Heatley staying put... for now

Neely4Life wrote:Im not the biggest Kessel fan, at all, but it's hard to argue that a 21 year old kid, coming off a 30 goal season wouldnt be a solid pick up. There is a kid who can play for The Sens for a loooong time.

His game is really incomplete with tons of holes, but from a tallent perspective and a somewhat proven player, it will be tough to get a better return then Kessel.

With the character Ottawa has in that room with Phillips, Fisher, Alfi, Neil, and hopefully Spezza soon enough, and with 3 years in the league and some hard lessons for Kessel, it could be a good fit.

If you had your choice between Kessel playing for 4.5 mil and Cheechoo for 3mil, I dont think there is much debate. Kessel hasnt even come close to reaching his potential and on the wing with Spezza, he could score 50 in the next year or two.

Again, not a huge Kessel fan but it's tough to argue that you will get more tallent back for Heatley then him.

Valid points there. Boston, too, oozes character, and it doesn't seem to have rubbed off on Kessel yet. I don't think we'll see much in the way of improvement from this guy in terms of an all around game. He didn't slip from being the top prospect in his draft year to going 10th. That's a really disturbing slide.

Kessel def has had a MAJOR improvement since getting scratched for 3 games in the playoffs in 07/08, its not even close to when he was 18, 19. Big time improvement and he should deserve soem credit for that, just as Spezza deserves some credit for sticking with The Sens and really putting is foot down in terms of Heatley and how he feels, credit where credit is due.

Kessel being a winger also, you can let some things slip but his game has come along and with Clouston here now (who obviously demands accountability) I think that's the best possible return for The Sens.

He also went 5th overall, not 10th.

Neely4Life wrote:Kessel def has had a MAJOR improvement since getting scratched for 3 games in the playoffs in 07/08, its not even close to when he was 18, 19. Big time improvement and he should deserve soem credit for that, just as Spezza deserves some credit for sticking with The Sens and really putting is foot down in terms of Heatley and how he feels, credit where credit is due.

Kessel being a winger also, you can let some things slip but his game has come along and with Clouston here now (who obviously demands accountability) I think that's the best possible return for The Sens.

He also went 5th overall, not 10th.

I stand corrected then, I thought it was 10th. Yes, he has improved since being scratched, but I'll wholeheartedly disagree about him being the best possible return. I would much prefer a package with a guy like Pavelski or Clowe as the centrepiece with another player and a prospect thrown in. Kessel as the centrepiece doesn't give us much cap flexibility. No he won't make what Heatley makes, but we certainly wouldn't be doing Heatley for Kessel straight up. If that's the case, I'm going to eat at Taco Bell for a week straight, fly to Ottawa, and leave a giant, greasy, re-fried streamer on Brian Murray's desk. Seriously.

Heatley for Kessel straight up is weighted in SJ/Bos favour big time, no I wouldnt do that. The point I was trying to make though, is that you wont get more tallent and potential coming back then Kessel, no shot.

There is absolutly nothing to say you cant get Kessel signed to an insane term for about 4 mil a year, as it seems to be the norm lately. A 7 year, 30 million dollar deal would be pretty good and it would save the Sens over 3 mil a year vs Heatley for a guy that MIGHT produce at the same level, perhaps higher as time goes on as Heatley would.

If Heatley was indeed the cancer in that locker room, brining Kessel in is already a step up in that aspect. Kessel is still learning and has a ways to go, but again, I dont think you can get a better return in terms of tallent then Kessel.

If you can get Kessel, a 1st, and say Erhoff for Heatley, you do it. I dont think Clowe is going anywhere personally, he would be perfect on a top line with Thornton and Heatley.

Neely4Life wrote:Heatley for Kessel straight up is weighted in SJ/Bos favour big time, no I wouldnt do that. The point I was trying to make though, is that you wont get more tallent and potential coming back then Kessel, no shot.

There is absolutly nothing to say you cant get Kessel signed to an insane term for about 4 mil a year, as it seems to be the norm lately. A 7 year, 30 million dollar deal would be pretty good and it would save the Sens over 3 mil a year vs Heatley for a guy that MIGHT produce at the same level, perhaps higher as time goes on as Heatley would.

If Heatley was indeed the cancer in that locker room, brining Kessel in is already a step up in that aspect. Kessel is still learning and has a ways to go, but again, I dont think you can get a better return in terms of tallent then Kessel.

If you can get Kessel, a 1st, and say Erhoff for Heatley, you do it. I dont think Clowe is going anywhere personally, he would be perfect on a top line with Thornton and Heatley.

I don't see at all how we can have a 3-way deal between OTT, SJ, and BOS, tho'. All three teams are effectively over the cap at the moment. The salary has to go somewhere; you can just pass it back and forth between the teams and expect it to sort itself out.

Bottom line, until SJ clears significant cap space by moving someone like Marleau, Cheechoo, or Ehrhoff, this isn't going anywhere.

I agree, tho', Kessel as the centre piece of the Heatley return would be a great start. Everybody knows that character questions follow him around, but he's a better and younger natural talent than just about anyone we've mentioned in the 5,687 Heatley trade proposals we've tossed back and forth. Kessel could pretty much do for the team what Heatley does, maybe less a dozen or so goals, for about $3 mil less. Works for me.

If Boston had enough cash for a 3 way deal with Ott and SJ, they'd rahter just re-sign Kessel...