"But he's playing a hell of a lot better in 2016"

4 goals in 2016.

That's not better. Not for 6.8 million in cap space.

Rutherford's biggest trade is a bust.... how surprising.

I care less about the goals and more about the overall play. His play has improved considerably. The goals will come with time. Just the other night he had 2 empty nets he missed on. He was at the right place, doing the right things, but he isn't capitalizing yet. That'll change though

While Kessel has been a complete waste of cap space so far he is not going anywhere. Also the trades on here for him are mostly very bad. Wish they traded for saad in the offseason instead of Kessel though

As a Kessell watcher in previous years, it hard to know what is the "real Phil". IMO it's not 35 goals and 45 assists, it will be more 25 goals and 35 assists...and a lot of those will on the PP.
I said the Leaf/Pens was a basically a salary dump by the Leafs, and certainly it will be a good deal for the Pens if Kessell can play to 6.8m level on the next 6+ years. Will he? I guess that's why why watch and cheer for our teams.

Kessel was able to accomplish 3 PPG (or close to) seasons on the leafs playing with absolutely no one. I'm from Ontario and therefore watch a lot of leafs hockey on sportsnet and I've seen the players he's had to work with and just how talented and capable he is. Last season kessel was actually playing very good hockey until the coaching change in Toronto. Kessel is more then capable of 40 G and 40 A on a team like Pittsburgh. It's just a matter of time. He's been on a very bad hockey team for majority of his career yet has had fantastic results. Kessel carried the leafs. If James Neal is capable on 40G with geno, KESSEL is aswell. I do believe that the leafs made the right choice trading him. With kessel they'd be a bubble team for years. They need to tank and stockpile picks / prospects.

If Phil Kessel isn't scoring goals then he's not doing what he's paid to do.

He is paid big money to score a lot of goals, not to be an all-around player (WHICH HE ISN'T ANYWAYS). We could have numerous other players in the league, at half his salary, that can play 2 way hockey. Kessel needs to be a 40 goal scorer. But as it is he's a ghost on the ice. The only time you notice him is when he making a defensive blunder.

Neal didn't exactly tear up his first season as a Pen either.

I think the OP's point is, it's wayyyy to premature to try to be moving Kessel again, especially for less than what we gave up for him.

Who would you rather have Phil Kessel at $6.8 or Rick Nash at $7.8 or neither?

phil kessel was replaced by pap points wise on leafs and james neal is a way better g/g player than kessel. he is on a line with malkin and hagelin i wonder why he's looking better? for ever pens fan that thought he would get 40 which he hasn't done ever before you're an idiot. saad was the smart move and they missed it now they have cheeseburger phil for 8 years or whatever

people need to be patient. chemistry takes time. with haglin giving that line a new look. I expect that line to be very dangerous whenever geno gets back. people just need to stop overreacting. They're playing very good hockey considering the bottom 6 is AHL. Hard to complain about a team when they are looking great and winning.