Keep in mind, this writer also defended Evander Kane and once again Kane is back in trouble with the law again.

I like Phil and I'm glad here's in Pittsburgh, but I watched him a lot in Toronto and watched him mail it in many, many nights. He's not without his faults and deserved some of the criticism at times, maybe not to the extent that some writers brought it however. To sit there and write that he's a great guy without actually knowing him or being behind the scenes is pretty funny.

There were many nights in Toronto that he was the laziest most selfish players on the ice. I'm glad we haven't seen that side here in Pittsburgh and he's a big addition to the lineup.

I really can't wait until Toronto turns on Auston Matthews. I give it three years.
- hardnosed

It may be Babcock that needs to watch his back first????

I feel like the majority of Toronto fans didn't/don't hate Kessel anyways. Just the dummies who buy into the media's awful, lazy narratives.
- j.boyd919

Absolutely. I'll defend Phil to my dying breath against the (frank)ing idiot mittenstringers in the TO media, and anybody dumb enough to buy their ridiculous rhetoric.

Hell, while we're on it, Phil for President. #MakeAmericaSkateAgain

Keep in mind, this writer also defended Evander Kane and once again Kane is back in trouble with the law again.

I like Phil and I'm glad here's in Pittsburgh, but I watched him a lot in Toronto and watched him mail it in many, many nights. He's not without his faults and deserved some of the criticism at times, maybe not to the extent that some writers brought it however. To sit there and write that he's a great guy without actually knowing him or being behind the scenes is pretty funny.

There were many nights in Toronto that he was the laziest most selfish players on the ice. I'm glad we haven't seen that side here in Pittsburgh and he's a big addition to the lineup.
- shinoix66

I know that it's no excuse, but look at his coach. he man couldn't operate a (frank)ing toaster, and saw fit to scratch MacArthur for Fraser McLaren (FML) when we did actually make the playoffs that one time.

Sullivan seems like a solid coach, and obviously has done a good job getting more out of Phil

The more I learn about the Leafs, the more I learn that while they're a legendary team, Toronto may be the toughest city to be a hockey player in. The media seems a millions times worse than NY or MTL.

Even before Phil was a Penguin, I would see lots reports about him and tapes of these media scrums. Those guys are vultures up there.
- Rinosaur

It's a double edge sword. When it's not going well, which has been most of the time for a long time now, it's a tough city. When it is going well, the city is on fire. Clark and Gilmour are beloved forever in Toronto and they never even made it to a SCF.

Tbh & totally frank Leaf fans r as dedicated as any anywhere.
Now their media r either ass kissers or morons.
Very few arise from the junkpile to be taken serious.

Bob MacKenzie has been my fave for decades.
After him John Shannon.
From there u have to leave town to hear from hockey ppl.

I went to college near Erie, PA at Edinboro. We loved to go to Toronto and Montreal for fun, food and girls. They are simply fantastic cities. I know people hate them and their hockey franchises but I never felt that way. I wish them both the best unless they are playing us.

Sometimes it all gets too serious. To me it will always be a game. I think it's the most fun game that was ever invented. It's the most fun you can have on your feet with your clothes on. I'm happy Phi has an affection for Toronto and it's people. He should, they are fantastic!

I went to college near Erie, PA at Edinboro. We loved to go to Toronto and Montreal for fun, food and girls. They are simply fantastic cities. I know people hate them and their hockey franchises but I never felt that way. I wish them both the best unless they are playing us.

Sometimes it all gets too serious. To me it will always be a game. I think it's the most fun game that was ever invented. It's the most fun you can have on your feet with your clothes on. I'm happy Phi has an affection for Toronto and it's people. He should, they are fantastic!
- powerhouse

Class post. Cheers!

You know what? I totally agreee with everything you posted here. It is not incorrect.
The issue was the fact that Phil's on-ice attitude bespoke of someone who was only content to go hard whenever it suited him. That is extremely frustrating to watch...especially when he is/was being paid what he is.
He definitely deserved better...but so did we (as Leaf fans).
- clintyboy

Sounds like most upper echelon scorers in the league. Malkin is lazy as f*ck alot of the time, Ovechkin didnt know there was ice on his side of the blue line until this season (and even then he treats it like he might fall through), Patrick Kane has never been lauded for a defensive play in his life.... Scorers want to score, yeah they should care about the other side of the game, but that isnt what they are paid for, and it isnt what they play for, there are other players for that.

I went to college near Erie, PA at Edinboro. We loved to go to Toronto and Montreal for fun, food and girls. They are simply fantastic cities. I know people hate them and their hockey franchises but I never felt that way. I wish them both the best unless they are playing us.

Sometimes it all gets too serious. To me it will always be a game. I think it's the most fun game that was ever invented. It's the most fun you can have on your feet with your clothes on. I'm happy Phi has an affection for Toronto and it's people. He should, they are fantastic!
- powerhouse

See I feel the same way for Sid,Phil and Pitts and always have.Its hard listening to other fans run down the Leafs but i can understand seeing posts like domi retard legends.The TO media is (frank)ing garbage and should be boot stomped in the chops.Most of us loved Phil but,it just wasnt good timing and he was just wasting away.I was ok with trading PK,only because to see him go on and win.Dont count all Leaf fans with the same brush you may be surprised.

nice blog, cheers.

Coach killer: what coach did he "kill"? pretty sure Therrien is still behind the bench in MTL (which is what pisses off most Habs fans)...

Coward: how so? it's been awhile, but he's dropped the gloves before. I'm also sure nobody on the team wants him to fight because it's in their best interest that he's on the ice.

Heartless: I don't buy this at all. The guy has heart bursting through the seams.

Lazy: while the Habs were spiralling downwards last season, he was one of their best and most consistent players. I never saw any "laziness" in his game.

No intensity: you're nuts. Most people describe him as one of the most "electrifying" players in the game. If anything, he has too much intensity.

No grit: I wouldn't say "no" grit, but I've seen him lay out some pretty solid hits. I'd agree that he could maybe use a little more sandpaper in there, but he's no flake.

And finally:

Terrible role model for the young players / prospects: yea, none of those kids have anything to learn from a Norris trophy winner and philanthropist. One of the best Dmen in the game right now.

If you were to say something like he's "too risky" or even "selfish", sure, okay, I get it. But all your BS adjectives without any rationalizations or connection to reality is a disgrace.

With respect to his character/personality in the dressing room, nobody knows anything about that except the players and staff that are in there and none of them (obviously) are admitting any truth to the rumours. Reality is, he has a larger than life persona and this puts a target on him from the media which allows rumours to run rampant. It's not like he's Slava Voynov out there abusing women. That would be a "terrible role model".
- GstrangWondah

Dude, I was talking about Kessel

- j.boyd919

That's the general reaction he gets in Leafs threads, too.

I know that it's no excuse, but look at his coach. he man couldn't operate a (frank)ing toaster, and saw fit to scratch MacArthur for Fraser McLaren (FML) when we did actually make the playoffs that one time.

Sullivan seems like a solid coach, and obviously has done a good job getting more out of Phil
- lumlums

As for him being selfish, that's a big mischaracterization. Many nights he had no choice but to do it all himself, and he still wound up being one of the League's top playmakers while he was a Leaf.

All those whiffs by Bozak made a lot of the fan base wish he was a bit more selfish

I went to college near Erie, PA at Edinboro. We loved to go to Toronto and Montreal for fun, food and girls. They are simply fantastic cities. I know people hate them and their hockey franchises but I never felt that way. I wish them both the best unless they are playing us.

Sometimes it all gets too serious. To me it will always be a game. I think it's the most fun game that was ever invented. It's the most fun you can have on your feet with your clothes on. I'm happy Phi has an affection for Toronto and it's people. He should, they are fantastic!
- powerhouse

Edinboroooooo. Ahhh those were fun days. I lived smack dab in the middle of the only 4 bars in town on Waterford street for 2 years. Needless to say I was poop faced 90% of the time. Glad I didn't have to attend class or anything to get my degree.

Dude, I was talking about Kessel
- domi_legend

You're still a moron

You know what the best part is? Phil ain't even trolling. This guy is genuine to a fault. He just legitimately wanted to bring The Cup home to a city he still somehow loves. Man what a guy.

See I feel the same way for Sid,Phil and Pitts and always have.Its hard listening to other fans run down the Leafs but i can understand seeing posts like domi retard legends.The TO media is (frank)ing garbage and should be boot stomped in the chops.Most of us loved Phil but,it just wasnt good timing and he was just wasting away.I was ok with trading PK,only because to see him go on and win.Dont count all Leaf fans with the same brush you may be surprised.
- nbboy

I'm starting to learn to seperate you guys into two ever sense Phil became a Pen. Always hated Leafs fandom as a whole due to how Phil was treated in Toronto by the media and bought into the narrative that you're all dip poops, but since July 1st there's been a lot of you guys that have been classy well wishers.

But there's still guys like Domi around that remind me all fan bases have their knuckleheads

I'm starting to learn to seperate you guys into two ever sense Phil became a Pen. Always hated Leafs fandom as a whole due to how Phil was treated in Toronto by the media and bought into the narrative that you're all dip poops, but since July 1st there's been a lot of you guys that have been classy well wishers.

But there's still guys like Domi around that remind me all fan bases have their knuckleheads
- Victoro311

That's generally an issue with everything Leafs. People have a pre-determined narrative.

Yep that was a great move by his PR staff. Tons of players that make far less do the same thing and it doesnt become common public knowledge. Prob because they dont do it as a PR move.
- Grinder47

Tons of players that make far less donate $10 million to the children's hospital? I doubt it.

I'm starting to learn to seperate you guys into two ever sense Phil became a Pen. Always hated Leafs fandom as a whole due to how Phil was treated in Toronto by the media and bought into the narrative that you're all dip poops, but since July 1st there's been a lot of you guys that have been classy well wishers.

But there's still guys like Domi around that remind me all fan bases have their knuckleheads
- Victoro311

To be fair to Domi, as moronic as he may be(and it gets pretty bad), he never liked Kessel, so it's not a case of him flip flopping because he was traded.

As for him being selfish, that's a big mischaracterization. Many nights he had no choice but to do it all himself, and he still wound up being one of the League's top playmakers while he was a Leaf.

All those whiffs by Bozak made a lot of the fan base wish he was a bit more selfish
- Feeling Glucky?

Seriously, Kessel would have had a dozen more assists each year if Bozak could hit a tap-in.

Edinboroooooo. Ahhh those were fun days. I lived smack dab in the middle of the only 4 bars in town on Waterford street for 2 years. Needless to say I was poop faced 90% of the time. Glad I didn't have to attend class or anything to get my degree.
- j.boyd919

I managed to get my bachelors degree and first love. Good times!