Find a Local Lawyer

Close This Box!

If [Kessell] thinks changing teams will make everything better, he needs to contemplate the axiom, ?The grass is not always greener on the other wide of the fence.?

Toronto longed seemed his likely destination. Kessel now has the privilege of playing in a city where hockey is more a passionate religion than mere sport; with fans presuming he?ll be an automatic 50-goal-scoring savior and anything less will be seen as failure; for a coach, Ron Wilson, who can be mean, sarcastic and nasty; and a GM, Burke, who can be as intimidating as anyone in the league.

Good luck, Phil. You may be in for an unpleasant surprise or two.

...Kessel got a heck of a deal financially. But it seems obvious what would have been the best outcome for him: Take the offer from the B?s and stay right where he was. It?s unfortunate that won?t happen, maybe for Kessel most of all.

It didn't have to end this way. Phil Kessel could have remained part of the core, a key cog to build around for years to come in the city of Boston. He could've helped bring the organization it's first championship in nearly four long, arduous decades. He could've ruled this town, representing the Black and Gold at All Star Game after All Star Game, contending for the Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophy season after season. His efforts and accomplishments over the next decade and beyond would've meant the world to championship-starved fans of the B's. With $27 million making it's way to his bank account over the next five years, however, we now know what really matters to Phil Kessel.