Toronto Maple Leafs: Why/How Phil Kessel Is Better Then Hall Or Seguin

On September 19th, 2009, the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke executed a deal that channeled in American born twenty-two year old Phil Kessel from the Boston Bruins to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Phil Kessel was a restriced free agent that past summer and Boston agreed on spending their money else-where, that else-where ended up being on goaltender Tim Thomas, who got the honours of winning the Vezina trophy which is awarded to the best goaltender of the year in the past season.

When Brian Burke landed former 5th Overall Pick in 2006, he also sacrificed and relinquished three of his own club's draft picks. Burke disposed the Toronto Maple Leafs first round draft pick in the 2010 Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs first round draft pick in the 2011 draft, & the Toronto Maple Leafs second round draft pick in the 2010 draft.

When Burke gave up those picks, in his mind he had confidence in his club that they would finish in a obedient spot in the standings where the first round pick would likely not turn out to be as near as effective as Phil Kessel has or will.

From that day, critics around the nation used their freedom that this lovely country gave us, that freedom is to speak freely about whatever, and whenever they want. People were bashing on how stupid and foolish Brian Burke is to give up that much for a player like Phil Kessel. But the fact is, Phil Kessel is not 'a joke' or a 'bust' as many critics see him as.

Phil Kessel is a twenty-two year old proven goal scorer.

The previous season, he achieved a career high and a team high thirty six goals and attained sixty points, and was a plus twenty three. He also had been sidelined for twelve games during that season due to a shoulder injury.

Playing in only seventy games, and netting home thirty six goals, Kessel averaged 0.51 goals per game. And if math isn't your strength, Kessel was averaging a goal every two games, and so if you do THAT math, that's about forty one goals if he plays a full eighty two games.

            Plus, considering the fact that Kessel went on a thirteen game scoring drought that season, really puts this whole thing into perspective.

If, but it is a big if, Kessel had maintained his consistency through out that period of time, and scored a goal every two games, he would have had possibly six or seven goals added on to his resume which would put him at forty seven goals through out the season. That places him second in goal scoring in that season, right behind Alexander Ovechkin, and ahead of Jeff Carter, Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk, Rick Nash, Marian Hossa, & Eric Staal.

To be fair, this is just a prediction and an assumption but it's interesting to see what would likely happen if Phil Kessel played a full season and at his potential.

This Season, it is a very similar story to last season, but with a bit more promise to the future.

Phil Kessel once again missed twelve games due to a recovery mode from his shoulder surgery. Kessel attained thirty goals this season along with fifty five points. Again, going into mathematics and numbers, Kessel averaged 0.42 goals per game which is basically or at least close to a goal every two games or so. And once again, with the addition of not scoring for fourteen games straight this season, Kessel would have probably put home five or six goals if he kept pace during that stretch, which would essentialy put him at forty three or forty four goals in a full, healthy season.

With forty three goals that would put Kessel in fifth place in goal scoring this season, ahead of the likes of Dany Heatley, Zach Parise, & a player like Jarome Iginla.

Although once again, that is a big IF, it is still the likely situation that would occur.

Not to mention the fact that Kessel played along side Matt Stajan for the majority of the season which if you know your hockey knowledge, Matt Stajan is not exactly a legitimate play-maker. Kessel then was partnered with Tyler Bozak who has not had more then forty games of NHL experience and on the worst team in the league next to the Edmonton Oilers.

With Phil Kessel, you know what you're going to get, a prooven, speedy sniper who is better then a lot of players in the league at putting the puck in the net.

If you would give up two first rounders and a second rounder for Jeff Carter, Jarome Iginla, Rick Nash, Mike Richards, or Alexander Semin, then you are agreeing to trading away the same amount that Burke did with Kessel, but for players that have averaged lower then what Kessel would've likely achieved should he have played a full season in the past two seasons.

With a second overall pick in the first round, the Boston Bruins will likely end up getting Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin. Those two players will likely end up being great players in their careers. But the key word in that sentence is 'likely'. With an un-proven player, you do not know what you're going to get, it is a pretty big gamble giving up a player that is barely in his twenties and well I think it's safe to call Phil Kessel a future forty goal scorer for a player that may, or may not reach his potential.

Until Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin, which ever one Boston chooses, prove that they can be thirty or forty plus goal scorers in this league, then there is no debate on who got the better end of the deal.