Bruins Kessel a tough nut to crack

Phil Kessel is Boston Bruins' Anze Kopitar. He's young, explosive, very skilled and vying for a spot on the NHL team roster. His presence is felt to the extent that leaving him with the Bruins AHL affiliate team in Providence might seem a disgrace to New England fans and hockey in general.

But if he makes the Boston roster, he might be pushed out of his natural position (center) as the Bruins have Patrice Bergeron and Marc Savard pencilled in up the middle on the top two lines. Also coach Dave Lewis might be forced to give Kessel a lot of ice-time and talent around for the youngster to continue to develop:

"He's the kind of player that if he's going to be up here, he's going to have to play on one of the top lines," agreed Lewis. You don't want him up here sitting, playing six or seven minutes a night."

There are a lot of question marks hovering around Kessels head as the team prepares for minor league roster cuts. Says Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli:

"Will he play enough to develop his skills? Can he play a subordinate role, if necessary? With Phil, we're dealing with a lot of variables. There have been a lot of young guys who have come into the NHL and have their development delayed, or even nullified, because too much was asked of them too soon."

As much as Dean Lombardi with Kopitar, Chiarelli has a tough nut to crack on his own with Kessel. If they are given a chance for most of the NHL season, Kopitar and Kessel will challenge Evgeni Malkin for the Calder Trophy. One thing is sure - if it was up to them, the pre-season waiting game would be over in no time.