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Pittsburgh, PA • United States • 48 Years Old • Male
I have read some reports that the Bruins are looking for a top 4 defenseman.

We know the Penguins are looking for a goal scoring winger.

It seems to me that the Pens have what the Bruins want and the Bruins have what the Pens want.

Would the Bruins be open to a Whitney for Kessel deal?

Whitney would get to play professional hockey in his hometown...that would have to be a childhood dream come true.

The Pens would get a young talented forward who this year (prior to being diagnosed with Mono) has elevated his game to another level. After watching Kessel play a few times, it's obvious to me that this guy belongs on Crosby's wing...he's deifnitely not afraid to shoot the puck. They seem to have similar playing styles and it appears that they could work well together.

I know it would be more complicated than that...Whitney is making about $4M per year and Kessel is making a lot less and is in a contract year...but it seems that if the Bruins like Whitney (just a guess) and they are willing to move Kessel, then this could work out well for both sides.

Assuming the Pens could sign Kessel for about the same money that Whitney is currently being paid (probably end up being a little more than that) , then the affect on the cap is negligible to the Pens.

The bigger issue is the affect on the cap in Boston...and that, in the end, would probably be the thing that would prevent something like this from happening.

What are your thoughts on such a trade?
Filed Under:   Pens   Bruins   Trade   Whitney   Kessel  
January 13, 2009 9:21 AM ET | Delete
I would do it if I were the GM of the Pens but not if I were the GM of the Bruins....but interesting proposal. :-)
January 13, 2009 9:43 AM ET | Delete
I doubt this will happen, because Kessel is proforming better than everyone expected, and I think B-town not looking in trading one of their big guns for a D-man and i think B-town looking for a 4th D not a top 2, tey have chara and Wideman as there top 2
January 13, 2009 10:39 AM ET | Delete
Dream on ... there is NO WAY the Bruins will trade Phil Kessel, David Krejci, Milan Lucic, or Blake Wheeler. These 4 young players are as important as Savard
January 13, 2009 10:46 AM ET | Delete
In a salary cap world, never say NO WAY...
January 13, 2009 10:47 AM ET | Delete
Kessel is out until mid-Feb (mono), Sturm (surgery) gone for the season,
January 13, 2009 11:34 AM ET | Delete
Seems a little one sided potential-wise... everyone is commenting on how great Kessel is playing this season, but its expected... the sky was always the limit with this kid. He was expected to be in the next tier of NHL stars and I have no doubts he would be... why Boston would give that up for Ryan Whitney, a very strong but not star level defenseman is beyond me.
January 13, 2009 11:49 AM ET | Delete
Looks like stanley cup runners up are still snake bitten, i thought out of all the last stanley cup contenders Pitts would have no problem shaking it off, I guess disappointment sticks with you and with a young team probably even more.
January 13, 2009 11:50 AM ET | Delete
Out of all Pitts Players I see Staal being traded, maybe for the likes of Kaberle
January 13, 2009 12:03 PM ET | Delete
I'd do that trade if there was a contract extension as part of the deal.
January 13, 2009 12:12 PM ET | Delete
habbies - I'm not sure it's disappointment...they started the season decently and had a great November. I think it's more about burn out. Malkin and Cosby do as much as they can...but now the supporting cast is weaker. You look at Detroit...they won the cup and got better by adding Hossa. He has certainly taken some of the burden off of Datsyuk and Zetterberg. It has helped Detroit stay among the elite teams, even though, right now, I would say they are not consistently as good as they were in the second half of last year...BUT... they are in position to do the same thing they did last year. The Pens need the supporting cast to improve...the guys that make the motor go need some help...or else they will be completely burned out by the start of the playoffs (which they could very possibly miss).
January 13, 2009 12:19 PM ET | Delete
problem with pitts is they did not realize that they need a supporting cast which was traded away or left. They are not the same as last year and hence snake bittne as the rest of the stanley cup runner ups
January 13, 2009 12:56 PM ET | Delete
I think they realized they needed a supporting cast...it's just that sometimes the expectations for those guys don't match reality. That is working against the Pens this year...but it can work the opposite way too. Look at Boston...everyone talks about what a surprise they are. If you had said before thee season that the Bruins would be in 1st in the East and that Bergeron would miss a bunch of games and Sturm will be out all year, most people would have laughed at you. But Kessel, Krejci, Wheeler and Ryder are all playing above expectations right now. Eveybody expected great things from these guys, but it is happening sooner then expected. With the Pens, I really don't think it's about being snake bitten. Look at what happened to the Ducks the year after they won the cup. I think there is burnout. I guess if you want to call that snake bitten, then we actually agree...
January 13, 2009 1:08 PM ET | Delete
I am calling it a snake bitten because of history look at all the runner ups carolina, edmonton, ottawa, anaheim and now pittsburgh which i can think of and really pittsburgh i would say have the best team out of all those, being that edm and carolina (back then) and anaheim (back then) where cinderella stories but midnight struck too soon. All teams had trouble making the playoffs or going far. I still say Pitts will make a comeback, i say they will add a piece to the team which will help. Satan and Fedentenko are not great wingers for Crosby or Malkin doing their job but could do more. If they get a better winger I say they will do better and Gonchar will help when he is back
January 13, 2009 3:55 PM ET | Delete
Kessel would have me demanding more than Whitney. This is a kid that was, at one point, the top guy in a very deep draft class. Now he's starting to achieve his potential and he should only get better.
January 14, 2009 2:00 PM ET | Delete
I agree with eveyone that says Kessel/Whitney straight up is not realistic. I should have said that I am suggesting those guys as the main part of a larger trade. Clearly, there would be salary issues to contend with and that would almost certainly involve other players either in the NHL or the minor leagues.
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