PHIL KESSEL WINS STANLEY CUP

[Nik Bethune]

To me the true MVP of the Penguins playoffs was the entire HBK line. They finished 1-2-3 in 5-on-5 scoring, and in all situations they finished 1-3-5. Their 5-on-5 GF% was a combined 65% (Phil's personal one was 66.7%). And while yes Crosby was facing the top defensive pairing every night, they were still usually going up against the 2nd best pairings on playoff teams. So it's not like they were facing chump change every night. Those results, especially the GF%, are still incredibly impressive regardless of the situation. Crosby was actually outscored during 5-on-5 play 15 to 18.

Crosby going against tougher competition wasn't just limited to defensive pairings. Remember Couture complaining about Crosby on face-offs? He was typically going against the better forward lines too. Despite that he drove possession at a pretty outstanding rate.

Also, and I confess I'm asking this out of ignorance, but wouldn't Malkin have occasionally drawn the #2 pairing?

[CarltonTheBear]

Crosby going against tougher competition wasn't just limited to defensive pairings. Remember Couture complaining about Crosby on face-offs? He was typically going against the better forward lines too. Despite that he drove possession at a pretty outstanding rate.

Also, and I confess I'm asking this out of ignorance, but wouldn't Malkin have occasionally drawn the #2 pairing?

In the Sharks series Crosby was matched up against Vlasic-Braun on D and mostly against the Pavelski-Thornton-x line at forward. Kessel was matched up against Burns-Martin on D and mostly against the Marleau-Couture-X line at forward. That's a slight edge to Crosby in terms of difficulty but not by much I don't think.

Malkin played primarily against the Dillon-Polak pairing (which was absolutely awful all series) and a wide array of forwards.

[Nik Bethune]

In the Sharks series Crosby was matched up against Vlasic-Braun on D and mostly against the Pavelski-Thornton-x line at forward. Kessel was matched up against Burns-Martin on D and mostly against the Marleau-Couture-X line at forward. That's a slight edge to Crosby in terms of difficulty but not by much I don't think.

Malkin played primarily against the Dillon-Polak pairing (which was absolutely awful all series) and a wide array of forwards.

I was more talking about the playoffs in general but if we're just talking about the San Jose series I can't help but note that Crosby scored as much as Kessel in the series while Couture himself outscored Thornton and Pavelski combined.

So if the match-ups were Crosby-Thornton's line and Kessel-Pavelski's line it seems pretty clear Crosby had better results.

I realize that's a pretty simplistic reading of it but I'm not so much trying to make a pro-Crosby case as I am saying it's not a clear cut choice.

[CarltonTheBear]

I was more talking about the playoffs in general but if we're just talking about the San Jose series I can't help but note that Crosby scored as much as Kessel in the series while Couture himself outscored Thornton and Pavelski combined.

So if the match-ups were Crosby-Thornton's line and Kessel-Pavelski's line it seems pretty clear Crosby had better results.

I realize that's a pretty simplistic reading of it but I'm not so much trying to make a pro-Crosby case as I am saying it's not a clear cut choice.

In all-situations Kessel was on the ice for just 6 goals for and 2 goals against during the series. Crosby was 7 goals for, 5 goals against. And at 5-on-5 it was 4-2 for Kessel, 4-4 for Crosby. So Couture outscoring Thornton and Pavelski didn't happen on Phil's watch.

[Highlander]

Congratulations Phil, I am so happy for you, just sorry it didnt come together for you as a Leaf

[hockeyfan1]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/gotta-see-phil-kessel-thrilled-lift-stanley-cup/

@simmonssteve pic.twitter.com/rv65y4OsLA

— Dante (@dcecere08) June 13, 2016

That was a beaut!   

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I read somewhere that it was the first time in more than 30 years that a forward who didn't lead his team in playoff points won the award (though, clearly, whoever wrote that forgot about Williams beating Kopitar).

Just off the top of my head it's also not true of Nieuwendyk's win in '99 or Lemieux in '95.

You have those numbers just casually sitting there?

Quite the recall.

[TBLeafer]

Congrats.  Still happy the Leafs are moving the rebuild forward without Phil and Dion.

We are a team of the future, not a team of the now, unlike what Blowhard Burke wanted to have us first believe.

[disco]

Congrats.  Still happy the Leafs are moving the rebuild forward without Phil and Dion.

We are a team of the future, not a team of the now, unlike what Blowhard Burke wanted to have us first believe.

... agreed TBLeafer. Happy for Phil, great guy. We're at the start of a rebuild here, he's a complimentary player on a good team.

[TBLeafer]

Sports Pickle put out a pretty good hoax on Kessel's behalf:

Phil Kessel places full-page ad in Toronto Star thanking Toronto fans for driving him out of town

https://medium.com/sportspickle/phil-kessel-places-full-page-ad-in-toronto-star-thanking-toronto-fans-for-driving-him-out-of-town-74b0021f092#.di8kspzf9

[mr grieves]

I was more talking about the playoffs in general but if we're just talking about the San Jose series I can't help but note that Crosby scored as much as Kessel in the series while Couture himself outscored Thornton and Pavelski combined.

So if the match-ups were Crosby-Thornton's line and Kessel-Pavelski's line it seems pretty clear Crosby had better results.

I realize that's a pretty simplistic reading of it but I'm not so much trying to make a pro-Crosby case as I am saying it's not a clear cut choice.

In all-situations Kessel was on the ice for just 6 goals for and 2 goals against during the series. Crosby was 7 goals for, 5 goals against. And at 5-on-5 it was 4-2 for Kessel, 4-4 for Crosby. So Couture outscoring Thornton and Pavelski didn't happen on Phil's watch.

Yeah, from what I saw, Kessel was outplaying Sid for most of the playoffs. But the former went into the finals as a Conn Smythe favorite on the strength of his scoring and cooled off as the latter's key, small plays started really standing out in the tighter games. Maybe if Phil had broken through during game 5 (the one Jones stole?) he'd have clinched it. But he didn't.

There are 2 ways I can see going with Sid. First, the Pens strength throughout the playoffs was their depth and system, so giving it to the team's leader makes plenty of sense. Second, Sid hasn't got one of these, and I'm sure the committee members were aware that by giving it to him, they'd be cementing Sid's place as the star of his generation. Kessel's 3 more points aren't going to flip that...

[Heroic Shrimp]

Some guy named Phil Kessel is going to be on FAN590 at 8:40am.  Supposedly the only Toronto interview he's doing.

[CarltonTheBear]

Some guy named Phil Kessel is going to be on FAN590 at 8:40am.  Supposedly the only Toronto interview he's doing.

Kristina Rutherford ‏@KrRutherford
Phil Kessel says there's a "good chance" he'll bring the Cup to Toronto. Mayhem.

YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS

[herman]

Some guy named Phil Kessel is going to be on FAN590 at 8:40am.  Supposedly the only Toronto interview he's doing.

Kristina Rutherford ‏@KrRutherford
Phil Kessel says there's a "good chance" he'll bring the Cup to Toronto. Mayhem.

YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS

Trollolololol. Gotta give props to the hot dog guy.

[CarltonTheBear]

Meanwhile, at the Penguins Cup parade (via @mariamac58):