Kessel to Toronto?

Why would we trade this guy to a division rival? I also thought that Kessel was an RFA, hence the B's ability to match any offer sheets...

This would be a very good trade for both teams. If it were Kaberle for Kessel straight up, I would give the nod to the Leafs, as Kessel is already a 30 goal scorer and has the potential to be a 50 goal scorer, and is 10 years younger. However, with the potential of the 7th pick overall, the Bruins have a D man to win now with and a prospect for the future. (Hopefully Kassian, to go along with Lucic, Bitz, and Wheeler up front)

Seems like a good trade to me. The B's apparently don't think Kessel is worth a big contract, Kaberle is a good defenseman, and the 7th pick should pay dividends. Maybe they could package the 7 and 25 and move up even higher? I just don't think management, including Neely and Sweeney, are big on Kessel. You have Sturm returning next year, and maybe this allows the team to pickup a decent free agent or two.

I can't see Toronto making this trade....maybe Kaberle straight up for Kessel but not their #7 pick also...and Kessel is going to want more money than Kaberle gets. Burke wants big tough forwards and Kessel is not that.........

A trade to a division rival? Highly unlikely. PC has to be smarter than that. Too easy for Kessel to come back and burns the B's.

Nash - I agree. If you look at the comments from Leafs Fans on TSN, they are totally against this trade rumor.

FanB4Orr, I don't completely disagree with your statement but it will not help us in Free agency being that Kaberle as far as i know is on the books for 4.25 which is more then I ever believed the B's would offer Kessel. I like the rest of it but I do wonder if this is more like an NBA trade, where we are forced to take on a contract they don't like because both teams see the 7th pick as more valuable then Kessel. With that said this is by no means a disastrous contract just that the market has gone down a little and maybe you could get an equivalent free agent slightly cheaper or a little bit younger.

This would be a steal for the B's, i could see PC switching the picks with BB at the same time...

Kessel is a RFA...that is the globe not checking facts. The hockey coverage in this town is crap. How long has Dupont been doing hockey aorund here? Time to move on...
The bruins make out in this deal big time. They move into the top ten in a very deep draft. And get a very good D that is signed for the next two years. They move a forward that will command big $$$. They can't keep Kessel with next years cap number looming. I don't think the leafs do this deal

Kessel could be used by the Leafs to move up if this is true....

B's defense was outplayed during the Carolina series. Although there were injuries to Ference & Hunwick, we could use additional support on the blueline. That said, a trade straight up Kaberle for Kessel won't get done, the #7 pick would have to be thrown in by the Leafs, which would allow the Bruins to have a choice of several, top defensive prospects.
Kessel needs guys like Savard/Krejci around him and many of his 36 goals came in blowout games when the B's were already up by 3-4 goals. He's not worth more than the Krejci cap hit at $3.75m/yr

I'm irrational about this one. I admit it. I try not to be like this with trades, but I want Phil in Boston.

Burke aint stupid and this trade would be.

I love it.

Who cares if its a division rival.

I love this trade!!

It would make sense if Toronto then turned around and signed Bouwmeester (sp?) long term to anchor their D

Yeah, this is a winner for the B's if it includes the 7th pick. Big time. We'll know in a few hours tho.

bt

Forgive my ignorance, but who is Burke? Dupont writes "Burke is also a former TSN employee..." but never states who Burke is. Journalism 101 error here...

Forgive my ignorance, but who is Burke? Dupont writes "Burke is also a former TSN employee..." but never states who Burke is. Journalism 101 error here...

DO IT!

NO WAY Burke pulls the trigger on this deal, the reason why the Bruins "offered" the trade and NOT Toronto...with the pressure in TO, Kessel will fold & not be successul to a level of a 50-goal scorer, they are very educated & knowledgable fans up there & will really scrutinize every turnover Kessel flops along the wall in his zone, especially when he gets pinched he reflects any contact & will give up the puck 99% of the time, will not go over well with those fans & the media pressure will collapse his confidence...Burke knows all this, he knows what's up around the league, this deal will not get done.....but as a B's fan would love to see it go down!!

KPD:
The lede states, "the Leafs' seventh pick in the draft."
Although it is clarified later, I read it as though the B's would aquire the Leafs' seventh-round pick, not the seventh pick in the draft. A tweak would be helpful.
And I approve of the trade.

Keep dreaming. Its not happening - Think about it Kaberle (making $4.25 for 2 more years) - who is a tremendous offensive defenceman AND the 7th pick - that can be MSP, Brayden Schenn or Jared Cowan for Phil Kessel?

There is no way Burke is going to give up the number 7 draft pick in one of the deepest drafts in history.

If it was Kessell, the 25th pick for Kablerle -- maybe.

Does Toronto also have the 25th pick in the 1st round?

What a disaster.. This is a Mike O'Connel trade.. Wow, just when I thought the Bruins were heading in the right direction. This is worse than the Thornton trade.

I don't object to trading Kessel, but I've always thought Kaberle was over-rated.

The LEAFS want Kessel and they give us a 7th rounder and Kaberle also you all must be in la la land ! Leafs want more and we will regret this trade !
On another subject.
Now, Kaberle is making 4.25mill , this means Kessel wants more than 4.5 ???
he wants 5mill ? Anywhere over 5mill I might have to disagree for Kessel. The cap next year will go down from what the experts are saying and that might handicap us next year for signing the likes of Lucic, and others.

No chance. Burke cannot be that stupid.

BRB, if you don't know who Burke is...uh..................start following hockey

To those who are nit-picking and Globe-bashing or K.P. DuPont bashing: This is a blog, not the print edition of the paper. Yes, you always give the full name and title for Brian Burke, GM of Toronto the first time it appears and yes it is a restricted FA not unrestricted. HOWEVER, this is the blog not the paper. If you are hung-up on reading only the fully-edited, perfect copy, with all the facts nailed-down and confirmed, then be patient and get the paper version delivered. If you want the breaking updates (like this) then read the blog too, and be aware that blogs are a little looser, especially on fast-breaking stories (and even more especially on trade rumors). I read both, and get the Globe delivered.

Kessel for Kaberle?? No way, Kaberle is fading and one demensional. If your gonna get rid of Kessel get high draft picks and then sign a free agent. Bad trade.

I keep hearing the Bruins are interested in Chris Kreider, would they draft him as high as 7th overall? Or would they make another deal to acquire another pick? All that being said, I would much rather deal Ryder and sign Kessel.

Steal for Boston if this is the trade (esp if they keep their own 1st rounder). Kessel is a soft player both on the ice and in the locker room - from some off-the-record comments by one Bruin. They would have a hard time signing him anyway, even if he is restricted this offseason. I'd be surprised if Toronto made this trade.

I certainly think the B's need help on D - neither Ference, Hnidy or The Matador gave much comfort when hemmed in their zone. Kaberle is at least an upgrade over any of them. But to Carol Vadnais' point, I only see so much of Kaberle a season and if he's fading I'd be careful. Still, if the trade goes down as rumored it appears fair right now.

I think this could be the works for a 3 way deal of sorts...dont know what or who, but it would be awesome to somehow have the bruins get duschene at the 3rd pick...and have kaberle....pipedream. Either way all of these rumors are killing my workday.

Rules to draft by;
1. Fill a need
2. If you can't fill a need draft the best athlete
The Bruins had plenty of goal scoring this season and should again next. They had solid defense in the regular season but injuries and lack of depth cost them in the end. You will not likely win a playoff series having Steve Montador taking a regular shift as a defensemen on his off hand side let alone a Stanely Cup. With Kessel not signed he is your best bargaining chip while improving your team on defense who can improve you power play as well. If you need evidence of this look no further then Scotty Bowman and the number of rings he has. His teams always allowed the fewest goals.

this would be a steal for boston, don't think it will happen. I just read tsn report and video. If the trade talks remain open with Toronto but they refuse this offer I would counter with Kessel for Kaberle, then swap each other's first rounders.

Type your comment here...

Kaberle's a nice player and all, but don't like trading a 36-goal scorer of Kessel's age. Players like that don't grow on trees.

Kessel is overrated, he is a good young player with a terrible attitude which has haunted him since college, it's the reason he slipped to fifth in his draft year.

Take Kessel away from Savard and he is a 25-30 goal scorer, don't listen to Jack Edwards telling you how great he is, he's a slightly above average scorer. Put Kobasew on Savards line and he'll score 30 goals and dish out more than 5 hits (Real number, Kessell threw five hits last year) over the course of a whole season.

Kaberle would be a great pick up, so would Kubina.

I'm not saying give away Kessell but somebody with some bite and continue to make the Bruins harder to play against.

I noticed that Kessel had more breakaways than any other Bruin. He was also able to move the puck in througth the crowd in the offensive zone. If he had scored every time he the post this season he would have had over a hundred goals. The guy gets more shot on goal than any other Bruin. So having said all that why not trade him for another D-man? The real game here is getting that draft pick in the top ten.

this trade is only good if the b's get the 7th pick.

but trading away kessel just for kaberle is stupid. kessel IS a proven scorer and he will only get better, he may not be worth a max contract but he is worth more than a 31yr old 3-4 defensemen...

The Bruins evidently see something, or don't see something, in Kessel that the rest of us are missiing. He's been trade bait almost since they signed him.

Kubina's overpaid and slow as molasses

Did Harry Sinden and Mike O'Donkey go back to the Bruins? They would be the only two people on the planet dumb enough to make that trade.

FYI: The trade rumor has been altered by TSN:

They are now claiming that the Bruins are offering Kessel and their 25th overall for Kaberele, and no #7.