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Rumors: Penguins internally optimistic of getting a seat at the Tavares table in late June?

William DePaoli
Latest Penguins Buzz

A 92 point regular season won’t have Phil Kessel’s name escaping the trade rumor mill over the next month in a half.

Kessel’s poor performance in the postseason followed by a continued rift with head coach Mike Sullivan has only heightened the situation regarding Kessel this coming summer.

Sources tell Inside Pittsburgh Sports, the coaching staff has reached the point with Kessel where they feel if he’s not producing offensively, he’s a detriment to the lineup 5-on-5 because of his inability to do the little things away from the puck.

He won’t battle for pucks in corners, he won’t put his body on the line to block a shot, ect……That drives this coaching staff nuts and is why if Jim Rutherford presents some trade scenarios that either open up cap space or bring in depth options who play Sullivan’s way, there’s little chance the coaching staff would go to bat for Kessel.

And that says something for the player who was very good to great offensive in two Stanley Cup runs and just had a 92 point season.

Pittsburgh had some serious trade talks last summer with Calgary about Kessel, which further highlights the issues between Kessel and the coaching staff were very much there after winning a second Stanley Cup.

From NHL executives, to top NHL insiders, it’s no secret around the league that Pittsburgh will entertain Kessel trade scenarios leading into the draft.

Here was Elliotte Friedman’s take on Kessel last week, transcribed by Chris Nichols.

“I think they would,” Friedman said of the Penguins moving Kessel. “I thought it was really interesting how Mike Sullivan said he wouldn’t talk about injuries but said Kessel wasn’t hurt that badly. That’s like having a city bus drive over you a little bit. I think that reveals that Sullivan was really frustrated with Kessel, and he has been from time to time. Rutherford obviously was a little quieter, didn’t go that far. The one thing about Jim Rutherford and Pittsburgh is that they’re in it to win it as long as Crosby and Malkin are in their primes, right. They look at it like, ‘We’re going for it while these guys are still in the primes of their career.’
“So I really believe that… I watched his press conference yesterday and he’s saying, ‘We’re going to do some stuff and we are going to be different.’ I think he’s the kind of guy who’s liable to try anything.”

Kessel has four years remaining on his deal with a $6.8 million cap hit. He’s due to make $26 million in actual money over the remainder of the contract, with $21 million of it paid from the Penguins.

Kessel’s no trade clause allows him to accept a trade to only eight teams and each July 1 the Kessel camp often make the list with teams right up against the cap that hinder the chances of Kessel bring traded.

One Eastern Conference Executive to TIOPS on Kessel:

“The guy is greatly undervalued,” the executive said of Kessel. “It’s hard to find players out there like him with that skill, goal scoring touch.”

Here was the key comment, though, from the executive on why the trade market for Kessel would be very limited.

“Our coaches would not want him.”

Penguins will explore options for flexibility to get a seat at the Tavares table

– One reason we’re going to hear Phil Kessel ($6.8 million cap hit) and Kris Letang ($7.5 million cap hit) name out there in trade talks, though, the Penguins will be much quieter with getting Letang’s out there, is creating flexibility for one primary target……

–John Tavares–

The Penguins had intel around the All-Star break as reported here that Tavares would grant the Penguins a meeting in June if Pittsburgh had the flexibility to make it work.

Signing Patric Hornqvist a long-term extension and then trading for Derick Brassard added $8.25 million to the cap for next season.

For Jim Rutherford that won’t be a deterrent in seeing if he can make it work.

Pittsburgh is absolutely not basing their entire off-season on landing Tavares or not, they’re certainly a longshot at this point, but the team is already planning to be gathering additional intel through the next month on whether they’ll actually be getting as seat at the table for a meeting.

That’s the goal here, per a source, is for the Penguins to have an opportunity to make a pitch and in the coming weeks and the key will be setting things in motion to present scenarios to the Tavares camp that the team can create enough flexibility to make the numbers work and add Tavares to this core.

The Penguins may come out with a quiet off-season but fans should brace themselves for something big.

Брассар в качестве 3го центра не подошёл, попробуем Тавареса?

там вроде была другая статья чисто по словам Салливана что у Кессела не такая уж и большая была травма и она ему не мешала...

норм так Салливан зарядил-)) снова Кесся изгой-)) а еще не верили голландцу что его спецом убрали от Малкина чтобы он случайно артик не взял-))

Если это не дешевый насброс, то...мне это не нравится. Совсем не нравится.

Тогда вот эта, наверное:

Mike Sullivan not buying the Phil Kessel injury talk

William DePaoli
Latest Penguins Buzz

Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan isn’t buying that winger Phil Kessel is dealing with an injury that is impacting his level of play.

“I don’t think Phil is banged up more than anybody else,” Mike Sullivan said about Kessel after the Penguins optional practice. “It’s a physical series and everybody has bumps and bruises, I think that’s par for the course at this time of the year.”

Kessel has 2 assists this series and just a goal, 6 assists in 10 playoff games. Kessel had a monster regular season with 34 goals, 92 points in 82 games.

Kessel’s struggles to get pucks off quickly from the left wall on the power play have been an issue but the most problematic areas has been 5-on-5 for Kessel where he’s not getting scoring chances inside the dots.

The star of the past two postseason runs has just three even strength points through 10 games.

Ага. Спецом убрали, чтобы Вашингтону проиграть.

Не первая статья, где катят бочку на Фила, проблема в том, что вряд ли мы его куда поменяем, слишком мало желающих.

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All we have here is a magnificent specimen of pure Alabama blacksnake. And it ain't too goddamn beaucoup.

Да ладно? Чувак выигравший 2 кубка Стенли, не игравший при этом в первых двух звеньях, но ходивший рядом с двумя Конн Сайтами (а по версии обкурыша из ростова и вовсе взявший один) - никому не нужен за 8 лямов? При нынешних зарплатах? Значит игрок 4 звена в 38 лет за 3 ляма ьбез налогов нужен, центр 3-го звена, который забыл как играть за 4 ляма тоже. А Кессел нет? Сомневаюсь. Выйди он на свободный рынок - улетит за хорошие бабки

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Баба Яга ПРОТИВ!!! (с)

Даже страшно тогда представить, что делать с Летангом за его 7,25....

Летанга переподписать!

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Make the best of a bad job

Вы сбрендили? Менять ФИла? Человека, который делает игру звена, выбивает больше очка за игру, тащит в ПО, если у него нет травмы? Поменяйте лучше Кросби тогда уж. Или ещё лучше как раз Летанга с Шири.

"а если нет разницы, зачем платить больше?" (С)

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Elvis has just left the building!

имхо, желающих куда больше чем желающих приобрести Летанга.

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Elvis has just left the building!

Желающих получить Фила больше желающих обменять Летанга?

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Make the best of a bad job

Да не будут шарика менять из-за одного слабого ПО,такда и ММ на выход От Салли,думаю,эт некий психологический ход,а журналюгам тока дай воду граблями на плацу погонять.

С вашингтоном когда горел пердак таки вернул Кессела к Малкину, но уже мало чего вышло... а вот в регулярке факт Кессел имел больше шансов взять арт росс играя с малкиным , так же как и сам малкин

однозначно

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Elvis has just left the building!

Я понял. А Хорнквиста забрали от Кросби, чтобы он случайно третий подряд Конн-Смайт не взял.

Я понял. А Хорнквиста забрали от Кросби, чтобы он случайно третий подряд Конн-Смайт не взял.

Случайно или третий раз?

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Make the best of a bad job