Kessel deal confirmed.

The Boston Bruins have traded forward Phil "the Thrill" Kessel to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a slew of draft picks. Now former Fighting Sioux hockey player and current Toronto Maple Leaf Jason Blake will have a new team mate. In a nut shell the rumors of Kessel wanting 5+ million a year apparently true as Phil will be the next millionaire from the WCHA. Kessel is said to make 27 million dollars over five seasons. I am sure that Boston Globe Bruins beat writer Kevin Paul Dupont is really happy now that he had got his wish and Kessel has been dealt to the Leafs. I would be willing to bet KPD is probably having a drink and smoking a cigar right now as we speak.

Phil Kessel has been surrounded by trade rumors for most of the offseason. Tonight, one of the most frequently rumored came true.


The Bruins traded the 21-year-old sniper to the Toronto Maple Leafs for first-round picks in 2010 and '11 and a second-rounder in the next draft.

According to multiple reports, Kessel, a restricted free agent, quickly signed a five-year, $27 million deal with the Leafs.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli confirmed via press release at 10 p.m. that the Bruins had completed the deal.

Kessel is a gifted goal scorer, but he occasionally felt the wrath of Bruins coach Claude Julien for not committing to the Bruins defensive style.

The Bruins and Leafs have been discussing swap for Kessel since the beginning of the summer, when reports were that the Leafs would send defenseman Tomas Kaberle to the Bruins for the former first-round draft pick.

That deal did not come to fruition, but the Bruins and Leafs finally agreed on compensation tonight. [Boston Globe Hockey blog]