If the Bruins came out and told me that the reason they traded Phil Kessel was strictly financial, I wouldn’t be happy about it, but I could live with that. Of course, had they not given Tim Thomas that megabucks deal, perhaps the B’s would be a little less snug to the salary cap. I mean, its not like they have a goalie of the future (Wait, what’s that you’re telling me? They do have a goalie of the future? Huh. I would have never guessed). But all this other stuff that has been leaked out is just weak. As someone tweeted in the last week or so, it’s an old-style Red Sox hit, plain and simple. Kinda like what they did to Nomar only not as vicious. But close.

Now as much as I believe the B’s should have found a way to make this work and fit a 36-goal scorer into their structure, I also believe Toronto may be a tough spot for him. Hockey isn’t the 4th sport in town. It is the National Pastime. Kessel is not a quote machine, and someone who’s getting paid the kind of dough he is now will have to be more accountable in that locker room. That’s a hard transition. Ask Nomar (him again?). He couldn’t do it when Mo left. Just wasn’t his style. Maybe Kessel will grow into that role, but I’ve seen no indication thus far.

Kessel’s also got more issues. No Marc Savard to set him up and – quite frankly – a team that’s not nearly as talented as the one he left. But the youngster and his agent played the cards beautifully. They got a market-value contract, worth an average of 5.4 million a season for the next five. And they also succeeded in weakening a division rival, at least in the short term. That can cure a lot of Kessel’s worries, at least until a 6′9″ Norris Trophy winner by the name of Zdeno Chara stalks him in the corner. Then all the money in the world won’t save Kessel, but it will buy one heck of a massage therapist to work out the kinks.