Kessel to Toronto deal off the table

Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke is not about to book Phil Kessel a flight to Toronto.

Burke reported yesterday that a deal between the Leafs and the Boston Bruins, which would have seen Toronto defenceman Tomas Kaberle head to Boston for the high-scoring Kessel, is not on the table anymore, at least not at this point.

In fact, Burke added that interest in Kaberle’s services, once very high, has cooled down.

Kessel, 21, is a restricted free agent, meaning that the Bruins can match any offer sheet he receives from other NHL clubs, and reportedly is looking for something in the neighbourhood of $5 million US. The Bruins, however, quickly are running out of cap space and probably would have to deal some players to keep him. If not, a trade with the Leafs may again become a possibility.

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