You must hate seeing an actual deal getting done that you only criticize the reporting, huh?

? I'm not criticizing the reporters... I'm criticizing the deal since it makes no sense on our end. I love Phil Kessel the player, but this team is in dire need of a rebuild and even if we added Kessel I can't see us magically becoming a team primed to go on a deep cup run. My point with the title is that adding a 31 year old 90p winger doesn't make sense to me.

You were criticizing the person who first started the thread.. until you had a means to confirm the report, you were just about on a plane to Pittsburgh to find him/her and turn them sideways.

Anyway, while it is a bad deal for both teams, it's an understood deal (should it go through). All of the cap hits fit the upcoming season (though Pitt is shedding some necessary dead weight and clearing room for someone else).

Minn is trying to align their wings while hoping lightning can strike twice with Kessel, the way it did with Staal.

Both teams need to retool; this is a different manner, without tearing the whole thing down. At actually clears the way for Donato to play center, so that's one benefit. Gives Beldeppio a defensive-minded partner, which allows him to be the offensive point man of the pairing.. two benefits.

Just saying.

brutal deal for pit. doesn't make sense for minny too

terrible deal for MIN. If you're moving out Zucker, you move him for younger players/picks. Although if the trade goes through, what's to say MIN won't try trading Kessel?

Anyways, if they were to do the deal, I think it's easier to move Zucker than Kessel however idk who would get more.

What? I'm honestly not even sure what you're talking about, I just saw the news on Reddit and Twitter and noticed nobody had posted the Wild's side so I wanted to see what it looked like. I had no intentions of criticizing anybody, so I apologize if it seemed that way.

The problem is that we aren't a contender even with Kessel. Sure, we could strike lightning with Kessel but trading a 50/60p winger for an 80/90p winger isn't going to instantly give us a cup contending roster. Staal looked really old at the end of the year, I don't think he's a 1C on a cup contender anymore. Koivu tore his ACL at 36, who knows what he'll look like next year. Eriksson Ek had a good last 2 months but I still don't think he's anything more than a middle 6 center. Donato will be on the wing, not at center even if we move Rask. At least for right now, Fiala turns the puck over way too much which has hampered his production. Greenway had a good rookie year but he's still raw and will likely be about another year or 2 before he hits his prime. Belpedio will start in the AHL, I'd be shocked if that's not the case.

I agree it's bad for both sides. Kessel is a great player, if Pittsburgh is looking for one last cup with Sid and Geno, you keep Phil Kessel. The Wild aren't going to instantly become contenders by upgrading Zucker to Kessel either.



I agree, I actually think it's bad for both sides. We are in dire need of a rebuild. I suppose flipping Kessel is a possibility, but I have to imagine it's our owner Craig Leipold pushing this deal. He's notoriously been extremely impatient to bring a cup to MN so I'd imagine if we trade for Kessel, he'd be here to try and win us a cup. I think Kessel is probably the more valuable asset but there are fewer teams that would be interested in him. If you're rebuilding, you could look to add a Zucker since he's younger and under contract for longer.

Kessel has an 8 team list that he can be traded to (without approval). My friend who is a Pens fan said he's pretty sure Kessel was quoted as saying "i'm not sure if I'd want to play in Minnesota", so apparently he'd have to waive his NTC to allow this trade to go through. But my main point is that it seems doubtful Minnesota would acquire Kessel with intent to turn around and then trade him someplace else. Just seems like that would be a risky proposition at best. Unless this turns out to be a 3 way trade, which I suppose could be possible.

Minny should stop and run for the hills before finishing this

Sounds like your friend is right!

What I'm hearing: Kessel at the moment is not leaning towards waiving his NTC to go to Minnesota but that doesn't mean it ultimately couldn't happen eventually. However, there are a few clubs on his 8-team YES list that have contacted Pittsburgh so we'll see where that goes... https://t.co/i41y6sIIU3

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 23, 2019

Hey Tansor, did you change your name from @arousedcat ???

Yes! I have "formerly arousedcat" under my username for that reason but it's easy to miss

I like the first username way more (yes I mostly lurk here but enjoy reading your posts, interesting stuff)
Totally agree with you on all accounts regarding this deal. How Minny has not figured out a rebuild is neccesary is beyond me.

This is sort of speculation but I think our GM would like to but our owner Craig Leipold won't let him. Our beat writer Michael Russo has hinted at this a few times on a podcast he's in which is why I say sort of speculation. Anyways, Leipold has said many times publicly that he wants to be a contender next season which is why I think this trade is potentially happening. I mean, if you think about it, every trade Fenton made last season was for younger guys. Why would we trade for a 31 year old 90p winger all of the sudden? Makes me wonder if Fenton could be on the hot seat if we don't make the playoffs and that's why he's trying to bring Kessel here.

Interesting.
Would you say that because he wants the team to contend, that now he's becoming a meddling owner similar to how Melanik is in Ottawa?

If so, that really sucks. My cousin is a Sens fan and the amount of frustration he has based on how Melanik has meddled and trolled the fanbase is immeasurable.

I can't say for sure, but based off of the many years he has said to the season ticket holders that he wants to bring a cup here and he will do whatever it takes to make that happen as soon as possible I think there's enough between the lines to say that he definitely meddles and probably has all the way back to when he hired Chuck Fletcher. He also had a caveat when he hired Fenton that he did not want to rebuild, so that's another piece of evidence towards him meddling. Fortunately for the Wild fanbase, he isn't a penny pincher like Melnyk is, but his impatience is really annoying.