It's Hard Being Phil Kessel

I have been watching the Phil Kessel trade unfold in the media the last couple of weeks and it's been interesting.

During my lifetime, I have not seen a player receive so much negative press. In fact, some of the stuff that has been written about him is downright malicious.

Here's some of the stuff that's caught my eye since Kessel was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After all he's been through, Kessel enjoyed his time in Toronto.

“Toronto was a place I loved, and it’s not easy leaving that, even with everything else,” he told writer Dejan Kovacevic. “That’s the first thought. And then after that, I just see (Wednesday’s trade) as a great opportunity to be part of something special in Pittsburgh with some great players. I’m excited.” (Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun)

Questions about Kessel's weight never seem to subside. Apparently, the hot dog vendor in his neighborhood is going to miss him.  Per self-proclaimed Kessel hater Steve Simmons:

The hot dog vendor who parks daily at Front and John Sts. just lost his most reliable customer.

Almost every afternoon at 2:30 p.m., often wearing a toque, Phil Kessel would wander from his neighbourhood condominium to consume his daily snack.

And now he’s gone. Just like that. The Maple Leafs could no longer stomach having Kessel around, the first player to be both punished and rewarded for the saddest Leafs season in history.

Another Toronto Sun writer thought it was time for Kessel to leave.

OK, let’s be clear, I’m not defending Phil Kessel, who was traded by the Maple Leafs to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.

People who are close to the situation say almost unanimously that it was time for Kessel to leave.

But the question I have is, did it really have to get to this point? (Bill Harris, Toronto Sun)

Sports Net's Elliotte Friedman says that Kessel will be missed in Toronto.

At the end of the day, Kessel was traded because he was Toronto’s most marketable player they were willing to deal. He could get the best return, including cap space. Nothing else excited them and bringing back the same group was unacceptable to Brendan Shanahan. There’s no doubt this was unfulfilled potential for him and for the team. He’s a lightning rod, a polarizing figure and is responsible for that. But the toughest thing the Maple Leafs lose is a talented player who (for the most part) could ignore the market noise. You need guys like that in Canada, who either embrace it (Subban) or tune it out (Sedins). That’s hard to find. And I think there are some charities who will really miss him. He did a lot, very quietly.