Confirmed with Link: [TOR/STL] Leafs trade Carl Gunnarsson and 94th pick for Roman Polak - PT II

[PhilTheThrillKessel]

He pinches too much and has been flat footed a lot in the neutral zone... especially on that Nash goal. I don't get why he pinches so much and doesn't just play a safe game. Hasn't been bad or anything, but that's what I've noticed.

 

[hockeygeek]

I said at the time I didn't like the trade, if it were Gunnar for Polak straight up it would have been more palatable, but adding in a 4th rd pick(used to pick the #1G Euro goalie in the draft) and cap relief really speaks to what kind of management team we have in place at the moment.

It's quite possible the 4th rounder was insurance for St.Louis in case Gunnar doesn't come back 100% from hip surgery. It's not like it would have been a secret that he was going for the surgery and hip problems aren't exactly a small issue. It's a pretty risky pickup for St.Louis

 

[zeke]

i like what polak brings but he's gonna make us pull our hair out at times.

i'm a little worried randy is developing a crush on him already when it might be percy that's making him look good.

 

[KULEMINakajesus]

I think he's exactly the toughness we needed on the back end. Him and Percy have been looking good so far.

 

[gabeliscious]

I think he's exactly the toughness we needed on the back end. Him and Percy have been looking good so far.

hes been fine

i havent been blown away by him but to be fair i wasnt expecting to be. i still cant believe we traded gunnarson for him though. think about how much better we would have been had we still had gunnarson rather then polak

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Agree, it seemed to be more of a factor as the 82 game season wore on.

I'm sure surgery will help, but hip injuries and hockey players never usually end well. Usually it begins to limit mobility and leads to a shortened career.

Nobody can honestly say they watched this team last season and think Gunnar was the same in game 82 as he was in game 1. Being a 'homer' has nothing to do with acknowledging the only reason we were looking to move him was the risk of him not coming back fully from the surgery.

He should have a great season or 2 in St. Louis as long as he stays healthy but in the West that will be really tough.

It has more to do with our 3 big minute Dmen to build around all being lefties in Phaneuf + Rielly + Gardiner and our top 2 prospects being lefties in Percy + Finn.

There are only so many minutes to go around and Gunnarson was soon to be passed by both Rielly + Gardiner in the depth chart.

It was a proactive move to bring in a righty who also happens to be tough (to protect other guys on the roster) and who is better at the PK then Gunnar.

It had more to do with Polak being the better fit then anything.

 

[Ash35]

Never cared for Gunner. Way overatted. He was Kaberle without the offense.

 

[Mystifo]

I have not been against Polak as much as others have. I have not really noticed him that much to be honest. I think I noticed him turn over the puck once I a bone head play that I can recall but other then that he has just been ghost to me. Which is not a bad thing for a defenseman of his ilk as I would rather I never notice him than thinking every game when he is going to do something stupid.


This could be due to him playing with Percy and whenever Percy is on the ice I am watching his play with and without the puck but I guess in the next 20 or so games we shall see.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

It's quite possible the 4th rounder was insurance for St.Louis in case Gunnar doesn't come back 100% from hip surgery. It's not like it would have been a secret that he was going for the surgery and hip problems aren't exactly a small issue. It's a pretty risky pickup for St.Louis

Then we should have made that a conditional 4th. If Gunnar plays 40 games, we get our 4th back next summer. The more deals Nonis and co make the more less confidence I have in this MGT team. Holland's deal is not looking good either at the moment, but I digress.

 

[BonMorrison]

Still don't like the trade even if Gunnar is currently on the IR. Polak has shown nothing more than being a bottom pairing defenseman as advertised meanwhile Gunnar whilst not a top pairer, was still a good Top 4 defenseman. Phaneuf has also looked noticeably worse without Gunnar there to stabilize him, but that could be due to the side switch so jury is still out on that one.

 

[TheCLAM]

The more I think about this trade... the more awesome I think it is for the Leafs.

And lol at people complaining about the 4th rounder... I don't think that matters at all.

People make mountain over mole hills for giving up mid round pick and retaining 600k in salary. Which is not even a fraction of percent of our overall cap hit

 

[TheCLAM]

Still don't like the trade even if Gunnar is currently on the IR. Polak has shown nothing more than being a bottom pairing defenseman as advertised meanwhile Gunnar whilst not a top pairer, was still a good Top 4 defenseman. Phaneuf has also looked noticeably worse without Gunnar there to stabilize him, but that could be due to the side switch so jury is still out on that one.

The value of Gunner to us was not reflected in his overall market value. From a perspective of evaluating the player (Gunnarson), Gunner played solid on a team with poor defense play. You have to ask is he a product of lack of depth or is he a good #3/#4. This is a pretty subjective statement, you have to consider other factors like injury history, overall play etc. Gunnarsson is not the type of play to get high value, he's a supplementary piece.

 

[crump]

Like Polak. Needs to chill on some pinches, like last night, but I like the physical presence and his d zone play for the most part. Still early either way.

 

[Hyperglide]

I didn't notice him last night which is a good thing for a defensive defenceman. Plus he laid out a Ranger yesterday too so that's nice to see. 1 game is way to short of a sample size to get an impression though.

 

[Porn*]

we're 3 games in... with a bunch of new players. give them a few weeks to learn how to play together. training camp doesn't exactly mimic the regular season.

 

[Warden of the North]

The only part of this deal that bothers me is the pick.

 

[Quares27]

I agree that he pinches a bit too much but it's only 3 games in so we'll see if that changes.

As for Gunnarsson, he's not the same player he was 2 years ago. That hip injury in the 12/13 season really messed up his skating, and it seems to be only worse now. I can only imagine how much of a pylon he'll be when he gets back this season.

One thing the Leafs mentioned is that Polak was a better fit. And if you plan on going with a soft 4th line then a player like Polak on the blueline is a lot better than Gunnarsson.

As for the people complaining about the 4th round pick... seriously? those things get passed around like nothing and have very little value. If it makes you feel better you can list the trade as Gunnarsson + Brown for Polak or Gunnarsson + Lombardi for Polak, because we got two 4th rounders for pretty bad players that couldnt make our lineup the year before.

 

[buttman*]

Then we should have made that a conditional 4th. If Gunnar plays 40 games, we get our 4th back next summer. The more deals Nonis and co make the more less confidence I have in this MGT team. Holland's deal is not looking good either at the moment, but I digress.

It's a 4th round pick. It's not going to make or break this organization. Get over it.

 

[pooleboy]

People make mountain over mole hills for giving up mid round pick and retaining 600k in salary. Which is not even a fraction of percent of our overall cap hit

Wow u need to start expecting better. These people are also the ones saying our scouting staff sucks yet we never have picks. There also the ones that are complaining about clarksons cap hit yet buyouts + throwing away cap hit this management team is very horrible at micromanaging anything and they havnt been able to win a playoff round in 10+ years and only made the playoffs once in 10 years

Assetmanagement if it is, should definitly be taken off dave nonis's resume

 

[Paladin2799]

Frankly, I really like this trade. I did then, and I do now.

Its basically nhl hockey trade at its finest.

Gunnar and Polak are roughly the same in value, and Toronto is the one who wants to make the trade. STL said "we are happy staying put, but we dont mind the trade. Add a sweetener and we are good". Toronto threw in a meaningless 4th round pick and balanced their defensemen.

We have Phaneuf, Gunnar, Reilly, Finn, and percy on the left side and very few on the right. We swapped a 2nd pairing dman in gunnar for a 2nd pairing dman in polak. Offense and speed for grit and strength knowing we have Gardiner/Reilly/Finn coming up.

 

[34]

Polak is not that bad. He is at least big and Physical. We already have our young skilled studs in Gardiner, Rielly and Percy on the back end.

Someone needs to rule by the iron fist back there. I would rather have Polak in than Robidas... Any day.

 

[The Caveman]

Without Polak back there, Leafs D would be soft as butter.

It was a good trade.

 

[dubey]

Frankly, I really like this trade. I did then, and I do now.

Its basically nhl hockey trade at its finest.

Gunnar and Polak are roughly the same in value, and Toronto is the one who wants to make the trade. STL said "we are happy staying put, but we dont mind the trade. Add a sweetener and we are good". Toronto threw in a meaningless 4th round pick and balanced their defensemen.

We have Phaneuf, Gunnar, Reilly, Finn, and percy on the left side and very few on the right. We swapped a 2nd pairing dman in gunnar for a 2nd pairing dman in polak. Offense and speed for grit and strength knowing we have Gardiner/Reilly/Finn coming up.

He's also damaged good and has never played a full season. Don't understand why St. Louis makes this trade, to be honest.

 

[diceman934]

Plays with an edge, is physical, can skate. A bit too risky at the moment which he wasn't really in St Louis, but I think he'll calm down.

I'm not surprised to see how there are parts of the fanbase already turning against him. I'm not sure I've seen one defensive D-man who has been appreciated here in Toronto for as long as I can remember.

Gunnar is the better D man he thinks the game better and can play with anyone. Thus far Polak had been among our worse D man, trying to do to much and making poor decisions. He is a right shot physical d man and we required both more right shots and physicality.

Let's hope Polak can make better reads as he did not have to do so playing within the Blues system. His puck skills are not great but anyone who watched him before he arrived here already knows this.

For the Gunnar haters.....Gunnar played great for us and in a role that he never should have had to play. He put up better defensive numbers then Dion and was our best Defensive D man. Had he been a right shot he would have still been here.

 

[Alexanderthe89]

Polak's a lot faster than I thought he would be.