Player Discussion Luke Kunin

[57special]

Because Coyle is no more a natural center than Kunin is and Eriksson Ek is hot garbage.

And like Wabit said, Coyle, Granlund, Greenway and Eriksson Ek have all failed at center this season. Might as well see what you have in Kunin.

Coyle is a legit, middle six NHL player who plays a decent C. Kunin is an AHL player. He has yet to prove he can even be a NHL RW, never mind a C.

This reminds me of the conversations where everyone(it seemed) on this board assumed that not only could Ek take Haula's place instantly, but that he would be an upgrade.

Hell, COR would be a better C than Kunin at the NHL level right now.

Eriksson-Ek might be "hot garbage", as you put it, but I'm confident that he plays a better C than Kunin.

 

[AKL]

Coyle is a legit, middle six NHL player who plays a decent C. Kunin is an AHL player. He has yet to prove he can even be a NHL RW, never mind a C.

This reminds me of the conversations where everyone(it seemed) on this board assumed that not only could Ek take Haula's place instantly, but that he would be an upgrade.

Hell, COR would be a better C than Kunin at the NHL level right now.

Eriksson-Ek might be "hot garbage", as you put it, but I'm confident that he plays a better C than Kunin.

To be clear, because you think I'm saying something that I'm not, I never said he would suddenly become a top center on our team for years to come, I said "I wonder if they'll try it, because you might as well."

 

[Digitalbooya]

Coyle is a legit, middle six NHL player who plays a decent C. Kunin is an AHL player. He has yet to prove he can even be a NHL RW, never mind a C.

This reminds me of the conversations where everyone(it seemed) on this board assumed that not only could Ek take Haula's place instantly, but that he would be an upgrade.

Hell, COR would be a better C than Kunin at the NHL level right now.

Eriksson-Ek might be "hot garbage", as you put it, but I'm confident that he plays a better C than Kunin.

I guess no one will know until they try him at center.

 

[2Pair]

They were reading the boards here and didn't like @2Pair ? Pure spite, is my guess (it's as good as any other reason that could be given).

They've had Coyle, Granny, Greenway, and JEE all have different levels of failure at C this year. Might as well try Kunin there too. Throw poop at the wall and see what sticks. Coyle could be traded for a bucket of popcorn at any time, so counting on his as a center is probably a folly.

If Fenton is doing things just to spite me? I really only have a few things to say to that.

Paul- please don't send Eriksson Ek to Iowa and or ever consider trading for an actual top 9 center.

 

[Olcoach]

Wouldn't it be a top three center? I feel we have enough top (bottom) nine centers already. While you're at it could you ask him to not bring up COR. Cause why would we need another center?

 

[57special]

I guess no one will know until they try him at center.

You talk like he hasn't played C before, and that the Wild aren't aware that he has. I am guessing that he is underwhelming at C, and that his best position is at RW, hopefully a top 6 RW with goal scoring ability. Nothing wrong with that. Why mess with his head and try to turn him into something he is not, a la Granlund?

 

[Wabit]

I've been wanting to see that Greenway/JEE/Kunin line.

 

[57special]

I guess i'm the last to know. Had no idea that Kunin was called up.

 

[Victorious Secret]

Wouldn't it be a top three center? I feel we have enough top (bottom) nine centers already. While you're at it could you ask him to not bring up COR. Cause why would we need another center?

We don't want to pull a JEE and keep Kunin up too long and put him in a role in which he's not going to flourish. I think Cal O'Reilly makes the team better if it's a long-term call-up (more than 2 weeks).

 

[Digitalbooya]

You talk like he hasn't played C before, and that the Wild aren't aware that he has. I am guessing that he is underwhelming at C, and that his best position is at RW, hopefully a top 6 RW with goal scoring ability. Nothing wrong with that. Why mess with his head and try to turn him into something he is not, a la Granlund?

With the way people talk around here one would probably think he’s never played center before. I’m fully aware of his situation and where he’s played in his career. The absolute truth is no one knows how he would play center in the NHL because he hasn’t. The other thought is they probably want him to be a top offensive guy and not having the defensive responsibilities of a center would certainly enable that.

 

[TaLoN]

 

[Digitalbooya]

I guess i'm the last to know. Had no idea that Kunin was called up.

You quoted the tweet about him being recalled yesterday...

 

[Digitalbooya]

I was told he sucks at defense. Now why would they go and do that?

 

[Wabit]

Has anyone wanting COR to be called up seen him play at the NHL level?

There is a reason he has over 600 AHL games, washed out of the KHL, and has seen only 32 NHL games in the last 5 years. 31 of those games were on awful Buf teams; with the joke for the Buf fans was he's only there because ROR wanted to play on the same team as him, the team was going nowhere so might as well make their $7.5m player happy?

He's not fast, or physical, doesn't have a good shot, and he passes slightly better than Schroeder.

 

[Wabit]

I was told he sucks at defense. Now why would they go and do that?

He was on the PK last season in MN; which, to be fair, at the time was lacking for PK options. Hid first NHL goal was a shortie too.

 

[TaLoN]

Has anyone wanting COR to be called up seen him play at the NHL level?

There is a reason he has over 600 AHL games, washed out of the KHL, and has seen only 32 NHL games in the last 5 years. 31 of those games were on awful Buf teams; with the joke for the Buf fans was he's only there because ROR wanted to play on the same team as him, the team was going nowhere so might as well make their $7.5m player happy?

He's not fast, or physical, doesn't have a good shot, and he passes slightly better than Schroeder.

This happens all the time when AHL stars put up points in AHL.

Remember the days of Erik Westrum putting up big numbers in Houston?

Fans begged and pleaded and finally the Wild gave him call, and suddenly the local fanbase saw just how slow and plodding he was, and how completely incapable of a player he was at the NHL level.

98pts in 71 games in the AHL in Houston... 1 point in 10 painful to watch games in Minnesota.

 

[nt3005]

He was on the PK last season in MN; which, to be fair, at the time was lacking for PK options. Hid first NHL goal was a shortie too.

So your telling me he's being brought up for his offense after all?

 

[Wabit]

So your telling me he's being brought up for his offense after all?

Lack of better options is probably the best terminology to use.

But if that reply is sarcasm then the answer is: yep 100% for his offense.

 

[57special]

You quoted the tweet about him being recalled yesterday...

short term memory loss in play...oh, I get it now. I quoted without expanding the quote. In other words, all I saw were Kunin's stats. No idea he was called up.

 

[57special]

With the way people talk around here one would probably think he’s never played center before. I’m fully aware of his situation and where he’s played in his career. The absolute truth is no one knows how he would play center in the NHL because he hasn’t. The other thought is they probably want him to be a top offensive guy and not having the defensive responsibilities of a center would certainly enable that.

I'm guessing he can be a bottom six grinder in the NHL, but i want more from him than that. Hope that he can grow into a top 6 RH shooter than can also be a trigger man on the PP.

 

[Wabit]

I'm guessing he can be a bottom six grinder in the NHL, but i want more from him than that. Hope that he can grow into a top 6 RH shooter than can also be a trigger man on the PP.

Baby steps. Let's get him to be a NHL quality player before worrying about being a top-6 winger.

Playing with Greenway/JEE is a good place to start:
- Greenway from behind the net Kunin scores.
- Greenway from behind the net to JEE (who can't score) but Kunin on cleanup duty does.
- JEE to either Kunin or Greenway and one of them scores on the shot or the rebound.
- what could go wrong? Nothing bad can happen with 2 guys with less than 30 games playing with another guy in his 2nd season, right?

We need to think happy thoughts, otherwise how will we end up disappointed in the team?

 

[Digitalbooya]

He was on the PK last season in MN; which, to be fair, at the time was lacking for PK options. Hid first NHL goal was a shortie too.

I was just poking fun at a certain poster telling me he’s not good at defense. Way a the road. He’s an all situation kind of player. Funny enough, he’s like a younger Koivu in that regard. Just has to show it at the NHL level.

short term memory loss in play...oh, I get it now. I quoted without expanding the quote. In other words, all I saw were Kunin's stats. No idea he was called up.

It’s all good. I was just poking a little fun at you. All in good fun

I'm guessing he can be a bottom six grinder in the NHL, but i want more from him than that. Hope that he can grow into a top 6 RH shooter than can also be a trigger man on the PP.

No doubt. It’d be nice if he could show something and stick around. This team needs more youth and quality depth. Perhaps if Kunin plays well that really opens the door for trading Coyle/Nino.

 

[Wabit]

Perhaps if Kunin plays well that really opens the door for trading Coyle/Nino.

They would have to get a bigger door for this to happen...

 

[a79krgm]

This team needs more youth and quality depth. Perhaps if Kunin plays well that really opens the door for trading Coyle/Nino.

I think you are right. If the team continues to lose and the season is lost, Kunin stays and Coyle or Nino will go somewhere. And, I'll bet that when Coyle or Nino is traded, fans won't like what we get in return.

 

[StateofCelly]

Everyone in here is sleeping on what Kunin might have the possibility to be forget how even though the stat sheet wasn't reflecting it yet, he was starting to figure out how to find space and play his game in the NHL. I often think back to watching Tuch and everyone claiming he wasn't the scorer we thought he would be or that he "just might never get it" and then look what happened. I think we are all so desperate for some youth with actual instant success, that we forget to temper expectations. Our current youth core has kind of made us look at things defensively instead of objectively.