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Do you guys think that Kessel's Hot streak is going to last or what? I think he will be a top contender this year if he keeps it up.
Kessel's Hot Streak
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If any player kept this up they would be a top contender. Kessel has been streaky in the past and i don't expect that to end in one season. Although having a guy like Lupul on his line who is actually an NHL talent (sorry Joey Crabb) I can see him going 40/40 this year, although probably not. It will come in spurts. I see at least one 5 game goalless streak this season but with how he looks this year. Healthier, more passing and faster he should be alright this year. I predict better then last year but it could range from a 70 points season to an 80 point season.
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I don't know I feel like this is a new and improved Phil Kessel. Especially with his new linemate Lupul, he has been able to find a lot more open ice which he can work with.
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Kessel's always been the real deal, Leaf fans are just used to regurgitating what the pundits say - often word for word. With good line mates he is a world class player, all one has to do is look at his year as a twenty year old with Savard. The number of active players who have scored thirty that young a person could count on one hand, but of course the pundits grumbled about the draft picks, even though last years champs were built mostly through trades. All of Boston's best players they traded for.
I got ripped to shreds on this forum by suggesting Toronto should trade whatever to get him even 2 first rounders - people tore me up. In the end they did, and Leaf fans will be happy in the long run.
Phil Kessel is a pure shooter, something at the NHL level that really cannot be taught. In my opinion there are only a few guys that I would say can snipe it as well or better than he can. Just imagine if he played the last 2 years with a healthy Savard, we would have been talking superstar a long time ago. If Burke ever gets Kessel a top flight centre Kessel will pot 50, heck he might anyway.
Leaf fans will undoubtably jump on the wagon now, even though they watched him for the last 2 years score goals completely out of nothing, thin air. At least 10 times last year he took the puck and made a goal happen out of nothing, all the while playing on a line with a centre not anywhere near the ilk that other snipers in the league play with.
This year he looks so good because he now has teammates he trusts, so he is moving the puck more, the last 2 years he tried to do it all himself most nights. The fact that he is a great playmaker is now being shown which is downright scary if your an opponent.
I got ripped to shreds on this forum by suggesting Toronto should trade whatever to get him even 2 first rounders - people tore me up. In the end they did, and Leaf fans will be happy in the long run.
Phil Kessel is a pure shooter, something at the NHL level that really cannot be taught. In my opinion there are only a few guys that I would say can snipe it as well or better than he can. Just imagine if he played the last 2 years with a healthy Savard, we would have been talking superstar a long time ago. If Burke ever gets Kessel a top flight centre Kessel will pot 50, heck he might anyway.
Leaf fans will undoubtably jump on the wagon now, even though they watched him for the last 2 years score goals completely out of nothing, thin air. At least 10 times last year he took the puck and made a goal happen out of nothing, all the while playing on a line with a centre not anywhere near the ilk that other snipers in the league play with.
This year he looks so good because he now has teammates he trusts, so he is moving the puck more, the last 2 years he tried to do it all himself most nights. The fact that he is a great playmaker is now being shown which is downright scary if your an opponent.
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I don't want to take anything from his start, but there's no way he sustains his current pace, which is built a lot by a shooting percentage of 32%.
2007 - 6.5%
2008 - 8.9%
2009 - 15.5%
2010 - 10.1%
2011 - 9.8%
2012 - 32.0%
One of these things does not belong.
Daryl
2007 - 6.5%
2008 - 8.9%
2009 - 15.5%
2010 - 10.1%
2011 - 9.8%
2012 - 32.0%
One of these things does not belong.
Daryl
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248 Posts
He's passing more. He's picking his shots, unlike last year when he just shot constantly. But no, 32% is unheard of. I'de be happy with 75 plus points, regardless of goals.
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Remember, he had something like 7 goals in his first 8 games last year, so let's not get too excited.
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That's a good one! Hey I think he got the best outta that. A car for being picked last, i'll take that any day!
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I have to echo something stated in you post. The good thing this season is that when the goals aren't coming as easy for Kessel he will have linemates who can get the job done. The good thing about the MacCarter, Kulemin and Garbovsky line last season was that when one player stopped scoring another one starting, it went in shifts the first 20 games were MacCarter's and the rest was shared between Kulemine and Garbovsky. With Lupul playing the way he is, Kessel doesn't need to score every game to keep his confidence up. He still goes on the score sheet when Lupul scores and if Connelly can play consistently on the top line he will help both Lupul and Kessel when both are struggling to put it in the net. The great thing that has been different from any other year Kessel has been a leaf, Kessel isn't the only offensive resource on his line so he doesn't have to lead the NHL in goals to be an effective player
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