News reports suggest Kessel could be on the move to MIN, which would make zero sense to me. MIN is not one piece away from contending, even if it's Kessel at 1 point per game. They need a major rebuild, but won't do it as long as they have a roster full of expensive veterans still capable of making big contributions.

I love COL for Kessel. They can trade Tyson Barrie and add to an already strong PP. Makar looks ready to play top PP anyway. COL also has tons of cap space. It makes sense to me. Maybe PIT could even package Jack Johnson w/ Kessel by throwing COL a couple picks/prospects. Obviously, JJ was Jim Rutherford 's worst acquisition in PIT. Keep in mind, Kessel's cap hit of $6.8M is very manageable. How many other 80+ point scorers are available at under $7M?

I like the Coyotes for him. Kessel thrived under Tocchet and there's no reason why he can't do the same again. A top line of Keller-Schmaltz-Kessel would be a dream come true for them, as I see those players all being able to complement each other well. The Coyotes desperately need to add a pure goal scorer to the mix, and Kessel fits the bill perfectly. At $6.8M, he's going to come at a lower cap hit than any potential UFA signing as well.

The Coyotes can offer Christian Fischer, who would be a great power forward to play with Malkin. He seems like the guy who would thrive playing for Sullivan and can consistently score 20-25 goals for them. A first round pick on top of him, plus another solid prospect would be a nice return for the Penguins if they're trying to get younger.

I think at this point I wouldn't guarantee he gets moved. The first question is if he gets traded. My guess would be that he does. It just seems like that's what everything is pointing to. But remember that he's won 2 cups with Pittsburgh and they might just decide to keep the team together. I doubt Malkin is moved, but Kessel probably will be IMO. Like krak said above, the Coyotes make sense for the reasons he said.

I def. agree that ARI could be a great fit for Kessel. Like COL, they need scoring (COL needs secondary scoring, while ARI needs top line/PP scoring). They have the cap space, and they have a head coach with whom Kessel seems to have had a good relationship with. A lot of positives exist here.

PIT needs to shake things up, in my opinion. I think Kessel and Malkin need to be split up. They had a great run, but I don't see them winning another Cup with their current roster. They have a great core though. I know it's crazy, but I'm not even sure PIT is a playoff team next season with their current roster. Especially considering how NJD and NYR could be vastly improved from the draft and free agency, CAR is young and could be even better, and PHI way underachieved this season and could bounce back big time. Bottom line: PIT needs some changes, if only to keep fresh and motivated.

When did I ever say he's staying? You basically said what I said about Kessel, that he will probably be traded.

"I think at this point I wouldn't guarantee he gets moved."

-you.

He's getting moved. It's just a matter of where.

I'm not sold on the idea of Kessel in Phoenix. From The Athletic (subscription req'd): Now, that was said about the Coyotes' approach to free agency, but I can't imagine he wouldn't apply that line of thinking to trades as well. That doesn't 100% rule out Chayka trading for Kessel, but it seems like that would be lower on the ladder of "available choices." I find it hard to imagine Rutherford getting any sort of substantial scoring replacement out of the Coyotes, either. Seems like a lose-lose proposition for both sides to me.

That's a fair point. It's not like ARI is really close to contending for the Cup. Kessel could put them over the hump as far as making the playoffs though, and that could be a very valuable proposition for the Coyotes given their recent struggles. They've also had a hard time in the draft compared to other struggling Western Conference teams like COL (up until 2 seasons ago) and VAN. But Kessel in ARI is probably a band aid at best. This is why I think he'd be a much, much better fit in COL-a team ready to win now.

I get where you're coming from, but the Coyotes are in an interesting spot here as an organization. From a business standpoint, trading for a fan favorite, two time Stanley Cup champion, hot dog eating 30 goal scorer would be huge for the market. He's a player that will sell merchandise, a player with the raw skill that will bring more fans into the stadium and have more people watch on television. On top of the fact that he's a player that can propel them into the playoffs, which will also be huge for the organization.

I reside in Arizona, and when the Coyotes were making their playoff push this season, there was a lot of buzz about the team here. Buzz that hasn't been here in a long, long time. Trading for a star player that helps this team significantly both on and off the ice, for an organization that can greatly benefit from these results makes it seem like the Coyotes should be pushing hard to acquire him.

And while the Coyotes aren't Cup contenders just by adding Kessel, he does get them a step closer in their quest. A team built around Kessel, Keller, OEL, Hayton, Schmaltz and Raanta could do some serious damage in the long run.

I get where you're coming from, but the Coyotes are in an interesting spot here as an organization. From a business standpoint, trading for a fan favorite, two time Stanley Cup champion, hot dog eating 30 goal scorer would be huge for the market. He's a player that will sell merchandise, a player with the raw skill that will bring more fans into the stadium and have more people watch on television. On top of the fact that he's a player that can propel them into the playoffs, which will also be huge for the organization.

I reside in Arizona, and when the Coyotes were making their playoff push this season, there was a lot of buzz about the team here. Buzz that hasn't been here in a long, long time. Trading for a star player that helps this team significantly both on and off the ice, for an organization that can greatly benefit from these results makes it seem like the Coyotes should be pushing hard to acquire him.

And while the Coyotes aren't Cup contenders just by adding Kessel, he does get them a step closer in their quest. A team built around Kessel, Keller, OEL, Hayton, Schmaltz and Raanta could do some serious damage in the long run.[/quote]

Yes! This is exactly what I was trying to say. ARI could benefit greatly from Kessel. Give the fans something to feel positive about.

I said I wouldn't guarantee it. But my guess is that he's traded. I think it's probably 80-20 chance he gets traded.

If he doesn't get traded it'll be b/c JR can't get a good enough return or if he just overvalues Kessel. It certainly won't be from a lack of trying. Also, his cap hit is totally reasonable. I can't see why a contending team wouldn't want him, especially NSH for help on their pathetic PP.

It seems like, no matter what Kessel is done in Pittsburgh. I’d say that Arizona or Nashville would be the 2 main destinations. Most likely Arizona. (Completing the 3-way between the Habs, Yotes, & Pens that almost happened last year?)

Yeah, i could see Nashville. Like I said, I think he'll be traded, but you can't guarantee anything.

I think it's a fairly safe bet that he'll be traded to the Western Conference if he is traded. PIT wouldn't want to face Kessel in an early playoff round.