 6. If anything, I'd likely see him as strictly depth for the top 6, perhaps replacing Suter as DeNiro mentioned.

 

Where in Kessel's playing style would make you want him in the bottom 6? What would make you prefer him over someone like Aman for that specific role? Think about the player and where he's going to fit. He's more of a top 6 style right? So he's unlikely to be bottom 6.

 

I don't think we need him at all, injury would be the only scenario and i'd rather see podz up. 

[88Canuck]

6 minutes ago, Rip The Mesh said:

It's hockey; SPEED MEANS EVERYTHING;

 

 

 

If Kessel can't keep up to hard fought, playoff hockey, what's the point?

The recent pics we've seen, don't look encouraging. Mother time catches up to everyone. 

My intuition says it's caught up to Phil. I don't care who he's friends with.

we goy guys in Abbotsford that are as good as he is now...

That looks the opposite…as in encouraging! I don’t understand where everyone is seeing & hearing that he’s drastically out of shape or something. Isn’t the case now and never really has been. Seems like a bunch of assumptions and and a lot of people on social media just run with it.

 

[CanuckMan]

Kessel would take Suters spot. Drop Suter down to 4C duties. Clearly coaching staff is not comfortable with Aman as the 4C going into the playoffs. 
 

Miller

Lindholm

Bluegar

Suter 

 

Thats a cup contending center depth

[Strawbone]

1 minute ago, 88Canuck said:

That looks the opposite…as in encouraging! I don’t understand where everyone is seeing & hearing that he’s drastically out of shape or something. Isn’t the case now and never really has been. Seems like a bunch of assumptions and and a lot of people on social media just run with it.

 

To be fair, black is slimming and it’s pretty hard to learn much from that photo. But he doesn’t look like the Michelin man at the very least. 

[BPA]

Mik is miscast as a 4th liner making $4M+.  Sure he might do better next year, but this year it seems like they are going for it.  Keep him on the roster I guess if Canucks can add a depth D men at a cheap price.

 

But my thoughts were to get Tanev.  The price was a 2nd + asset.

 

Plus Mik cap hit will be off the books when the Canucks need to re-sign a whole bunch of UFA/RFA.

[Steamer4GM]

6 hours ago, Kevlar said:

Why do people think that if Kessel comes to Vancouver then Mikheyev is out? We are going for a run at the cup and we are NOT letting go of players. All hands on deck! If Kessel is signed he will be part of the supporting cast. Mikheyev, whether you like him or not is part of the team. We are looking to add and not subtract.

Pretty sure people are only suggesting Kes Will partially fill the gap left by Mik when Mik is traded to bring in another player, not that Kessel would replace Mik one for one

[Provost]

10 minutes ago, The Lock said:

 

Kessel's not really the style of play that's likely to work bottom 6. If anything, I'd likely see him as strictly depth for the top 6, perhaps replacing Suter as DeNiro mentioned.

 

Where in Kessel's playing style would make you want him in the bottom 6? What would make you prefer him over someone like Aman for that specific role? Think about the player and where he's going to fit. He's more of a top 6 style right? So he's unlikely to be bottom 6.

Except you are assuming an old school roster makeup.  Vegas had style structure where the bottom

six are grinders and checkers while the top six are primarily offensive.  Kessel didn’t fit the bottom six very well with that roster construction.

 

That isn’t the makeup of our team.  We have two top lines and top guys that are great defensively and play a 200 foot game.  They are the ones who will get the tough defensive matchups.

 

That has been the recipe for our third line having so much offensive success.  Even if the top lines don’t show up on the scoreboard, they are playing the opposition lines to at least a draw… leaving our third line to feast on lesser opposition and 3rd pairing D.  

 

The fourth line is a little “meh” right now with Aman and just eating a few minutes so the other lines get a rest.

 

A fourth line of Lafferty-Suter-Kessel (if Kessel can get his legs up to game speed) could absolutely destroy what our likely opposition in the playoffs can put out there.  They wouldn’t just be used defensively.  Depth in the playoffs matters a lot and rolling four lines that can each provide offence and pressure just gives the opposing coach no way to shelter his bottom end guys.

[Mando27]

I don't see the harm in picking him up on a cheap deal. Likely will just be around for extra depth.

[Canuck You]

I guess he realized there's a Costco next door. For $1.50, All of Kessel's dreams will be fulfilled.

[King Heffy]

7 hours ago, theochar said:

 

Are you all out of your fkn minds???? Check out the date on the tweet sparky its 2014. There is no way in hell kes suits up for us, we shipped kuzmenko out for being lazy. Tocchet would have to go against everything hes been preaching all year if we sign him. If JR loves him so much he can host him in the suite and they can watch the games together with hot dogs and beers cos thats where hed be anyway. Saves a couple of million as well

Read the article as well and look at the date.  

[Optimist Prime]

I am not a Kessel fanboi, but he was/is a fantastic hockey player. If he is cheap and the experiment doesn't work we can waive him and move on, go for it!

That being said, using last years stats to see what we would get out of him for 28 games remaining:

28 games played: 4.78 goals 7.51 assists for 12 points in 28 games. I know its a dumbed down look at analytics, hehe, bear with me.

That puts him on a footing with Mikheyev, and Lafferty, and the whole third line, an upgrade on Phil De Gizzy and Pius. 

There is certainly a quick argument to grab him cheap: makes our teams bottom line better at a minimum. 

[Steamer4GM]

After 17 pages of back n forth between so many in favour and so many strongly opposed to the possibility of Kessel signing here, I have to admit it would literally crack me up to have PA come out with the following announcement later this week:

 

Having suited up and shown his stuff on the ice in Abbotsford, the Vancouver Canucks are proud to announce that 3 time Stanley Cup champion Phil Kessel will be joining our team as a special assistant coach to help guide our power play

[Bob Long]

4 minutes ago, Optimist Prime said:

I am not a Kessel fanboi, but he was/is a fantastic hockey player. If he is cheap and the experiment doesn't work we can waive him and move on, go for it!

That being said, using last years stats to see what we would get out of him for 28 games remaining:

28 games played: 4.78 goals 7.51 assists for 12 points in 28 games. I know its a dumbed down look at analytics, hehe, bear with me.

That puts him on a footing with Mikheyev, and Lafferty, and the whole third line, an upgrade on Phil De Gizzy and Pius. 

There is certainly a quick argument to grab him cheap: makes our teams bottom line better at a minimum. 

 

Probably also a wake up call for the PP

[Bob Long]

3 minutes ago, Steamer4GM said:

After 17 pages of back n forth between so many in favour and so many strongly opposed to the possibility of Kessel signing here, I have to admit it would literally crack me up to have PA come out with the following announcement later this week:

 

Having suited up and shown his stuff on the ice in Abbotsford, the Vancouver Canucks are proud to announce that 3 time Stanley Cup champion Phil Kessel will be joining our team as a special assistant coach to help guide our power play

 

Every single thing that happens has a contingent that loses their shizz on here, not sure we can read much more into it.

[D-Money]

Kessel has always looked out of shape, and yet been one of the faster players in the league.

 

I especially love the “won’t fit on the bottom-6” narrative, when he damn near win a Conn Smythe playing on the 3rd line (and feasting on weaker competition).

 

What matters is how much he’s got in the tank. But Tocchet has gone on record stating he thinks he still has what it takes. If Phil can provide a poor man’s version of what he did earlier in his career (just 4th line instead of 3rd, and PP2 instead of PP1), why not give it a shot? There’s no risk at all.

[PhillipBlunt]

2 minutes ago, D-Money said:

Kessel has always looked out of shape, and yet been one of the faster players in the league.

 

I especially love the “won’t fit on the bottom-6” narrative, when he damn near win a Conn Smythe playing on the 3rd line (and feasting on weaker competition).

 

What matters is how much he’s got in the tank. But Tocchet has gone on record stating he thinks he still has what it takes. If Phil can provide a poor man’s version of what he did earlier in his career (just 4th line instead of 3rd, and PP2 instead of PP1), why not give it a shot? There’s no risk at all.

Exactly. 

[88Canuck]

3 minutes ago, D-Money said:

Kessel has always looked out of shape, and yet been one of the faster players in the league.

 

I especially love the “won’t fit on the bottom-6” narrative, when he damn near win a Conn Smythe playing on the 3rd line (and feasting on weaker competition).

 

What matters is how much he’s got in the tank. But Tocchet has gone on record stating he thinks he still has what it takes. If Phil can provide a poor man’s version of what he did earlier in his career (just 4th line instead of 3rd, and PP2 instead of PP1), why not give it a shot? There’s no risk at all.

Spot on! A lot of assumptions out there by a lot of people. It’s crazy that he’s proven these things wrong again & again, yet some keep running with the same narrative. 

[HKSR]

12 minutes ago, D-Money said:

Kessel has always looked out of shape, and yet been one of the faster players in the league.

 

I especially love the “won’t fit on the bottom-6” narrative, when he damn near win a Conn Smythe playing on the 3rd line (and feasting on weaker competition).

 

What matters is how much he’s got in the tank. But Tocchet has gone on record stating he thinks he still has what it takes. If Phil can provide a poor man’s version of what he did earlier in his career (just 4th line instead of 3rd, and PP2 instead of PP1), why not give it a shot? There’s no risk at all.

If we have Mikheyev and Kessel on our 4th line, we're doing something damn right in terms of building depth.