Hockey's Bond of Brothers
by BCISLEMAN on Sep 6, 2009 3:48 PM EDT
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Hockey has a long tradition of brothers playing together. It starts when they are old enough to lace 'em up and continues all the way to the NHL. Phil and Tony Esposito started out together in Chicago before Chicago made one of the worst trades in history--sending Phil and Ken Hodge to Beantown. You've had the Mullens and the Primeaus and, on our own NY Islanders, the Sutters and the Potvins. Of course, we all know the lengths the Vancouver Canucks went to first draft the Sedins together and, more recently, to keep them together. It seems to me that a case like the Staals--with three brothers all on different teams--is unusual. it may well be that when they become free agents that they try to sign with the same organization.
Which brings me to the Islanders' current situation. Blake Kessel is a quality defensive prospect currently in the Islander system. He has openly stated that older brother Phil Kessel (a forward for the Boston Bruins) is the reason that he is playing hockey at all. I suspect that Phil's signing with the Bruins is the reason that Blake chose to play his college hockey at the University of New Hampshire where he is currently about to start his sophomore season. As you can see, they look alike and it has been suggested that they talk alike as well. Seems like almost a symbiotic relationship.
As you may know, Phil has refused several offers from the cap-strapped Bruins. Of course, the obvious assumption is that they are not able to offer him what he thinks he's worth. Perhaps he's pushing to sign with another team that he thinks has a better shot at the Cup. That seems unlikely. There are only a handful of teams as talented and successful as the Bruins and they are all in cap trouble as well.
Another possibility is that Phil is trying to leverage a move that would put the brothers in the same organization. He would have to know that Garth would never trade away our first round pick. So he might simply tell the Bruins that their choice is to bring Blake into their organization via trade or he will sign an offer sheet with the Islanders for $3 mil per that would only entitle Boston to a second round pick in compensation.
Of course, if Phil signed with the Isles, that would make the possibility of contending this year much more realistic. The Isles would be able to put together two fairly potent top lines and would be much harder to defend against. The alternative wouldn't be too shabby either. If I am Garth and Boston looks to trade for Blake, I ask for Tommy Cross. Check out his profile at Hockey's Future:
http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/tommy_cross
So which would you prefer? A budding star forward? Or a potential star defender?
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It’s funny you posted this, because at the end of your last comment in the other thread where the Kessels were brought up, I was thinking we’re due for another set of Islanders brothers. (Don’t forget the brief Jonsson two-fer experience!)
If they’re as tight as you suggest, I could see it happening. Of course I’d prefer Snow grab Phil than deal Blake. But Blake isn’t at a point where I’m prepared to make a decision on him and deal him — and certainly not to help out another GM. Of course, that GM is having trouble finding a way out of the Kessel Conundrum.
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There could be benefits to dealing him and helping that GM. He might be more disposed to make a favorable trade with us next summer for a player like Mark Stuart. Another thought might be to deal Blake for the second rounder the Bs got from the Bolts and in the same deal or separately send a third rounder to the Bs for Sturm. He could help fill out our top two lines and augment our PP. And, if you combine it with draft picks for Weight, Sutton, Biron, and Park, the second rounder would help in moving back up into the first round. Sturm might also be dealt at the deadline.
Back to square one
I’m not sure how this offer sheet business works. If Garth offered assurances to Phil that he would eventually be playing with his brother as a condition to sign, would that be tampering? In any event, that would be the one thing that might induce him to sign with us. Then if Garth is able to get Babchuk for a third rounder and maybe Byfuglien for Park (a UFA next summer—thus a $3 mil salary dump and an opening for Skille or Beach—and a very valuable player for a young contending team like Chicago), this becomes a genuine contending hockey team. He might even go all out and try to buy out Petrov’s contract to get him to come here.
Lighthouse or no Lighthouse, you have to do what you can to build a team that fans will come to see. Now if Garth is honestly saying that Phil Kessel is not really a player that he has confidence in and doesn’t honestly believe he is worth a second round pick, that’s one thing. But he shouldn’t be shortchanging the future of this franchise for financial reasons.
One way PK might come to the Isles is if Chiarelli really despairs of being able to sign Kessel and Burke keeps trying to throw his weight around. He might develop an ABB (Anybody But Burke) attitude and figure that the Isles getting Kessel and facing his guys only once after December 12, not being in the same division, and probably not presenting a real challenge in the conference this year is better than sending Kessel to a division rival GM as obnoxious as Burke.
It would be nice for the Isles to get PK if we didn’t have to give up too much. I just hope that neither the Rangers or the Leafs get him. It might be worth giving up a little more for him just to keep either one of them from getting him.
I read a Boston Globe piece that suggests that Boston is looking at the Rangers or the Preds as landing places for PK. If those are the choices, I sure hope that its the Preds.
Would make a lot more sense too. Preds have loads of cap room, are in the Western Conference, where Boston fans won’t be seeing him on a regular basis, and they certainly need a talent like him to put them in the playoff hunt.
It would be just like Sather though to sign him, shortchange the franchise’s future and then have PK get reinjured and watch the season in the stands with Gaborik.
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