Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Trade Phil Kessel

04/11/2015 at 10:25pm EDT

from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

Phil Kessel has to go.

More than any single player in blue and white, Kessel needs to be removed for his part in the stench of this Maple Leafs tire fire.

Kessel’s unwillingness to lead, his seeming inability to lead, his negativity on the bench and in the dressing room, his surprising influence he has over his teammates is just a growing short list of why the Leafs must rid themselves of their most talented player.

Kessel is the eighth highest-paid forward in hockey and yet is 89th in even-strength scoring among forwards in the NHL. Maybe anyone can have a bad year, and this is certainly one, although Kessel’s career has been something of a straight line prior to this season. But the odour of this dreadful season, from his lack of conditioning, his disdain for coaching, his unwillingness to accept ownership of any difficulty, his part in Salutegate, his tone-deaf ways trump any singular scoring skill that makes him unique.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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