Pittsburgh Penguins would make a mistake by bringing the boiler back

One of the biggest potential trade term moves is Phil Kessel returning to the Pittsburgh Penguins, per David Pagnotta of the fourth period. Kessel played four seasons for the team from 2015-16 to 2018-19, making the Salient rumor so much more juicy. The article also mentioned that the boiler was looked at by the Boston Bruins, with whom he began his NHL career.

The Boiler is currently in its third season with the Arizona Coyotes, where its production has slowed. In 60 games this season, he has scored just six goals and only four on the same force. Despite these statistics, it is worth noting that he still maintained much of his playing ability with 31 assists per year. His commitment to his NHL career brought him to an impressive 956 consecutive streak, reinforcing his role as one of the league’s Ironmen. Given the deep history between Kettle and the Penguins, an evaluation of the pros and cons of this potential transaction is essential.

Benefits of getting boilers

The late 2010s proved to be one of the most dominant periods for the Penguins, winning two Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017; the first rematch victory since Scotty Bowman led the Detroit Red Wings for consecutive championships in 1997 and 1998. Although Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin led the charge, Kessel was one of the key pieces to this track of the Penguins’ success.

Kessel’s contributions to the Penguins’ dynasty were nothing short of magical. In black and gold, he scored 110 goals with 193 assists, playing in all 328 games over four seasons. Forming a ferociously offensive third line with center Nick Bonino and gang Carl Hagelin, Kessel helped bring the team to glory. Maybe a reunion with some of his old teammates could take advantage of bringing him out of a score and, better yet, getting another shot at the cup.

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The Coyotes apparently put the kettle on the market to keep a third-round draft pick in addition to half his paycheck. With that asking price, general manager Ron Hextall might be willing to bend over backwards to consider his comments about pursuing a forward to confirm his team’s strength in advance.

Disadvantages to get boiler

Although the cauldron of many of his penguin teammates was popular in their famous fanbase during his tenure, a handful of others in the organization had their own opinion about his time with the team. Unfortunately, a handful of the other are crucial pieces of their foundation.

During the 2018-19 season, tensions have grown between Kessel and head coach Mike Sullivan. An anonymous former penguin noted that Kessel did not necessarily like Sullivan personally, but he was a player with a bit of an authority problem.

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Because of the tight-knit, family-like culture of the Penguins’ wardrobe, Malkin felt trapped in the crossfire between coach-versus-player incidents. Despite his refusal, several sources said that Malkin was eventually so overwhelmed that he told management to act in case the boiler re-signed. Later in the season, Kessel and Malkin were seen engaging in verbal confrontations on the bench, more than an opportunity.

Bottom line: Boiler is a liability

In addition to the old Rocky off-ice relationships, the boiler simply does not produce at the high level he expects. Of course, much of the blame lies with the lackluster coyotes and their lack of a competent talent pool. During his three seasons in Arizona, Kessel scored just 40 goals; which was once the expectation for a single-season performance.

Kessel’s 118 points as a coyote are certainly not up to his 303 points as a penguin, but current game factors show him to keep out of Pittsburgh. Kessel may have seemed like a nice addition, but the opportunity to renew a previous conflict within the team is just the refusal of the Penguins to stay away and continue their search for a winning culture this postseason.

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The Penguins knew what it takes to pursue a Stanley Cup championship as much as any other modern NHL dynasty. What remains to be seen, however, is the competence of the Hextall decision in the heat of a transactional period critical to the Penguins’ postseason aspirations. The trade for boilers may not be the worst choice, although avoiding such a move is ultimately in the best interest of the Penguins Front Office.