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Phil Kessel News & Rumors

Kessel won't play for Team USA
April 10
Toronto Sun
 
"Phil Kessel had a good reason for not hitting 40 goals at the end of the season — and it wasn't the lack of a proven centre. Kessel revealed Monday he was nursing a left wrist injury for a significant stretch of games. While not getting into details of when and how the wrist was damaged, he did get only three goals in the Leafs' final 15 games. He stalled at 37 goals, still his career high, and joined Dion Phaneuf as the only Leafs to play all 82 games. "It's been awhile," Kessel said of the discomfort, which required a cortisone shot. "I just have to rest it." The injury means he won't be playing for Team USA at the world championship next month."
Kessel wants wins before points
April 4
Toronto Sun
 
"Phil Kessel has the most points by any Maple Leaf in 13 years. "Doesn't matter," the frustrated winger said after the Leafs lost 6-5 against the Buffalo Sabres in overtime at the First Niagara Center. "Look where we're finishing. If you don't get it done in the win column, it doesn't matter. It has been a tough go, I'll tell you that much. We're not where we want to be and it's disappointing." Kessel's three assists in the first period tied a Leafs team record, held by numerous players. And Kessel's 81 points in 80 games this season is the highest total by a Toronto player since Mats Sundin had 83 in 1998-99."
Kessel's battles will determine relationship with Carlyle
March 18
Toronto Sun
 
"Randy Carlyle is all about getting to know the Maple Leafs before the regular season ends, and the Toronto coach should know plenty about Phil Kessel by the time Easter weekend passes. With his running mate, Joffrey Lupul, probably finished with a shoulder injury, the attention that Kessel has been receiving from opponents has increased substantially. How Kessel, who seemingly was hounded during his every shift in a 3-1 victory against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, responds likely will go a long way in determining his relationship with Carlyle. What was shaping up to be a frustrating night for Kessel became a successful one in the final 20 minutes. Kessel demonstrated his value in"
Phil Kessel's trade value debated
March 16
Toronto Star
 
"Phil Kessel's trade value certainly hasn't gone up the way, say, stock in Apple has the past two months. But Kessel and his 30-plus goal game might rate as a potential piece in a Rick Nash trade, or a first-round pick for a team that may have disappointed in the playoffs and is in need of scoring. Those were the opinions of NHL insiders and GMs when asked about Kessel's trade value. The Star posed the question Thursday following a provocative column from the Star's Damien Cox that argued it's time for the Leafs to part ways with Kessel. There were, for certain, differing views on Kessel's value. Former Leafs GM and current talk show host Gord Stellick said Kessel still has value despite a"
Toronto Maple Leafs need to turn page on Phil Kessel
March 15
Toronto Star
 columnist Damien Cox
"Brian Burke has already had to make one terrible choice, jettisoning his friend of 39 years as the head coach of Canada's most scrutinized hockey team. An even more terrible choice — at least in hockey terms — is looming. Very soon after arriving as saviour of the Maple Leafs, the "Pope" to rule over the "Vatican of hockey," Burke made his signature move and anointed Phil Kessel as the player who would be The One. For some time it's been undeniable that the price to get Kessel from the Boston Bruins was too much, that Burke overpaid to jump-start a quick turnaround in the club's hockey fortunes, a move that symbolized a sense of haste that only he seemed to feel."
Read Kessel the riot act
March 7
Toronto Sun
 
"On Tuesday night, Phil Kessel scored, picked up an assist and likely drove new Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle crazy. Carlyle is known to be a strict taskmaster, a coach who demands a solid effort from his players in all three zones of the ice. He expects his scorers to check and to skate hard for quick shifts and then get the hell off the ice. That being said (and not always being done in Kessel's case), it's going to be interesting to see how the working relationship between Carlyle and Kessel develops. Tuesday's 5-4 loss against the Boston Bruins was a typical Kessel game. The flashy winger scored his team-leading 33rd of the season and picked up an assist (both points coming on the"
Kessel feels bad for ex-coach
March 5
Toronto Sun
 
"Phil Kessel generally does not wear his emotions on his sleeve when speaking to the media. But the Maple Leafs' leading scorer seemed genuinely saddened when asked on Sunday about his former coach, Ron Wilson. Offensively, Kessel has had back-to-back career seasons under Wilson and the two seemed to hit it off on a personal level. So, when Wilson was given the onion by general manager Brian Burke on Friday, Kessel admittedly was upset and more than willing to share his feelings about the situation. "I have nothing but good things to say about Ron," Kessel said, following new coach Randy Carlyle's first practice with the Leafs on Sunday afternoon. "I liked Ron a lot. I thought he did a good"
Toronto Maple Leafs' Phil Kessel easiest to intimidate: Sports Illustrated poll
February 16
Toronto Star
 
"Outside of Tyler Bozak's much publicized (via Twitter) infatuation with Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kate Upton, no one could really blame any of the Maple Leafs if they were to cancel their subscription. The revered weekly sports magazine has labeled Maple Leafs sniper Phil Kessel the "all-star-caliber player" who is the "easiest to intimidate.' Kessel was named in 15 per cent of the ballots of 145 NHL players polled by the magazine. This is on the heels of a previously published poll that called Leafs defenceman Dion Phaneuf the most over-rated player in the NHL."
Maple Leaf slump-buster Phil Kessel still has shot at 50-goal season
February 13
Toronto Star
 
"By avoiding his usual mid-season slump, speedy Phil Kessel is headed for the best campaign of his NHL career — in the hunt for the scoring title and, perhaps, Hart Trophy consideration. With 30 goals and 30 assists, Kessel also has a chance to become the first Maple Leaf to score 50 goals since Dave Andreychuk fired 53 in the 1993-94 season. The first-round pick of the Boston Bruins (fifth overall in 2006) has had three mini-slumps this season: six games without a goal from Nov. 22 to Dec. 5; four games from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5 and Jan. 10 to 17 —before scoring six in his last 11 games. Traditionally, January and February have not been kind to the 24-year-old Kessel. This month, though, he"
Kessel, Lupul bound to get back on track
February 3
Toronto Sun
 
"Every time it seems Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul are losing steam, they get back to being coal-stokers and goalscorers. So no one in the engine room was fretting much on Thursday when the numbers were tallied, Kessel with two goals and one assist the past 10 games, Lupul one goal and four helpers. You don't hang out with the NHL's top 10 scorers all season by staying in those funks very long. "We thought our line played really well in Pittsburgh," said Tyler Bozak, the centre for the duo. "We could have had four or five goals and we had one called back. It's nothing to worry about, we're still getting our chances. It's only a matter of time." But defenceman Luke Schenn said the whole Leaf"
Kessel saved from all-star shame
January 27
Toronto Sun
 
"It may have been all in fun, but chants of "Leafs suck, Leafs suck," rang out when Zdeno Chara cost Phil Kessel another car Thursday night. With a strong Senators bias, fans packed into the Casino du Lac-Leamy in Gatineau, across the pond from Ottawa, and razzed Kessel, who last year won a new car as the last overall pick in the NHL all-star fantasy draft. Kessel only had to sweat it out through 14 picks before Chara, perhaps with some prodding from his assistant captain, Maple Leafs forward and Kessel linemate Joffrey Lupul, called out his name. "It's not like last year," Kessel said into the TSN cameras, flashing a grin. "But I don't think it really matters." Asked if he had any advice"
Bozak to rejoin Kessel, Lupul
January 17
Toronto Sun
 
"Ron Wilson spent part of Sunday watching the spy flick Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. And Monday morning, the coach of the suddenly ninth-place Maple Leafs engaged in some subterfuge of his own. He switched a goaltender, defenceman and forward to confound any snoops from the Ottawa Senators who are trying to plot the latest Battle of Ontario."
Leafs turn to Tyler Bozak to spark Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul
January 17
Toronto Star
 
"Coach Ron Wilson hopes Tyler Bozak's return to the lineup Tuesday is the answer to getting Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul back on track. After missing seven games (shoulder), Bozak is back and he'll centre the top line with Kessel and Lupul. "He's (Bozak) earned that position with the way he's played with those guys this year," Wilson said."
Leafs snipers Joffrey Lupul, Phil Kessel cut out the middle man
January 13
Toronto Star
 columnist Damien Cox
"It's an unorthodox bit of chemistry, to be sure. Standard hockey thinking suggests a smart, resourceful centre is required to make any line work and to make good scoring wingers score. Someone has to get shooters the puck in a position to shoot, and without such a player, it's frustration and under-production all around. So how to explain the all-stars, Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul? Along with Maple Leafs captain Dion Phanuef, Kessel and Lupul have been invited to play in the NHL all-star game later this month in Ottawa which, depending on your point-of-view, is either a tremendous honoudr or an offshoot of an anachronistic event mired in pre-dot.com thinking. But I think we'd all agree"
Kessel helps Leafs craft instant Classic
January 8
Toronto Star
 columnist Rosie DiManno
"Deke-deke-deke-deke-deke-deke. Half a dozen shifts of the head, hips, shoulders — all of Phil Kessel's significant body parts twitching, confounding the goalie, puck on his stick from the red line, beneficiary of a penalty shot awarded. Thinking . . . uh, nothin' much. "Thinking, hopefully I would score. I just kind of went down and took what I saw.'' A near-replay of what had transpired just moments earlier, except without ex-Leaf Ian White on his tail hounding and pestering, denying Kessel the clear shot to which he was entitled on a breakaway off a gorgeous stretch pass to the tape from Tim Connolly. Kessel is one-for-two on career penalty shots now; whiffed it last time whilst still a"
Leafs sniper Kessel on track for 40 goals
December 22
Toronto Star
 
"Bill Derlago once joked that the worst thing he ever did as a hockey player was score 40 goals, because then that's all anyone wanted and expected from him. "It was supposed to be funny," says Derlago. Problem was, someone took him seriously and made a big thing out of it."
Leafs' one-two punch Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul look forward to Sabres clash
December 16
Toronto Star
 
"The tremendous success enjoyed by Leafs dynamic one-two scoring punch of Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul hasn't surprised coach Ron Wilson. "I thought it (their chemistry) was almost instantaneous last year when Lupul came in and made a difference on the line," Wilson said on Thursday after practice at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke. "Lupul is developing into more of a power forward. He's big. He protects the puck really well and takes the puck to the net really well. "You want to play him with someone who is a threat all the time and that's what Phil has been the last 30 games last season and every game this season.""
Kessel loses points lead
December 9
Toronto Star
 
"Maple Leafs sniper Phil Kessel is now the chaser after falling behind Philadelphia Flyers winger Claude Giroux in the NHL scoring race. Giroux had four points, including the winning goal, in the Flyers' 5-4 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. He now has 36 points, one more than Kessel. Giroux had a chance to extend his lead Thursday night at home against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins. No Flyer has ever won the NHL points title."
Popular Kessel back on target
December 7
Toronto Star
 
"Leafs sniper Phil Kessel ended a six-game goal drought Tuesday night and once again proved he is a different player from the previous two seasons. Kessel hit the scoresheet in the second period of an eventual 3-2 loss in overtime to New Jersey at the Air Canada Centre. His 17th of the season tied Chicago's Jonathan Toews for the league lead. A year ago, Kessel drew as much attention for his slumps as he did for his hot streaks. This season, a drought rates far less attention. Kessel and Joffrey Lupul continue to carry the Leafs."
'Get over' Kessel deal
December 1
Toronto Sun
 
"Forward Clarke MacArthur has some advice for all those still wishing to talk about the trade that brought Phil Kessel over from the Boston Bruins a couple of seasons back in return for the Leafs top draft pick in 2010, which turned out to be Tyler Seguin: "Get over this trade already." "Both teams did well with it. Obviously Kessel is doing great here and he's (Seguin) doing good there. We're just looking for the two points (last night), not the distractions," MacArthur told reporters after the Maple Leafs morning skate Wednesday. Heading into last night's game at the Air Canada Centre, the 24-year-old Kessel led the league in points, with 31, and goals, with 16, while the 19-year-old"
Leafs' Kessel leads NHL all-star voting
November 30
Toronto Star
 
"Just in time for the arrival of his former team, Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel has taken over the lead in the NHL's all-star voting. And captain Dion Phaneuf, linemate Joffrey Lupul and goalie James Reimer are gaining. Kessel, famously picked last in last season's draft of all-star teams, leads the NHL with 16 goals and 31 points. He has taken the overall lead in the fan balloting with 258,446 votes after two weeks of voting, leapfrogging a pair of Ottawa Senators."
Kessel is hockey's best story
November 22
Toronto Sun
 columnist Steve Simmons
"Of all that has gone on in the first quarter of this sometimes brilliant, sometimes worrisome Maple Leafs season, the emergence of Phil Kessel as a possible National Hockey League star is the story that trumps all that isn't Crosby. His rise to this level — as leading goal scorer, leading point getter in the NHL — for as long as it lasts has been completely unexpected. The tendency is to believe this cannot continue, especially considering Kessel's history as a streak scorer, an inconsistent performer, and a sometimes less than motivated athlete. But he's never had a streak that was this good, this long, this focused, this dominant. He's hasn't shown this kind of star potential, this kind"
Where would the Leafs be without Kessel?
November 16
Toronto Sun
 columnist Rob Longley
"Forget for a moment the fresh and yet-to-be-determined injuries to forwards Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur and ask yourself this: Where would the Maple Leafs be this morning if it weren't for the handiwork of Phil Kessel? It may have often been ugly Tuesday night at a dead Air Canada Centre, but the Leafs still managed to salvage a shootout-loss point to the Phoenix Coyotes. A couple of big glove saves late by Ben Scrivens roused the 19,522 in attendance from their slumber but the real signs of life were provided by Kessel. The biggest, of course, was the power-play goal 4:41 into the third to force the extra period, but as has been the case so often this season, every time No. 81"
Kessel lifts Leafs past Blues
November 11
Toronto Sun
 
"Here's a piece of news that's pertinent to all in Leafs Nation. The Maple Leafs managed to make it through a hockey game without making a goaltending change. What's more, they won another road game, this time registering a 3-2 shootout victory at the Scottrade Center against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night. Rookie netminder Ben Scrivens made 37 saves and then stopped Alex Steen, T.J. Oshie and Matt D'Agostini in the shootout. And coach Ron Wilson summed up the perceived public feelings toward Scrivens, who was great last week against Columbus but then faltered versus Boston, in a way only Wilson can. "Everybody, you know, they build a statue, they knock it down and piss on it, and"
Kessel needs to get out of funk
November 7
Toronto Sun
 
"Phil Kessel hopes to halt his season-long four-game goalless streak on Tuesday against Florida, before one of those longer slumps that have dogged him sets in. Coach Ron Wilson was willing to cut the NHL's leading scorer a little slack in Saturday's 7-0 loss to Boston, a game where the whole Toronto offence sputtered and Kessel couldn't budge Boston's big shutdown defenceman Zdeno Chara."
Kessel named NHL's player of month
November 2
Toronto Star
 
"Phil the Thrill meet Felix the Cat. Phil Kessel became the first Maple Leaf since Felix Potvin to be named the NHL's player of the month. As long a span as that is — 18 years — may be a tad embarrassing to the club. But at the same time it may well be a harbinger of good things to come."
Kessel scores winner, Monster solid as Leafs down Pens 4-3
October 30
Toronto Star
 
"Jonas Gustavsson just keeps on winning. The Leaf goalie is being cheered again by the faithful at the Air Canada Centre. He'll most likely make his fourth straight start, and sixth straight appearance, when the Leafs venture to Ottawa on Sunday for a game against the Senators. Gustavsson has won three of his last four games, including Saturday's 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins as the angst over James Reimer's whiplash injury seems to have abated. "He needed to play and because of this injury (to Reimer), he's looking confident," said Leafs coach Ron Wilson. "He played great. Made a number of big saves when we needed them. He's a lot more calm handling the puck behind the net. It's"
Reimer and Kessel can't do it all
October 18
Toronto Star
 
"The Maple Leafs spent a handful of recent days trying to convince the world that they're different men than they were a year ago, when a 4-0 start was promptly followed with a back-to-earth slide. Yet there they were on Monday night, faced with a chance to go 4-0, sliding back to earth with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche. On a night when starting goalie James Reimer attempted to shoulder the blame, the truth was there was plenty of it to go around. There were also some patterns emerging in a promising season's first four games. Among them . . . These Leafs are slow starters: Monday's first period was Toronto's third lacklustre beginning in four games. Maybe it's the Air"
Leafs' Kessel sparks comeback kids
October 16
Toronto Star
 
"The Leafs six day break did nothing to cool off Phil Kessel's scoring touch. The Leafs sniper displayed tremendous hands and skating skills Saturday night as the Leafs returned from a long layoff to pick up a 3-2 win over the Calgary Flames at the Air Canada Centre. There was concern from all corners of Leafs Nation that the home town club, off to a solid 2-0 start, would lose some of its momentum over a week-long break."
Kessel hat trick, Phaneuf hit key Leafs' win over Senators
October 9
Toronto Star
 
"The argument could be made ht that Dion Phaneuf played his best game as a Maple Leaf on Saturday night. Ditto for Phil Kessel. For sure, Phaneuf had a powerful outing against Ottawa — as did Phil Kessel, with his first hat trick in a Toronto uniform — as the Leafs swamped a hapless Senators side 6-5 at the Air Canada Centre."
Shy Kessel finally finding his comfort zone
October 3
Toronto Star
 
"Phil Kessel's philosophy of life is simple. And like most philosophies of life, hard to realize. "Live each day to its fullest, don't get wrapped up too much in silly stuff . . . relax, have fun, don't get too uptight," Kessel said, rambling off a host of stay-positive mantras after another training-camp workout with the Leafs this week. And Kessel, who has had a reputation within some circles of the Toronto media for being uptight and brittle, may actually be following his own philosophy. He's showing his fun side more than ever to his teammates. In fact, he's taken charge of team fun lately."
Kessel, Schenn get bragging rights
September 22
Ottawa Citizen
 
"All Kathy Kessel could think about was that round of golf last summer. The day had started out fairly ordinary. Then, Phil bent a driver over his thigh and Blake spiked his putter into a green. It was embarrassing stuff, said the boys' mother. But it was typical behaviour from two brothers who were competing for a lower score and who hated to lose. Rita Schenn has similar stories about Luke and Brayden. Like the time when the two brothers came into the house bruised and bloodied after a game of backyard hockey turned physical. Or when Luke put Brayden "on his butt" during a Western Hockey League game several years ago. "Brotherly love," she said."
Leafs learn hitting a homer not as easy as it looks
August 30
Toronto Star
 
"The key to the whole afternoon was hitting a home run. Not an easy proposition for over a dozen NHLers taking some swings in the Jays batting cage at the Rogers Centre Monday afternoon. In fact, only four of the 15 puck boys on hand managed to clear the fences. The rest certainly left with a whole new respect for how easy their major-league friends make it look — and how hard it actually is. "It's a sport I definitely wish I could play better," said David Clarkson of the New Jersey Devils. "You're up there trying to hit the ball for all you're worth, but it's a lot tougher than it looks." The other key to the afternoon was fun, and Clarkson and his NHL peers were entertained for about two"
Kessel deal complete: Who won?
June 25
Toronto Sun
 
"The trade that will not go away is finally complete. The names are all known only the circumstances remain spotty. When Brian Burke made the polarizing deal for Phil Kessel, he knew it wouldn't disappear quickly. He knew it would be analyzed ad nauseum. He knew there was all kinds of risk involved. What we don't know — and can't know — is whether the Maple Leafs would be in better shape today if he hadn't made the controversial deal. The trade became complete on draft night. Kessel came to the Leafs and the Bruins turned two first-round picks and a second-round choice into Tyler Seguin, Jared Knight and Dougie Hamilton. The players all have names and faces now: What still can't be"
Tight-lipped Kessel does his scoring on the ice
April 4
Toronto Sun
 
"He's no poster boy for post-game mirth with the media, but Phil Kessel is doing his talking on the ice. A lightning rod for fan criticism of Brian Burke's game plan much of the past two years, Kessel reached 30 goals for the third straight and second straight in Toronto. His most recent 30th on Saturday in Ottawa, starting the Leafs to another season-saving win, put him in a group of just six NHLers to string three 30s together since '08-09. Kessel had 36 with Boston that season, convincing GM Burke he was worth a package of three high draft picks. Kessel's output can fluctuate wildly, going days wearing a cloak of invisibility, then quietly emerging with a seven-game points streak such as"
With Kessel firing, Leafs have a shot
March 3
Toronto Sun
 
"Phil Kessel's head is back in the game. So is the rest of his body, which has to keep happening for the Maple Leafs to make a serious charge to a playoff spot. Kessel has eight goals in eight games after going without one in 14 games, and though he might not maintain a goal-a-game clip, he's going to have to be consistently productive. "Phil, once he scores a goal, it just lights him up," Leafs coach Ron Wilson said after the Leafs' 3-2 overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins. "Hopefully, it's for another six weeks. You need your best players to perform at the biggest times and we are getting that." Kessel got the tying goal at 5:07 of the third period when a shot from the point"
Kessel's on a hot streak
February 25
Toronto Sun
 
"There are nights when you understand Brian Burke's thinking. There are nights when Phil Kessel shows so much offensive flair, so much natural skill, so much domination in both the offensive zone and on the scoresheet that, well, after watching such a show, you can see why the beleaguered Maple Leafs general manager paid such a heavy price to land the gifted winger from the Boston Bruins. Thursday evening at the raucous Bell Centre in Montreal was such a night. Phil The Thrill might never be worth the two first-round and the second-round pick Burke sent to shrewd Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli in September of 2009. Among other things, he's too inconsistent. But every now and then, when he gets"
Nice move, Kessel
February 23
Toronto Sun
 
"Rookie goaltender James Reimer has seen enough of Phil Kessel to know it was only a matter of time the Maple Leafs sniper would score a clutch goal against someone else. "He makes me look like a fool all the time in practice," Reimer said following a 2-1 Leafs win over the New York Islanders, that helped keep the playoff life support humming. "He's got one of the hardest shots to stop." Kessel's game winner with less than five minutes remaining didn't exactly make brilliant Isles goalie Al Montoya look like a fool, but it was the type of play the Leafs expect more of from their lead man. Kessel's 23rd of the season may have been his best, if you factor in timing, but it looks pretty"
Kessel, Grabovski dazzle but trade talk steals the show
February 16
Toronto Star
 
"It was one of those historic moments when long-held truths simply vanish, like another Phil Kessel scoring drought. Yes, Tomas Kaberle may indeed waive his no-trade clause. And, yes, Kessel can indeed score against his former team. And score. Period. The Leafs upended the Bruins 4-3 in an admirable display of determination and strong goaltending Tuesday night. And Kessel not only scored his first goal in 15 games, he potted two, rattled another shot off the post and came close on several other occasions."
Phil Kessel hits back hard at Bruins
February 16
Boston Herald
 
"Nine times Phil Kessel had played against his former team and nine times he'd come up empty, with the exception of a lone, winning, shootout goal. But the speedy forward who has become a punching bag for Bruins fans finally hit back. Kessel scored a pair of power-play goals last night, including the tying goal with 6:33 remaining, to break out of his own dreadful slump in the 4-3 Toronto win. "Well, I haven't scored in 14 games, so it was nice to get a couple in tonight," said Kessel. "The most important thing is that we got a win and hopefully we can keep it going now." Kessel claims the venue did not mean anything more to him. "Like I've said, every time I come in here it is just another"
Kessel hopes Bozak, Lupul are the answer
February 15
Toronto Sun
 
"While Tyler Bozak tweeted that he "can't seem to find a Valentine," his Maple Leafs teammate, Phil Kessel, got a new linemate on the special day. We'll have to wait and see how much Joffrey Lupul loves playing with Kessel on Tuesday night in Boston. Kessel's goal-less streak is reaching personal-record proportions, and with the slump in mind, Leafs coach Ron Wilson put Wilson back on a line with Bozak at practice on Monday. The new wrinkle is Lupul, who lined up on the left wing and acknowledged it is a position he rarely has played in his 6 1/2 years in the National Hockey League. However, that was not a concern for Lupul, who did not record a point in his first two games with the Leafs"
Can Kessel break his slump in Boston?
February 15
Toronto Star
 
"Yup, Phil Kessel is sick and tired of answering questions about going back to Boston. "How many times have I played there?" said Kessel, after his scrum ended. "It feels like 35." Maybe it's all those questions about what the Leafs gave up to get him — including Tyler Seguin. Or all those "Thank you, Kessel" chants that rain down from the Boston rafters, a sure sign the Bruins faithful feel the Beantowners got the better of the deal."
Kessel, Lupul and Bozak on a line at Leafs practice
February 14
Toronto Sun
 
"Phil Kessel got a brand new linemate for Valentine's Day. During practice on Monday, the struggling Maple Leafs forward was on a line with Joffrey Lupul, who switched to the left wing, and centre Tyler Bozak. "Phil is the one who has to work his way out of this," Leafs coach Ron Wilson said. "There is only so much you can do to help him in terms of playing with different people. He has to go earn his chances and dig in and help in other ways until the puck goes in the net." Kessel and Lupul have not played together in Lupul's brief time in Toronto. The Leafs play in Boston against the Bruins on Tuesday night, and you have to think Kessel would love nothing more than to score against the"
NHL legends say linemates not to blame for Kessel's slump
February 11
Toronto Star
 
"The subject is the current slump of Maple Leafs winger Phil Kessel. But, to illustrate a point, Marcel Dionne draws on a memory from 25 years ago when a rookie centre on the Kings named Jimmy Carson was always hanging around his Los Angeles home. "One day he was pouting. He's 18 years old, he's in the NHL and he's pouting. I said, 'What's the matter with you?' He said, 'I have no wingers,'" Dionne recalls. "I said to him, 'Jimmy, who is the superstar on your line? They frickin' drafted you with a first-round pick. You've got to make those guys better. That's what your commitment is." Carson scored 37 goals that season, 55 the next before being part of the package that brought Wayne Gretzky"
Will the real Phil Kessel please stand up?
February 10
Toronto Star
 
"Phil Kessel spent his teenage years being chased by the embarrassed defencemen he left standing on the blue line. His speed alone made USA Hockey salivate; his sniping skills ensured he'd be a star. "His skating was head and shoulders above everybody, from a speed standpoint," recalled Jim Johannson, USA Hockey's assistant executive director for hockey operations, over the phone from Slovakia."
No goals, but at least Kessel got an assist
February 9
Toronto Sun
 
"If there was a time for Phil Kessel to kill his funk, it was against a New York Islanders goaltender who not only had never played in a National Hockey League game but had a grand total of six wins in the American Hockey League. But Kessel, in the wake of his second consecutive worst weekend ever, couldn't score on Mikko Koskinen on four shots. Kessel hit the post in the second period, but last we checked, that doesn't count. Leafs fans should keep their fingers crossed, though, that Kessel can draw some confidence from the goal by Nikolai Kulemin that he set up in the third period. Kessel did all the work, using his speed to dictate the play in the Isles' end and shrugging off a check by"
Leafs' Kessel painfully shy
February 9
Toronto Star
 
"Kids learn early that they are rewarded for achievement with adulation — whether it's from parents, peers or a crowd. Since all successful athletes have been lionized most of their lives, they usually arrive in the big leagues with the instincts of a performer. A few never develop that talent."
Kessel gets his wish: Better linemates
February 8
The Globe and Mail
 
"A lot of what Phil Kessel had to say on Sunday was so typically cryptic that it invited interpretation. And interpretation when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs can often invite trouble. But what is crystal clear from Kessel's frustration – and general manager Brian Burke's subsequent comments during tonight's game – is that everyone involved is well aware he's been playing with substandard talent much of the year, a major contributing factor to the fact he's on pace for less than 55 points and a big-time minus figure in the plus-minus column. "We might not have all of the pieces on the chessboard," Burke huffed in the first intermission when asked if Kessel needs to play with other"
Kessel bounces back as Leafs beat Thrashers
February 8
The Globe and Mail
 
"Maybe Phil Kessel should speak his mind more often. A day after the Toronto Maple Leafs winger let his frustrations boil over into some controversial comments at practice, his team battled from behind to beat a fragile Atlanta Thrashers club 5-4 at the Air Canada Centre on Monday. Despite the fact it was a goal- and penalty-filled affair, Kessel didn't find the scoresheet, but finished the game at plus-2 and was bumped up to the team's top line with Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin from the start of the second period on. The game started out ugly for Toronto, with the Leafs spending almost 11 minutes of the first period in the box and trailing 2-0 after the Thrashers' Evander Kane"