The way I see our forward group is that we don't have one player that can be a Big Bodied reliable 2 way winger that scores 30 goals a year on the 2nd line. You need that depth on your 2nd line to take all the pressure off your first line.
Burrows has had a rough season and it's not fair to judge him. But at this point I am ready to think that Higgins, Booth, Hansen, Santorelli, and Richardson are not 2nd line players for a good team. They can be 2nd line players and win games but it's a struggle and we've seen that all year.
Kassian is at least another 2 years away form realistically being a playoff performer.
Kesler is an elite center that has never player with elite line mates, Sammuellson, Raymond, Demitra, Grabner, Kassian, Higgins, Hansen.
This isn't fair the guy is a Selke winning 40 goal scorer who does everything you could want from a guy. He needs a chance to win a cup, and Gillis knows he's hungry to do so. His trade value is high right now for a sleeper team to upset in the playoffs.
The Canucks can get a big bodied center and a big bodied winger if we package Kesler and one of the numerous depth guys we have.
Couturier, Johansen, and Jenner/Voracek are the types of players we want.
We need a trade where we get two of them for Kesler + a depth guy + a prospect + a pick
It will truly put is in a rest frame of mind getting much younger overall.