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Former Maple Leafs’ Scapegoat Phil Kessel Draws Mixed Emotions as Champion

By Chris Okrainetz

Jun 1, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Phil Kessel (81) skates with the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the third period in game two of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 1, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Phil Kessel (81) skates with the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the third period in game two of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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Former Toronto Maple Leafs’ star Phil Kessel has gone from being the scapegoat in Toronto, to a Stanley Cup champion in Pittsburgh, and it’s hard not to feel happy for him.

Phil Kessel. A name that always sparks conversation among Toronto Maple Leafs‘ fans.

Less than 12 months after being shipped out of town, or, as some would say, ran out of town, here we are, yet again, talking about Kessel. This time, though, it has nothing to do with controversy, a lack of effort, or anything related to him in a Maple Leafs uniform.

Instead, Leafs’ fans everywhere are coming to terms with Phil Kessel hoisting the Stanley Cup above his head after the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-1 on Sunday night in the Stanley Cup Finals.

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Phil Kessel is a Stanley Cup champion. I know, it still sounds weird, right?

In less than a year, Kessel has gone from being the maligned Leafs winger who quite frankly was a scapegoat for anything that went wrong in Toronto, to a key component (he led the Penguins in playoff scoring with 22 points) of a Stanley Cup winning team in Pittsburgh.

Could anyone have possibly written a better script? I doubt it.

But even in his greatest moment, there was a feeling of mixed emotions among Leafs’ fans.

As the Penguins were parading around the SAP Center with Lord Stanley, the tweets on Twitter and text messages I received from friends were all about two things: Sidney Crosby‘s greatness, and Phil Kessel.

Right when Kris Letang handed the Cup over to Kessel, it was a barrage of mixed emotions that I’m sure a number of Leafs’ fans shared. Some were sick to their stomachs, others were ecstatic for Kessel, and some claimed to have just shut the game off right after its conclusion.

The whole emotional attachment Leafs Nation shares to Phil Kessel is fascinating. His detractors share a vehement distaste towards him, while his supporters share a sympathetic, feel good for him type attitude.

I’ll never understand Kessel’s sporadic effort level in Toronto, but I did find myself feeling happy for him a few minutes after he skated around with the Cup and was overcome by emotions.

Love him or hate him, Kessel has overcome a lot. Whether it be the constant scrutiny he endured in Toronto, or the lofty expectations set upon him in Pittsburgh, or being picked last at the NHL All-Star Game, or even the fact that he’s a survivor of testicular cancer, Kessel’s journey to the top of the hockey world has been anything but normal.

Despite not being able to overlook his attitude and lack of effort issues while with Toronto, I still caught myself feeling happy for Kessel on Sunday night.

So go ahead, call me a sap. But for the first time in a long time, seeing Kessel celebrate with Lord Stanley above his head felt genuine, and that’s a side of Kessel we hardly saw in Toronto.

Next: Maple Leafs 2016 Prospect Rankings: No. 6-10

Enjoy your moment, Phil. Your storybook year couldn’t have ended any better.

What do you think of Phil Kessel winning the Stanley Cup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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