Like Leafs Nation, Phil Kessel’s grown tired of the Leafs current situation.
Congratulations, Leafs Nation. Phil Kessel officially became one of you on Sunday.
Frustrated with the losing. Looking at the roster that surrounds him and not seeing how it could possibly end any time soon. And, yes, sick and tired of head coach Ron Wilson's wearisome act.
It all came bubbling out on the Sunday after yet another Saturday night loss - this time, 6-2 in Buffalo - when Kessel was sent out to practice alongside a couple of minor leaguers on the third line.
Had he received any advice from Wilson regarding the demotion? Some encouragement, as he struggles through another lengthy goal scoring drought?
Had the two even spoken?
"No," Kessel told reporters. "Me and Ron don't really talk - so that's all I've got to say about that."
The franchise player and the head coach don't talk. So how's that rebuild coming along, Burkie?
Kessel was benched for part of the Buffalo game. He hasn't scored since Jan. 11 (10 games), and has 19 goals in 52 games.
"I don't really know what to say about that," he said of the benching. "I'm trying. Obviously, it's not going right. It might not be working out here. What are you going to do?"
Now, it must be noted that after the media scrum reporters debated whether the "here" in that last quote meant, "here," as in Toronto. Or "here," the way you might say, "I'm having a tough time here," regardless of what your locale was.
But what is crystal clear is that Kessel is growing increasingly impatient. Even though Kessel should have known what he was getting into when he agreed to join Brian Burke in Toronto to anchor the GM's rebuild, it is beginning to sound like Kessel may have bit off more than he can chew.
It's not Kessel's fault that the trade that sent him to Toronto has already sent a No. 2 pick overall to Boston, and could produce another Bruins lottery pick in June. But it is Kessel's problem, because in the league's hottest market he has become - in the eyes of many, and rightly or wrongly - the face of one of the worst trades in Leafs history.
Kessel opened the year with a centreman who had 37 games of NHL experience in Tyler Bozak, and found himself on a line Sunday with Joey Crabb and Darryl Boyce, two players who began the year in the American Hockey League.
He must look at the perceived solution to his goal scoring woes and think, "Man, we're two years into this, and I'm playing with these two guys?"
Wilson distanced himself from the situation, when he spoke to the media after practice.
"Phil doesn't really want to talk much about goal-scoring, or even work on it that much in practice. It's kind of a 'touch' thing," Wilson said. "So, he comes and goes into these hot streaks, cold streaks. Just be patient. Change up the line. It's a different look."
We weren't there, but you can hear Wilson's tone from four provinces away.
Kessel doesn't want to "work on it." So the team is supposed to "be patient." Furnish him with "a different look."
We've seen this movie before.
Goal scorer does not have the requisite line-mates to score enough goals. So he cheats, presses for more goals, and his defensive game suffers. Now he's minus-22, and the coach can't afford to keep running the star out there to help wake him from his offensive slumber.
So the coach drops the star down a line or two, and the vicious cycle kicks in. Crabb and Boyce are not the answer to putting Kessel back on track.
"Phil, in his career, goes into these spells where he doesn't score," Wilson said. "Other goal scorers wouldn't let not scoring affect other parts of the game. Gotta find a little balance."
And isn't that what Kessel is looking for in Toronto? A little balance?
So far it's been a pretty one-sided tour for Kessel. The Leafs have done nothing but lose. The fans and media have done nothing but remind him of what the Leafs gave up to acquire him. And, as he has everywhere else, Wilson is likely wearing on Kessel's last nerve.
Heck, Kessel can't even go to an All-Star game without it turning into a negative story.
"Gotta find a little balance," Wilson said.
How this for a plan? Get better players, and win more games.
That would be a healthy balance for all concerned.
