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Tyler Seguin scores first hat trick in the name of Phil Kessel trade remorse

Boston Bruins v Toronto Maple Leafs

TORONTO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 5: Tyler Seguin #19 of the Boston Bruins shoots during warmup before NHL action against the Toronto Maple Leafs at The Air Canada Centre November 5, 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Images)

Abelimages

With the sniper galloping to a league-leading 21 points, it’s likely that Phil Kessel trade remorse was at an all-time low in Toronto heading into Saturday’s game against Boston. The needle probably moved back a few notches in the negative direction after Tyler Seguin scored a hat trick as the Bruins beat the Maple Leafs 7-0, though.

As Stanley Cup of Chowder points out, the hat trick takes on greater narrative meaning because Seguin grew up near Toronto and ostensibly could have been theirs if they didn’t make that oft-criticized deal.

In many peoples’ minds, the Bruins already won that deal the moment GM Peter Chiarelli realized he had the second pick in 2010 (while wearing a Maple Leafs-themed tie, no less).* It doesn’t matter much to them that Kessel still has seven more points on the season and his team remains nine points ahead in the standings.

The rest of us will wait for at least the next few years to play out before it is truly known who “won,” so nights like these are interesting battles in that figurative war.

* - Naturally, Kessel and Seguin weren’t the only players involved in that trade, but it’s more fun/cruel to boil it down to fates of those two players, isn’t it?