God damn right!

Don't you wish, you had made a Las Vegas last January when it looked like the Pens weren't going to make the playoffs. Pens to win Cup.....probably 75 to 1.

I think I did remember hearing that is was in fact 75 to 1 during/around the coaching change. Can't wait for the cup DVD to come out, should be fantastic!

Kind of do. Can't though work for a online bookie. Bad **** happens if you get caught.

No one in Leafland denied he had the talent but he needed to be on a team where he wasn't the franchise player and all he needed to do is score goals and leave everything else to other players. Very good player...toxic attitude.

I'm happy Kessel and Schultz got cups. Both guys got rough rides by fans and media in their last cities. Kessel attitude and all the jultz hype by mact. Hopefully learning how to win inspires Kessel to change his attitude and helps jultz understand how hard he needs to work.

From all accounts by Penguins mgmt and his teammates, he had a great attitude and work ethic. And the Players love him. Maybe it was that he was on a shite team, but I don't know where that bad wrap came from, he played well and bought in to the speed game and backchecking. Didn't realize how great his hands and play-making abilities were.

The media in any canadian city will piss off a player to the point of signing or asking for a trade to the US. Look at Edmonton and Schultz, Montreal and Subban (still there) and so on.
Canadian media and hockey is like oil and water because the sport is so important to Canada. No excuse though.

The Canadian media was hard on Kessel so was the Boston media if I do recall. I'm happy for him that he finally found a coach he respects enough to practise for and actually back check but ask Carlyle, Johnson, Wilson if he had a good attitude I bet they are wondering why he didn't put he same effort in for them.

I'll disagree that the Canadian media was hard on Kessel. In sports, the fans can make up their own minds, especially in a place like Toronto where every Leaf game is televised. Phil's poor play (I'm being subjective) especially in the last half season as a Leaf, lead to social media being down on him. But the regular media is rather soft on all sport teams and players in Toronto.
Good for Phil that in the last half this season and playoffs....the light turned on for Phil and he became the professional hockey player that he is capable of being. In all the years of as a Leaf he rarely displayed the effort needed to be a superior player as he shown as a Penguin.

" In all the years of as a Leaf he rarely displayed the effort needed to be a superior player as he shown as a Penguin"

What changed him palhal and knowing this, wouldn't it of been better to support him better than to cast him away like a leper? (If T.O was more in a win now mode rather than rebuild of course)

You're a smart man palhal I'm sure you saw how the media treated Phil the fans to. Did you not find that articles and questions from reporters poked him a lot. Especially after TOs last play off appearance and the years following? A lot of times I felt bad for him. Can understand why he started to resent TO and the media. A product of his surroundings. How ever he is supposed to be a pro.

FYI.. 14 Votes and all 5** haha - One pill Phil has the fans love!!!!

derkrozko: Yes, I saw the media treated Phil. I'll repeat it was not bad. After the last playoff appearance....it was so long ago. No, only in the last half year of Phil's Leaf life, who the questions posed to him more...pointed, but deserved. I can understand resenting TO (cause the Leafs weren't winning). I can understand resenting the media,( cause the media and the fans are knowledgeable hockey fans). But in no way do I think the media was unfair. Also, Phil was loved or liked by the majority fans...as a person and player. I did not like him as a NHL hockey player, but always thought Phil was a good guy. Maybe he was miscast as "highly paid star".

F50marco: No, I think it was best to cut the cord and let Phil play elsewhere and the Leafs to use the 6.8m in Phil's salary to spend elsewhere. Actually I was surprised he was traded. There was not a build up to the trade or expectations that he could be traded. Remember he was absolutely awful in the last half year as a Leaf. Almost the same with the Phanuef trade.....who would've thought he could be traded, although in Phanuef's case he had played well in his last season as Leaf.....and suddenly he was gone (like in The Usual Suspects)

I guess it comes down to perception.