For Love of the Game

Phil Kessel had a coming out party last season with the Boston Bruins. Only 21 years old, the Wisconsin native showed great maturity on the ice and even had the honor of scoring the first goal of the season for the Black and Gold in a 5-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

Over the course of the 2008-09 season, Kessel led the team with 36 goals accumulating 60 points (with 24 assists for a +23 rating) while helping Boston finish as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite the potential for offensive stardom, the 5th overall pick of the 2006 NHL draft still finds himself without a contract after becoming a restricted free agent this offseason.

The Bruins and General Manager Peter Chiarelli have been put in a tough situation. As The Boston Globe explains:

"As of Oct. 1, payrolls for NHL clubs must not exceed the league-mandated $56.8 million cap. However, prior to Oct. 1, clubs are allowed to exceed the cap by 10 percent, to a limit of $62.48 million.

The Bruins, with some $55 million committed for next season, have tried to convince Kessel to sign a deal that would increase the payroll to around $59 million, forcing Chiarelli to ditch a roster player in the minors or offload salary via trade. But thus far none of Boston's offers has been to Kessel's liking."

With little money left to be offered and rumors swirling that division rival Toronto might be interested in looking to give Kessel an offer sheet, Bruins fans might be considering hitting the panic button.

Perhaps one of the biggest issues in re-signing Kessel is those who worry about his defensive style of play. Some have criticized the Right Winger as "being soft" believing he isn't tough enough to play a more physical style the B's have found recent success in. Other have also labeled Kessel as "selfish" for wanting to sign a bigger contract. Then again, for being the team's leading goal scorer, Kessel only made $850,000 last year. It was obvious he was due for some sort of a raise. However, what he wants (and perhaps deserves) and what the Bruins can offer at this moment just aren't the same.

Ultimately, it seems the former Minnesota Gopher needs to decide for himself which is more important: returning to a Stanley Cup contending team for less money or inking a deal that could provide a big pay day?

Other questions to ponder:
- Will Kessel have a contract signed before his 22nd birthday (Oct. 2)?
- Could he essentially be the key to helping Boston finally bring back Lord Stanley's Cup?
- But more importantly, with all the strides made last season, can the Bruins actually now win WITHOUT him?

*Photo from Sports Illustrated