Kessel, Seguin traded (again) in Fantasy Draft

COLUMBUS -- Forward Phil Kessel went from a prized first-round draft pick to a spare part in a matter of minutes.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews felt it was important to take Kessel with his first pick in the 2015 NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft presented by DraftKings on Friday to make up for when he was taken last overall at the inaugural event in Carolina in 2011.

But midway through the draft, Toews had a change of heart, trading the Toronto Maple Leafs forward to the team of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno in the first All-Star fantasy draft trade, thereby ensuring Kessel's name will be forever attached to the history of this event.

"Again, I was heartbroken about that," Toews said. "I didn't think it was going to come to that point, and it happened so quick. I just kind of had to go with it."

In return, Toews acquired forward Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars, giving Team Toews the NHL co-leaders in goals because alternate captain Rick Nash of the New York Rangers and Seguin each have 28. It was a fun way to have a trade at the event while recreating one of the more important NHL deals of the past decade.

It was the Maple Leafs who sent two first-round draft picks and a second-round pick to the Boston Bruins on Sept. 18, 2009 in a trade for Kessel, not knowing at the time that one of those first-round picks would wind up being the No. 2 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft.

The Bruins used that pick to draft Seguin, and just like that, he and Kessel were linked forever, a bond that added another layer Friday.

"Well fellas, I've been there before," Kessel said. "I got traded for the same person and I think it worked out OK for everyone."

Toews, however, said he regrets he wasn't able to get any extra picks in the draft out of Foligno in exchange for Kessel.

"That's something we maybe should have worked in for next year," Toews said. "You live and learn as a GM, I guess. …

"Things happen fast," Toews explained in a perfect deadpan. "We've got to be on the ice [Saturday] night, we've got to be ready. So we made a quick decision, we've got to stick with it."

Toews' teammate on the Blackhawks, Patrick Kane, was part of the brain trust that masterminded the deal on Team Foligno's side. And though Toews was speaking confidently of how he performed as a general manager, Kane let it be known he played some mind games to get the better of him at the trade table.

"He was saying that he was kind of in my head and he had all my picks, and he was lucky enough to go before me," Kane said. "But that’s what I’ll let him think right now. We kind of let him think one thing, and then sure enough, I told him I wanted Kessel, and I ended up getting Kessel in the trade. So I think we outdid him."