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Kessel returns to Toronto for weird, but fun game

Phil Kessel

Phil Kessel

AP

Phil Kessel has already played in his first game against the Toronto Maple Leafs since being dealt, but now it will be the fans at the Air Canada Centre’s first chance to address him.

“I figure they’ll be some boos, obviously,” Kessel said with a grin on his face as he address reporters this afternoon. “That’s always how it is, right?”

It’s impossible to account for every fan, but it will be interesting to see what the general reception is. He was the face of the Maple Leafs during an era that brought more pain than success, but Kessel himself scored a superb 181 goals and 394 points in 446 games with Toronto.

In terms of offensive production, it would have been unreasonable to expect much more from him, although some will allow their feelings to be colored by the cost of getting him -- three draft picks that became Tyler Seguin, Jared Knight, and Dougie Hamilton.

At the same time, he occasionally found himself butting heads with the media and had former Toronto coach Ron Wilson questioned his reliability.

Even still, he made it clear that he considers Toronto home and doesn’t have any regrets.

As for tonight it will be “a weird game, but a fun game.”

Pittsburgh will look to keep rolling after winning six of its last seven. Meanwhile, Toronto is 1-6-2 and has been one of the worst teams offensively without Kessel’s services.

You can watch the full Kessel interview here:

Related: Report: Leafs plan … nothing for Kessel’s Toronto return