The hockey world knows Phil Kessel is a Pittsburgh Penguin. But it doesn’t know whether the former Maple Leaf sniper will play with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.

That’s what training camp is for — and that’s what scares Jonathan Toews.

“Hopefully they can’t figure it out either,” Toews joked Tuesday. “If they do, then we’re all in trouble. That’s an overdose of skill, if Kessel ends up playing with one or the other.

“It’s pretty amazing what a pure sniper, pure goal-scorer could do with two guys that can move the puck and control the puck like Crosby and Malkin.”

About 40 of the game’s top stars are in Toronto this week for the NHL-NHLPA media tour, doing photo shoots and one-on-one interviews to promote the upcoming season and next year’s re-invented World Cup.

Kessel was not among the players invited, but Crosby and Malkin were, and both joked about how they wanted to be Kessel’s centre.

“Of course I want to play with Phil,” said Malkin, hinting he might “take my time” on a line change in order to steal some time with Kessel.

“I’m sure we’ll both end up playing with him at some point during training camp,” Crosby said. “Everybody is excited to have him as a teammate, to know with one chance in the slot he can change a game pretty quickly. Those guys aren’t easy to find. I think that regardless who plays with him, he’s going to create a lot of offence.”

Your Call!

The Kessel trade was one of the biggest moves of the off-season, with the Penguins getting a player in his prime from the Leafs for two draft picks, including a first-rounder, and two prospects (Kasperi Kapanen and Scott Harrington) in a six-player swap.

The trade had its roots in another poor season for the Leafs, who have been looking to deal veterans for draft picks and prospects as part of their rebuilding process.

“We knew after the year we had there was going to be some changes, and he was the guy that they decided to move,” said Kessel’s former teammate, James van Riemsdyk. “That’s how things go.

“But for him to go to a team like that, it seems like a good position for him. Not to put any more pressure on him, but I can see him having the highest goal total of his career.

“He landed in a good spot. It will be good for him.”

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Crosby was excited that the message from GM Jim Rutherford was that he believes the Penguins can win

“We still believe in the guys that are still there,” Crosby said. “For Jim to send the message by adding some different guys and showing he believed in the core, it means a lot.

“Hopefully it’s something that will motivate us from the start, and make us understand we have to find a way to (win).”

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