What if: The Toronto Maple Leafs never traded for Phil Kessel

In the 2009-10 season the Maple Leafs started it with a bang, trading their first-round pick in 2010 and 2011 and a second in 2010 to their rivals the Boston Bruins for Phil Kessel. This was probably one of the riskiest trades ever given they didn't have high expectations to make the playoffs; except back in those days TSN would always hype the Leafs. 

Lots of fans were infuriated by the trade, maybe Brian Burke didn't want to do the trade for all we know, but it's also the owners to also play a big factor in trades happening. The Leafs ended up finishing second-last in the NHL and bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. I base this off info on the season, but I think without Kessel a lot is different. I don't think the Leafs trade for Dion Phaneuf considering Brian Burke was under a lot of pressure or JS Giguere. I think he lays low and waits patiently. But in this case, we say Kessel signs a long-term extension with the Bruins. 

The Bruins are a much better team with Kessel, and finish higher in the standings. They go onto play Chicago in the Stanley Cup Finals and win. The Bruins go onto repeat in 2011, but after that the Bruins would likely remain competitive but also make lots of trades. But I don't think it makes a difference as to present day. 

We start this out now with Toronto never trading the pick, Leafs fans are upset, but not as upset and disappointed after losing both first-round picks. The Leafs have a season fans forget about or have one of the worst records in their franchise history. Leafs end up with the second-overall pick which I'm gonna go ahead and say Tyler Seguin. He joins Kadri and Luke Schenn for their young core which the media overhypes like crazy. I think Seguin makes the Leafs, but they don't entirely improve. They finish at the bottom again and pick in the top three. I see the Leafs taking Jonathan Huberdeau, as he also makes the Leafs but has a decent rookie season, but he and Tyler Seguin make a dynamic duo that Leaf fans go crazy about. By the 2013 season the Leafs start their casual playoff appearances. I still think they end up drafting Morgan Rielly, but once the 2014 season happens they flirt with a wild card spot and in 2015 they just miss. Once the 2015-16 season happens they land more good players, even still believe John Tavares still joins and signs long-term because I think there was no stopping him from joining the Leafs. Between 2016 and 2022 they will either make the playoffs of they don't. By the 2022-23 season they're all gone, and the Leafs are now the worst team in the NHL again, except Tavares stays as their captain. 

I look at this trade to think Brian Burke maybe planned ahead seeing as there were better players coming along, which they managed to build a more solid core as per the players we saw, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner, and looking at this if he never did the Kessel trade the Leafs don't have as entertaining as a core this Leafs team has. 

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