Also side note clune is a perfect fit in Toronto. Dirty player who only throws cheap shots. Stay classy Toronto.

I'm sure the reason the Leafs did not "honour" Kessell, was there might have more jeers and boos than cheers if Phil's face had shown up on the screen. So instead of embarrassing Phil, no ceremony was made. Let me know after 7 years of Kessell, how much the Pens fans respect him.

We will probably love him still. Why Toronto hated him I'll never know. He was literally their best player for the time he was there. Toronto has the biggest hypocrite fan base in hockey.

My analysis of the Kessell departure from Toronto. Most Toronto hockey fans don't hate Phil Kessell as you suggest. It just got to the point where they just didn't care, much like Phil. For some reason there is many people in non Toronto cities think Phil was the best player for the Leafs. Last year for last 75% of the season he was the third best play on his line.
His play (work if it is your profession) had severely declined in the past two years. He refusal to retrieve a puck in his own end was embarrassing. If a Leaf Dman was entangled with opposition forward and the puck was free in their skates, Kessell never and I mean never would go in and get the puck or lean on his opponent to help his partner.
Obviously new Leaf management at the time....Babcock, and Shanahan (Lou wasn't here) knew he had to go. Burke and Nonis who were instrumental in bringing Kessell to Toronto, could never admit that his play/work was an anchor on his team.
From a Leaf view it really doesn't matter what he does for Pittsburg, he wasn't going to play to NHL standards in Toronto. If Phil can change his ways, good for Phil and the Pens. We'll see if Phil can keep his interest for the next seven years. Personally I doubt it long term.
Toronto fans hypocrites....I don't get it. How many years was Matt Cooke playing for the Pens and Clune has played two games for the Leafs. Stay classy.

One cookie only played for us for a year after the rules about hitting and all that stuff came out. So we kinda are classy. At least classier then you guys. And who did you guys have on your roster that could even keep up with kessel. Absolutely nobody. Your team was pathetic as a whole the past two years. Kessel didn't have the attitude problem which your media created (your media kinda is the problem) he just was sick and tired of playing for a team he knew was going no where. Now that he has Malkin and Crosby he has life in his skates. Look since being in Pittsburgh if you ever watched any of the game he backchecks and fights for pucks along the boards. Phil wasn't lazy or wasn't not in good physical condition (honestly where did that come from he never missed a game playing for you).

And who played better then kessel. Did you guys hate him cause of all those 30 goal seasons or becuase he got you 80 points a season. Just curious.

Gee npalley98 I wish you had read what I had written. You write that "you guys hate him(Kessell)" That's not true. How many Canadian/Toronto newspapers have you read in the last six years? How many Canadian.Toronto sport/news shows have watched in the last six years? How many Leaf and therefore Kessell games have you watched in the last six years? Just curious
No the media was the not the Kessell problem, Phil's play (it's his profession) had declined considerably in the past season and a half. People that watch games can make up their own minds, it wouldn't be the media dictating to sports fans
The sports media in Toronto are very easy on their team and the teams personnel. Sure there is a lot of press and TV coverage but it is not harsh at all. I wish they were it would be more objective. The press takes it very easy on teams and the people employed on them probably for the following reason....If critical the media guys would be shut out from further meaningful contact with team. So the sports media goes along, cheerleaders for the teams and then the media personnel gets the benefit of travelling with the teams, going to the games, free lunches, dinners, socializing with the who's who's of sports throughout North America. Don't know of many that would be objective enough to give that up.
The trade. A team trades, or acquires a player because NOT of what he did previously but what he is going to do in the future. My analysis of Phil's play in the past year....is I believe 100% correct and I think Babcock and Shanahan (Lou wasn't here) thought the same thing. For what ever reason....Phil was not going to a good NHL player for the Leafs and the 6.8 m a year the Leafs now have can be spend wisely elsewhere. Nothing about hate, media, or attitude, just results. Pittsburg thinks Phil can revert to some of previous good ways in Toronto and think 6.8m a year is a wise investment. Just the basis of all trades.
You asked me who played better than Phil....well last year his two linemates, JVR and Bozak were. Did Phil work to help his team be better, my opinion no last year. Do I think Phil can be about the good to very good forward on the Pens this year? Certainly. You indicated Phil back checks and fights along the boards for pucks. Well good for the Pens and their fans. Doesn't mean he did last year and would have done it all as a Leaf. It remains to be seen whether Phil can continue (for the next seven years) his dedicated and effective play.
I just find your analysis of the Leaf sports fans, Toronto media, the trade without basis. To think that Toronto fans are so classless, or hateful or so mindless that they believe what the media writes/shows is without fact.
After thinking about it, I believe I know the reason Phil was not shown on the big screen tonight. You know how shy, somewhat awkward Phil is when the spotlight is on him. Good chance he was asked if a tribute was OK, but Phil said "No thank you." Now, not showing the tribute that was already prepared ,when Phil requested it not to be shown.....well, just shows class.
I could phone two friends at Sportsnet to see if a tribute had been prepared.......but I won't. It would be disrespectful (and without class) to the Leafs and Phil to actually know what happened behind the scenes and tell it on this blog.

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I honestly wouldn't have honored him either. Given his attitude the last couple of seasons, it was evident he didn't want to be there. And while I can't find anything, there very well could be behind the scenes stuff like him getting crappy with management/ownership and he possibly could have asked for a trade at some point and it never made it to the public. That last part is speculation but I guarantee something happened behind the scenes to cause this to happen. Besides, you're one to talk about class with your captain that likes to spear people in the crotch and then run away when he gets confronted.

Masterown: Yep sometimes things just don't work out. Example Life long commitments like marriage, well people change or think things are better if both separate. (not necessarily any ones fault). The Leafs haven't had many tributes to players (gee, there hasn't been many stars.) But the tributes they had, the players were well received by their fans, Examples Doug Gilmour traded, Mats Sundin who left via free agency. A great Leaf Daryl Sittler, left the team and demanded to be traded (he went to Philly) and there was no resentment of Sittler in future years. Still a favourite son of long time Leaf fans. Funny thing about Kessel and the reaction of Bruins fans. He was booed often at the beginning of his tenure when he left Boston. He was traded, though he threatened to leave via RFA status, and the Bruins fans were still pissed at him. After getting Sequin and Hamilton in a year or so, they weren't so pissed. Six year later he still gets razzed by Bruins fans.
Be interesting to see the reaction to Kessell in Boston and the Bruins fans with his new found Pittsburg team.
Read the Toronto Star today (Sunday). Thought the columnists gave a balanced and accurate betrayal of the Kessel's tenure as a Leaf and his subsequent trade to the Pens. (As a newspaper, I really don't like the Toronto Star)
Speaking of good reporting, recommend to anyone of this on this planet to watch CNN's show GPS at 1000 Sunday. Balanced thought, excellent interviews. For a world view of politics/economics it's a can't miss show in my opinion.

Lou is not a tribute guy

Alex, maybe you're right. Leafs were in Pittsburg last week and there was no tribute for Spaling and Harrington either. (yeah I know it's not the same).
Any possibility that the Oilers release McDavid for the World Junior Championship?