From TSN’s Darren Dreger:
Sources tell TSN the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins have reached an agreement on a trade that will deliver Phil Kessel to the Leafs.
The trade is pending Kessel agreeing to a contract with Toronto. It’s a process the Leafs are working on right now.
If the contract gets done, the deal is finalized and the trade goes through. If the Maple Leafs are unable to come to terms on a contract with Kessel, the deal may fall through.
The trade would end a saga that began during the lead-up to the NHL Draft when Kessel originally appeared to be headed to Toronto in exchange for defenceman Tomas Kaberle and a draft pick. However, the deal was scuttled at the last moment due to a miscommunication over the pick.
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The Leafs have gone from outside the playoffs looking in, to a team that could contend for 2nd (behind Boston) in the wide-open Northeast division.
In Kessel the Leafs get a good skater with a great shot, who is also a pretty good stick handler. He has a questionable work ethic and isn’t terribly strong in the corners. But he is still young and adds a very good scorer to an offensively depleted team.
The rumour is that the Leafs will be sending two 1st round picks and a 2nd round pick to Boston in return for Kessel’s services.
Stay tuned to IC as this develops further.
It appears that it is a done deal. The Leafs sent Boston a 1st round pick in 2010 as well as a 2nd round pick in 2010 and a 1st round pick in 2011.
Kessel then agreed to a 5 year, $27 million with the Leafs.
