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Despite struggling offensively early in the season, the Boston Bruins were able to find their scoring touch. The timing couldn't have been planned any better.

With the return of Phil Kessel to the TD Banknorth Garden for the first time since he was a member of the B's last season, Boston managed to outscore the Toronto Maple Leafs, 7-2 en route to the win.

The Bruins looked strong in many facets of the game despite still allowing two goals. As expected, Kessel was booed thoroughly throughout the game and practically every time he touched the puck. There were also the classy taunts of "Kes-sel, Kes-sel" that could be heard all around the arena.

As Kessel said during a postgame interview:

"You hear it, but it didn't get to me. I've got to be better. You figure when you are dealt that's going to happen. It's part of the game."

Interestingly enough, the two teams play again in a re-match on Thursday in Boston. Highlights of the game are below:

Kessels returns to Boston

Well, speaking of the devil (from the previous post), tonight former Bruins first-round pick, Phil Kessel makes his return to Boston as the Bruins hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs at the TD Banknorth Garden.

After holding out for a contract and eventually signing with the Leafs and some recent comments made public by Marc Savard, it'll be interesting to see what type of reaction Kessel receives as he steps onto the ice.

I'll put my money on him getting booed every time the puck touches his stick. If that is the reaction of the Bruins faithful, I wouldn't be surprised. To be honest, I feel as though it's well-deserved. Kessel didn't leave on good terms and it's only gotten worse. Why wouldn't you boo him?

Photo from www.zimbio.com

Kessel hasn't cut all ties with Boston just yet...

When Bruins center Marc Savard signed a 7-year extension, it was a little surprising to me. After all, he is 32-year-old already. However, I trust that GM Peter Chiarelli knows what he is doing and that this will only benefit the B's in the future.

I came across this from WEEI's Graig Woodburn.

You can count ex-Bruin Phil Kessel among those who were disappointed when Bruins center Marc Savard inked a seven-year contract extension this week. Speaking on the Dale & Holley Show on Thursday, Savard said he and Kessel have stayed in touch after his former linemate was traded to Toronto in September, and that he heard from his ex-teammate during his contract negotiations with Boston.

"We've texted a lot," Savard said. "He was obviously one of the guys telling me to wait and not sign."

The 32-year-old admitted that Kessel had a hard time learning some of lessons that Savard experienced upon his arrival in Boston in 2006-07.

"Some things he did reminded me of myself a lot," said Savard. "It's a humbling experience especially when you are young like that, I think he handled it well. He went through some tough times. As Toronto gets better, he'll get better."

I don't see how Phil Kessel isn't public enemy No. 1 in Boston. I really don't. He's just asking for fans in Beantown to turn against him. Although, I could already see that tide turning when he held out signing an offer early in the off-season. Kessel, what are you doing?!

What could have been with Phil Kessel?

This was my commentary written for my sports writing class earlier today. Since it's not being handed in for a graded assignment, I think it's fair game to post this on my blog:

I can’t get over it. At least not yet.

Much like the fallout in any type of relationship that I have invested myself in, I just cannot get over it. Maybe I sound like the psychotic ex-girlfriend who can’t seem to let go of something that’s no longer in my control, but regardless ... Phil Kessel, you broke my heart.

A month ago, Kessel from traded from my beloved Boston Bruins to division rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Quite simply, it sucked. I hated to see him go. He was young (No. 5 overall pick in 2006), he was good (36 goals, 24 assists last season), and he was a part of a Bruins squad that had shown more promise and heart than I’ve ever seen.

For the first time in a decade, Boston had won a playoff series (sweeping hated rivals Montreal in four) but more importantly, people in Beantown were starting to care again.

The potential for something great was there.

But as soon as the Bruins were shown an exit from the postseason with a heartbreakingly devastating Game 7 overtime loss at home, I knew at that moment, something had to give. After all, doesn’t something always have to give when a season ends?

I don’t blame Boston GM Peter Chiarelli. He had a job to do. To be honest, I find myself blaming the only person I can: Kessel.

Perhaps my bitter feelings are the getting the best of me, but I guess I’ll never fully understand why he chose to leave Boston. He had everything going for him. He could have returned to a team that was on the rise. He could have returned to help win a championship. He could have shown loyalty. But instead, he chose money. Isn’t that always the way of the business?

Chiarelli had a lot to deal with during the off-season including dealing with other young budding stars in 23-year-old center David Krejci and 24-year-old defenseman Matt Hunwick while also attempting to re-sign Vezina (Best Goalie) winning goaltender Tim Thomas.

Thomas was re-signed to a four-year, $20 million deal while Hunwick got a two-year, $2.9 million extension. Securing Krejci with a 3-year, $11.25 million dollar contract the Czech native scored 22 goals and dished 51 assists to finish second in points on the team, Kessel seemed the lone man out.

In hindsight, I wonder if re-signing Krejci first had any effect to how Kessel viewed his contract negotiations. Perhaps the Wisconsin native believed by holding out, he could get a better offer for more money. Instead, he got traded.

Could the Bruins use those two first-round draft picks and a second rounder to their advantage? Absolutely. Could letting Kessel go possibly come back to bite the B's in the ass? Absolutely. Letting him sign a 5-year, $27 million contract is a risky move by Toronto but they heavily believe he is the future. The same way Boston once believed it too.

Maybe in my fairytale world, athletes who get drafted by an organization actually show some devotion for the team that helped get them started. Maybe athletes wouldn’t be driven by money? Maybe athletes wouldn’t ever leave until they wanted to retire? Hell, maybe the Bruins would find a way to finally win the damn Stanley Cup?

Ah, if only fairytales existed.

Two weeks into the NHL season and neither the Bruins or Maple Leafs are having very much success. Boston went 2-3-0 in their five-game homestand while Toronto is an even more unimpressive 0-5-1 to start the season. In fairness to the Bruins, their big problem seems to be defense rather than offense. After having one of the stingiest defenses last season, the B's have done a complete turn around. The team's GAA (goals against average) ranks them 27th in the league while Thomas is 1-2-0 with a 4.01 GAA and .868 save percentage. Very un-Vezina like numbers.

But maybe I need to give it a rest. I'm going to try to give the B's the benefit of the doubt and assume they'll get better as the season goes on. Do they need Kessel? It doesn't appear so. Would it have been nice to have him around? Probably. Will this stop me from wondering what could have been if he had stayed? Not likely.

That won't happen until I learn to just get over it.

*Photo from www.boston.com and www.hockeyheadblog.com

Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want...

It took a little while for the news to sink in: Phil Kessel, the newest member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Bruins unloaded their former first round pick to their division rivals for two first-round picks and a second rounder. Toronto ended up signing the 21-year-old winger to a 5-year, $27 million contract -- definitely not the price range the B's were looking at.


Scoping out The Boston Globe, ESPN, and TSN.ca I've seen a lot of different perspectives and opinions on the deal. Some are saying the B's got the shorter end of the stick because they didn't get an actual player in return for their leading goal-scorer while others believe given the situation, Boston did all it could and didn't come out so badly.

Before I get to my opinion on this whole thing, let me say that sometimes I wonder if I'm the right person to discuss trade talks with.

I tend to get more attached to players than most other normally sane sports fans. I don't handle change very well and I hate seeing players leave Boston -- even if it isn't on a good note. With that said, I have mixed feelings. Any time your favorite team trades a player who's only 21, who shows so much potential, who could be the answer to your championship prayers -- it's hard to accept. Especially when you only get draft picks in return. It's a very "Really? THAT'S ALL? Well, what the hell?" type of moment.

On the other hand, Kessel didn't want to be a Bruin. Well, at least not enough to take a pay cut. When an athlete believes their worth is higher than what a team is willing to pay, something's bound to give. And it did. I guess the only thing left to hope for is that Kessel doesn't turn out to be some franchise player who goes on to light up Boston for future years to come. To be honest, there's no way of knowing. He may have scored 36 goals last season (66 in his career) but is he still the same player without Marc Savard (who had 63 assists last season) on his line?

The worst thing about this trade is hearing it compared to departure of former No. 1 overall pick, Joe Thornton.

He was supposed to be answer for the Bruins, the one player who was supposed to spend his entire career in black and gold, the one who would help bring back Lord Stanley's Cup. Five years ago, when he was traded -- it was stunning but I can't say that it was all that surprising. No matter how good a player is, sometimes he just isn't the right guy. Thornton wasn't and I have a feeling Kessel isn't either.

So while Thornton has gone on to have a pretty success career with the San Jose Sharks (who still have also not won a Cup, might I add), the B's steadily began to rebuild their team. But the future arrived a lot quicker than most people thought it would. In five years, the B's went from a team that missed the playoffs for two season to sneaking into the playoffs as a No. 8 seed to finishing on top of the Eastern Conference last season.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is that the world didn't end with Thornton leaving and it won't end with Kessel either. If neither player was happy in Boston, if they didn't fit into the bigger plan, then so be it. The Bruins have already proven they can survive giving up a "franchise player" in hopes of rebuilding for the future. But the best part often seems to be, the future almost always arrives much sooner than expected.

*Photo from The Boston Globe and The Calgary Herald

Breaking News: Kessel to Toronto

Well, TSN's Darren Dreger is reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins have reached an agreement that will send the 21-year-old Phil Kessel up north to become a Maple Leaf.

Read the full story here.

Once more details come out about the trade, I'll be sure to post my analysis of what went down and how things are looking for the B's.

Update on Kessel...

The Boston Globe is reporting that negotiations between Phil Kessel and the Boston Bruins are officially through.

According to Kessel's agent, Wade Arnott, the 21-year-old's top priority is to start looking at offers from the other 29 teams in the league. Click here for the full story.

"The Bruins, who open their full training camp at the Garden Sunday, have tried to sign Kessel to a deal on par with the three-year, $11.35 million pact signed earlier this summer by 23-year-old pivot David Krejci. However, it has become obvious since July 1, the start of free agency, that Kessel believes he is worth more. He noted to a Globe reporter during last month’s US Olympic orientation camp in suburban Chicago that Krejci’s contract was not relevant to his deal. Kessel also said he would accept a discount to re-sign with the Bruins, for whom he has played all of his three seasons in the league, but it would not be a significant rollback from his asking price (which he has never made public)." -- The Boston Globe

If that's true, I'm really truly disappointed in Kessel's decision. While this doesn't mean he won't be a Bruin this upcoming season (Boston can match whatever offer sheet is given), chances are looking slim. Supposedly, he thinks he should get around $4-5 million a season. As much as I enjoyed what he did for the B's offensively.. he isn't worth that kind of money. Not right now at least.

With the economy in such a decline, it just blows my mind how selfish some athletes can be. But if that's his attitude, if he really believes he is worth $5 million a season, he should go sign with a team who is willing to overpay for him. If I were the GM of another organization, I'd take some notice in how he's handling the situation now. Unless a team is going to lock him up long-term, they can look forward to similar contract disputes in the future as well.

No. 88 -- it was nice knowing you. You were great in your time with Boston so I'll thank you for that. However, I don't wish you any future luck, how can if this is the way things are going to end?

*Photo from The Boston Herald

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