The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed Phil Kessel to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension.
- David Alter: Salary breakdown: 10 million, 10 million, 9 million, 9 million, 7 million, 7 million, 6 million, 6 million.
- Elliotte Friedman: He has a limited no-trade clause. He has a list of eight teams he can be traded too. Kessel “cannot be waived or “loaned” (although very unlikely) during term of the eight year deal.” The list of teams he can be traded will be submitted on a yearly basis, and doesn’t have to be done now.
- Leafs PR:
Over last 2 seasons only 3 players have more points than Kessel’s 134: Stamkos (154), Malkin (142), Giroux (141).
Over last 2 seasons only 5 players have more goals than Kessel’s 57: Stamkos (89), Ovechkin (70), Neal (61), Malkin (59), Tavares (59).
Over last 3 seasons only 3 players have more goals than Kessel’s 89: Stamkos (134), Ovechkin (102), Perry (102).
Kessel had 4-straight 30-goal seasons before shortened 2012-13. Only 6 other NHLers had at least 30+ goals in each of those 4 seasons.
- James Mirtle: Leafs GM Dave Nonis:
“He wanted to be a Maple Leaf long term and we’re very pleased that Phil will be a part of our core group of players until 2021-22.”
- James Mirtle: “Since trade, only six players have more goals than Kessel: Stamkos, Ovechkin, Perry, Marleau, Iginla, Kovalchuk”
- Bruce Arthur: “Phil Kessel is the one Leaf whose skill is not realistically replaceable. And he would have been the youngest UFA in next year’s class.”
- Jonas Siegel: “Only two players have finished top-10 in league scoring in each of the past two seasons: Steven Stamkos and Phil Kessel.”
- Down Goes Brown: “I admit I did not see “Phil Kessel plays ten more years in Toronto than Tyler Seguin does in Boston” coming.”