Confirmed with Link: Blues acquire Gunnarsson & 2014 4th (Ville Husso) for Polák
- Thread starter Alklha
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Gonna miss the Roman Polak drinking game. Every shot on goal you finish your beer. Every goal he scored you'd drink 5 beers. Most of the season it was relatively calm... but every so often you would have that game where you got reallllyy hammered...
Majorityof1
Registered User
I must be an alcoholic. Cause if we are talking beer, I can play that game with everyone in the league except Ovechkin. With Polak, your worst game was 9 beers. That is a slow night out.
David Dennison
I'm a tariff, man.
Certainly have mixed feelings about the trade, but I think that we got pretty good value in the deal.
On the good side, he is a lefty and will allow Jackman to shift into a smaller, more specialized role. Gunnarsson has played a lot of minutes since coming into the league and is hitting his prime, and fits into what we are trying to do. I believe the Leafs are picking up some of the salary, and we got a decent goalie prospect with the 4th rounder.
On the other hand, it is tough to see Roman go. We have had trouble with big forwards, and Polak was probably our most physically imposing defender. Not sure I like the idea of a Jackman-Cole pairing either, but who knows.
Sad to see him go though, he was one longest tenured Blues, behind only Jax and maybe Backes? He was one of the first few young guys during the rebuild, and he surprised almost everyone with how quickly he developed.
On the good side, he is a lefty and will allow Jackman to shift into a smaller, more specialized role. Gunnarsson has played a lot of minutes since coming into the league and is hitting his prime, and fits into what we are trying to do. I believe the Leafs are picking up some of the salary, and we got a decent goalie prospect with the 4th rounder.
On the other hand, it is tough to see Roman go. We have had trouble with big forwards, and Polak was probably our most physically imposing defender. Not sure I like the idea of a Jackman-Cole pairing either, but who knows.
Sad to see him go though, he was one longest tenured Blues, behind only Jax and maybe Backes? He was one of the first few young guys during the rebuild, and he surprised almost everyone with how quickly he developed.
rumrokh
THORBS
- Mar 10, 2006
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Last year, there was a brief stint with Cole on the right side and I think Leopold on the left, maybe Jackman? Cole played really well. Obviously a whole season of that is not the same thing, but I think that may have convinced them that Cole is fine on the right side. Honestly, any of those three guys still make for one of the best bottom pairings in the league. It's all about the comfort and chemistry, though.
ExJbeck
Registered User
- Jul 29, 2012
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I honestly don't know much about Gunnar, I am intrigued and honestly was not a fan of getting rid of Polak. I have a couple of friends in Toronto, I asked them about Gunnar. They basically said he keeps it real simple and reliable defensively. They all agree that they lost the trade because of the minutes Gunnar can eat up.
As a Leaf fan, I'm happy to have Polak, but not happy to give up Gunnar.
As for what you guys can expect from him as a player... If you were to think of the quintessential Swedish defenseman, that's Gunnarsson. He will probably never get you to jump out of your seats with a big hit, goal, or rush. He's unremarkable in nearly every aspect of the game. He just goes out and does his job. Some nights you won't even notice he's playing, which as we know with that type of defenseman, is a very good thing. He should fit in well with you guys, especially as it sounds like you needed a #3/4. Plus, you've done well taking advantage of our idiot GMs in the past, so I don't think there's much to worry about.
To address some criticisms I see in this thread... He is soft, however you define that. The hits guy at the Air Canada Centre just records every bit of marginal contract as a 'hit.' But while you'll never see him actively seek out contact, he doesn't really shy away from the corners and battling for the puck.
The hip injury is something that's been bothering him for the better part of two years now. It sounds as if he had some sort of surgery to try to correct the problem. It is, or was, a chronic thing. He'd be fine at times and not so fine at others. When it is bothering him, it does affect his play. Most notably, off the top of my head, his 2013 season was pretty terrible as a direct result of his hip. I don't know if I'd advise you to worry about it, but something to keep an eye on nonetheless.
Cheers.
As for what you guys can expect from him as a player... If you were to think of the quintessential Swedish defenseman, that's Gunnarsson. He will probably never get you to jump out of your seats with a big hit, goal, or rush. He's unremarkable in nearly every aspect of the game. He just goes out and does his job. Some nights you won't even notice he's playing, which as we know with that type of defenseman, is a very good thing. He should fit in well with you guys, especially as it sounds like you needed a #3/4. Plus, you've done well taking advantage of our idiot GMs in the past, so I don't think there's much to worry about.
To address some criticisms I see in this thread... He is soft, however you define that. The hits guy at the Air Canada Centre just records every bit of marginal contract as a 'hit.' But while you'll never see him actively seek out contact, he doesn't really shy away from the corners and battling for the puck.
The hip injury is something that's been bothering him for the better part of two years now. It sounds as if he had some sort of surgery to try to correct the problem. It is, or was, a chronic thing. He'd be fine at times and not so fine at others. When it is bothering him, it does affect his play. Most notably, off the top of my head, his 2013 season was pretty terrible as a direct result of his hip. I don't know if I'd advise you to worry about it, but something to keep an eye on nonetheless.
Cheers.
Anth93
Registered User
- Jul 2, 2012
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Haven't been around for a couple days, but wanted to offer my Gunnar support.
He's one hip injury removed from being loved in Leaf land and being the fixture we all thought he'd be as recent as one year ago.
I'll be cheering big time for the guy, he's quality. Just don't be teased by him when he goes on one of his offensive adventures and looks like he can actually replicate it. They're rare.
He's one hip injury removed from being loved in Leaf land and being the fixture we all thought he'd be as recent as one year ago.
I'll be cheering big time for the guy, he's quality. Just don't be teased by him when he goes on one of his offensive adventures and looks like he can actually replicate it. They're rare.
Edgar
Registered User
- Dec 29, 2009
- 147
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BAD JOKE ALERT 
I like this trade, but now we have no-one to counter the power forwards of L.A./Ana/S.J.. I think our defense will get pushed around in their own zone. This problem may not even be apparent during the regular season, but I guarantee you it will be in the post-season. I think this problem will have to be addressed by then.
Vladys Gumption
Colt55
The counter to that argument is exactly what we're trying to do. The way you beat that relentless forcheck is not to get bigger, it's to get quicker and more efficient moving the puck out of the zone. We got better at that with the Gunnarsson acqusition.
BlueBeard
Registered User
- Aug 17, 2008
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Sure we do. In an Utopian Hitchcock society the center is the one who breaks the play up or at least hampers the play and the D finishes it off and transitions the puck out. Granted not every play is that simplistic, but you cannot realistically defend every single chance the opposition gets anyway. If you have good defensive centers you really limit the pressure on the D to begin with. Is it enough to beat LA? maybe, maybe not. I still say we are outgunned there as Kopitar-Carter is a better duo than Backes-Stastny but if we can at least limit the damage those two cause then we should have a better chance. Quick could still go beast mode and completely shut us out but I do like our chances better now than before.
Mansfield
possession obsession
gunnar is a better player than polak in just about every way there is. you guys won this trade handily, you'll really like gunnar
2 Minute Minor
Hi Keeba!
I picture the Blues being soft in the same way the Redwings were soft in the 90s. I can live with that.
Majorityof1
Registered User
So he is more physically dominant than Polak? No. Well, that is a way to be better than someone. If you are wrong about that fact, I can't very well believe your opinion on the rest of the premise.
Seriously, why do people have to tend toward hyperbole when analyzing a trade. Can't you just say, "Gunnar is a solid player who will help you team and I think you won the trade". We all liked Polak and are sad to see him go. It doesn't help to bash him by pretending he offers nothing (which is implied in the statement that Gunner is better in every way). Saying a player is better than another in everyway is just hardly ever true, unless you are comparing the player to Steve Ott
Meatwagon
Blues=Overrated
Well with the puck moving improvement of Gunnarson and Stastny, the Blues should get hemmed much less frequently. Which should lessen the chance of team getting physically abused.
Gardiner Expressway
Registered User
- Dec 1, 2011
- 875
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So he is more physically dominant than Polak? No. Well, that is a way to be better than someone. If you are wrong about that fact, I can't very well believe your opinion on the rest of the premise.
Seriously, why do people have to tend toward hyperbole when analyzing a trade. Can't you just say, "Gunnar is a solid player who will help you team and I think you won the trade". We all liked Polak and are sad to see him go. It doesn't help to bash him by pretending he offers nothing (which is implied in the statement that Gunner is better in every way). Saying a player is better than another in everyway is just hardly ever true, unless you are comparing the player to Steve Ott
Toronto fans are like that. I apologize on behalf of ignorant Leafs fans who are overly upset about the trade... it's just an overreaction to trading our only defenseman who actually played any defense.
I for one am happy with the trade and am looking forward to Polak joining our team. Good luck to Gunnarsonn, he'll be a quality asset if that hip holds up.
Vladys Gumption
Colt55
Ding, ding, ding. Despite the obsession with toughness that a lot of people have, you can win despite a lack of it. Just look at Chicago and LA. Sure they have some toughness on the backend, but their true strength is their transition game. They've got the ability to move the puck quickly and acurately. We just got better at that on the second pairing,
trevorftw
Voice of Reason
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